Steve Neff Music Blog http://www.neffmusic.com/blog website of steve neff Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:59:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 website of steve neff no MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2012/01/macsax-fjiii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2012/01/macsax-fjiii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:57:45 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=6029 Read More...]]> Today, I am reviewing a new MacSax tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is made by Eric Falcon.  I have reviewed a number of other mouthpieces in the past that were made or refaced by Eric Falcon including the LA tenor mouthpiece which I loved.  This mouthpiece is named the FJIII.  I have no idea why it is named that but would be interested in hearing what it stands for.

MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you look at the pictures here of the FJIII and compare them to the pictures of my Warburton LA tenor mouthpiece review (also made by Eric Falcon), you can see some similarities between the two mouthpiece designs.  Both have a similar body and long elongated window.  The baffles seem to be a similar length but if you look closely you can see that there are some differences.  The baffle in the FJIII is lower than the LA mouthpiece.  It also has a straight edge at the end of the baffle where the LA model has a little trench or pit.

Although, I loved the LA models volume and fatness, in the end I thought it was a bit too bright for what I’m looking for in a tenor mouthpiece.   I was very interested in trying the FJIII because it has the lower baffle which I knew would give it a darker sound.

MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Boy was I right,  the MacSax FJIII is a much darker mouthpiece than the Warburton LA model.  Besides how incredibly free blowing it is,  I didn’t find much in common with it and the LA.  I don’t know what Eric does with these mouthpiece to get them to blow so easily but they are incredibly freeblowing. Personally, I  like a bit of resistance when I play the sax so playing this mouthpiece was a bit of an adjustment for me.  It is an 8 (.110) tip opening.  Usually when I play .110 tips,  a 2 1/2 reed works great.  The first 2 1/2 I put on blew like a wet noodle.   There was nothing to it.  I tried a few other 2 1/2′s and experienced the same thing.  When I moved up to a 3 I expected it to be too hard but even the 3′s were too free blowing for me.  What I really wanted was a 3 1/2 but I didn’t have any so I had to make due with the Rigotti 3 that I played on this clip.  It was slightly harder than the others in the box and I thought it was a good match for this mouthpiece.

The tone of this mouthpiece is very dark in my opinion.  It does have a bit of kick and guts to it when you really blow but the overall tone is thick, rich and dark.  The response and intonation were good.  The volume was ok for me.  I couldn’t get as much as I would like but it was certainly enough to play a smokin’ jazz gig with.  The lack of brightness in the tone would make it hard to play a loud R&B or rock gig on this piece in my opinion.

The free blowing aspect of the mouthpiece was the hardest thing for me to wrestle with.  I feel like a certain bit of resistance lets me push against the sound and mold it easier.  In that way, I can be more expressive.  I did gain some resistance with the harder Rigotti 3 reed but still wasn’t feeling the resistance that I normally like when I play.  I would think that over time, I could get used to the way the mouthpiece blew and be able to adjust to it.

MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece comes with a neat looking Rovner Platinum ligature that looks cool and hip.  I’m not a big fan of ligatures that clamp on the outside edges of the reed.  This is what the Rovner did.  To me, it made the tone more hollow sounding.  When I put on the Rovner Eddie Daniels ligature the tone was much more centered and focused sounding for me.   This is just my opinion so you guys that think ligatures don’t matter can do what you want with this opinion.

Overall,  I believe this is a very good mouthpiece if you like free blowing and dark.  This would be an especially good choice for any of you who have tried the Warburton LA model but found it too bright for your tastes.  This has the same free blowing feel of the LA mouthpiece but is quite a bit darker and lusher sounding.  If your interested in trying one of these mouthpieces yourself, visit MacSax.com.  and talk to Eric Falcon yourself.  Thanks so much to Eric and MacSax for sending me this FJIII tenor mouthpiece to review.

MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

 

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2012/01/macsax-fjiii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 2 Today, I am reviewing a new MacSax tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is made by Eric Falcon.  I have reviewed a number of other mouthpieces in the past that were made or refaced by Eric Falcon including the LA tenor mouthpiece which I loved.  This mouthpiece is named the FJIII.  I have no idea why it is named that but would be interested in hearing what it stands for. MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece If you look at the pictures here of the FJIII and compare them to the pictures of my Warburton LA tenor mouthpiece review (also made by Eric Falcon), you can see some similarities between the two mouthpiece designs.  Both have a similar body and long elongated window.  The baffles seem to be a similar length but if you look closely you can see that there are some differences.  The baffle in the FJIII is lower than the LA mouthpiece.  It also has a straight edge at the end of the baffle where the LA model has a little trench or pit. Although, I loved the LA models volume and fatness, in the end I thought it was a bit too bright for what I’m looking for in a tenor mouthpiece.   I was very interested in trying the FJIII because it has the lower baffle which I knew would give it a darker sound. MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Boy was I right,  the MacSax FJIII is a much darker mouthpiece than the Warburton LA model.  Besides how incredibly free blowing it is,  I didn’t find much in common with it and the LA.  I don’t know what Eric does with these mouthpiece to get them to blow so easily but they are incredibly freeblowing. Personally, I  like a bit of resistance when I play the sax so playing this mouthpiece was a bit of an adjustment for me.  It is an 8 (.110) tip opening.  Usually when I play .110 tips,  a 2 1/2 reed works great.  The first 2 1/2 I put on blew like a wet noodle.   There was nothing to it.  I tried a few other 2 1/2′s and experienced the same thing.  When I moved up to a 3 I expected it to be too hard but even the 3′s were too free blowing for me.  What I really wanted was a 3 1/2 but I didn’t have any so I had to make due with the Rigotti 3 that I played on this clip.  It was slightly harder than the others in the box and I thought it was a good match for this mouthpiece. The tone of this mouthpiece is very dark in my opinion.  It does have a bit of kick and guts to it when you really blow but the overall tone is thick, rich and dark.  The response and intonation were good.  The volume was ok for me.  I couldn’t get as much as I would like but it was certainly enough to play a smokin’ jazz gig with.  The lack of brightness in the tone would make it hard to play a loud R&B or rock gig on this piece in my opinion. The free blowing aspect of the mouthpiece was the hardest thing for me to wrestle with.  I feel like a certain bit of resistance lets me push against the sound and mold it easier.  In that way, I can be more expressive.  I did gain some resistance with the harder Rigotti 3 reed but still wasn’t feeling the resistance that I normally like when I play.  I would think that over time, I could get used to the way the mouthpiece blew and be able to adjust to it. MacSax FJIII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece The mouthpiece comes with a neat looking Rovner Platinum ligature that looks cool and hip.  I’m not a big fan of ligatures that clamp on the outside edges of the reed.  This is what the Rovner did.  To me, it made the tone more hollow sounding.  When I put on the Rovner Eddie Daniels ligature the tone was much more centered and focused sounding for me.   This is just my opinion so you guys that think ligatures don’t matter can do what you want with this opinion. Overall,  I believe this is a very good mouthpiece if you like free blowing and dark.  This would be an especially good choice for any of you who have tried the Warburton LA model but found it too bright for your tastes.  This has the same free blowing feel of the LA [...] Today, I am reviewing a new MacSax tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is made by Eric Falcon.  I have reviewed a number of other mouthpieces in the past that were made or refaced by Eric Falcon including the LA tenor mouthpiece which I loved.  This [...] Phil-Tone Eqinox and Eclipse Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-eqinox-and-eclipse-tenor-saxophone-mouthpieces/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-eqinox-and-eclipse-tenor-saxophone-mouthpieces/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:41:43 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=5635 Read More...]]> Today I am reviewing the Phil-Tone Equinox tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I’m also including a sound clip and comparison to the Phil-Tone Eclipse mouthpiece.  I reviewed the Eclipse over two years ago on this site when it was just called the Phil-Tone.  Here is that review.

The Phil-Tone mouthpieces are made by Phil Engleman.  Phil has been making and refacing mouthpieces for a number of years now.  I have had him reface a couple of mouthpieces for me and a number of my students play his mouthpieces.

Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Equinox and Eclipse mouthpieces both look great.   Phil always does excellent work on his mouthpieces.  The table, tip and rails look perfect.   The tips line up perfectly with the reeds I used. The engraving and logo is nothing fancy but it does the job. The Equinox has a slightly higher and longer rollover baffle in comparison to the Eclipse mouthpiece.    Also, the Equinox’s baffle declines straight down evenly to the back of the chamber.  The Eclipse has more of a scooped out chamber to it.  This makes the Eclipses chamber larger than the Eqinox chamber.  They both have curved sidewalls and both have chamber and baffle work that looks great.

 

Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a description of the Equinox mouthpiece from the Phil-Tone website:

“Twice a year our planet spins upon its axis at a point where neither pole is inclined towards the sun.  This balance and equilibrium is expressed in the Phil-Tone Equinox.  This mouthpiece shines in a broad variety of musical situations. It is especially suited for the tenor player looking to add some focus to their sound, while still maintaining a big, warm, vibrant tone.  Subtle sophistication and comfort exist in its focused core. The highs and lows are rich and singing while the mids carry through its even range. With clarity and definition, the altissimo is exceptionally resonant.  Articulation is quick, easy, and precise.  If you are looking for complexity, focus, and resonance in all registers, look no further than the Equinox.”

As you would expect because of the higher rollover baffle and smaller chamber the Equinox had a brighter sound than the Eclipse.  It was very focused sounding and had a nice buzz to the sound.  It was very easy to play around the horn.  The intonation was great and it had a lot of power when you pushed it.  The sub-tone was nice down low.  The tone seemed drier to me than the Eclipse.  You can hear the difference when you listen to the sound clips.

Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Eclipse was close to the brightness of the Equinox but it seemed to have a fatter and wetter tone to me.  More spread sounding.  To put these words in perspective…….the Equinox reminded me more of a Coltrane type sound.  A tight dry core to the sound that leaned to the brighter side.  I think you can hear these differences when you listen to the clips.  The Eclipse sounded fatter and more spread tone wise.  One isn’t better than the other, which one you like is a matter of personal choice.  They both played great!

Here is what Phil says about the Eclipse mouthpiece on the Phil-Tone website:

“When the moon moves across the sun, the earth is enveloped in a sweeping darkness lit by a powerful, illuminating edge.  For a brief moment in time both light and shadow become one.  It is in that spirit that the Phil-Tone Eclipse is crafted.  It is a powerful mouthpiece with a rich, medium-dark core that has roundness and warmth, but with a scintillating brightness at its edge. This powerfully resonant piece can carry you through ballads or your loudest gigs.  It will take all the air you can give it without breaking up or losing its warm focus, and has an unparalleled dynamic range.  The highs sing out with rich harmonics, and the low end is broad and expansive. The Eclipse allows the player to shape their tone with ease of play and unparalleled richness. Discover your own sound with the most robust tenor piece in the Phil-Tone lineup.”

Phil-Tone Eclipse Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

These mouthpieces are very reasonably priced. Right now, I have 4 of my students playing on Phil-Tone mouthpieces and refaces.  If you like the Phil-Tone Equinox or Eclipse sound clips then visit Phil Engleman’s website and check one out for yourself! (or maybe both………)  http://www.phil-tone.com/.

My ratings above are only for the Equinox mouthpiece as I have rated the Eclipse in a past review.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  If you have the Equinox yourself and want to review it, feel free to do so below with the comments and stars.   Thanks,   Steve

Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Phil-Tone Eclipse Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-eqinox-and-eclipse-tenor-saxophone-mouthpieces/feed/ 1 Today I am reviewing the Phil-Tone Equinox tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I’m also including a sound clip and comparison to the Phil-Tone Eclipse mouthpiece.  I reviewed the Eclipse over two years ago on this site when it was just called the Phil-Tone.  Here is that review. The Phil-Tone mouthpieces are made by Phil Engleman.  Phil has been making and refacing mouthpieces for a number of years now.  I have had him reface a couple of mouthpieces for me and a number of my students play his mouthpieces. Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece The Phil-Tone Equinox and Eclipse mouthpieces both look great.   Phil always does excellent work on his mouthpieces.  The table, tip and rails look perfect.   The tips line up perfectly with the reeds I used. The engraving and logo is nothing fancy but it does the job. The Equinox has a slightly higher and longer rollover baffle in comparison to the Eclipse mouthpiece.    Also, the Equinox’s baffle declines straight down evenly to the back of the chamber.  The Eclipse has more of a scooped out chamber to it.  This makes the Eclipses chamber larger than the Eqinox chamber.  They both have curved sidewalls and both have chamber and baffle work that looks great.   Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Here is a description of the Equinox mouthpiece from the Phil-Tone website: “Twice a year our planet spins upon its axis at a point where neither pole is inclined towards the sun.  This balance and equilibrium is expressed in the Phil-Tone Equinox.  This mouthpiece shines in a broad variety of musical situations. It is especially suited for the tenor player looking to add some focus to their sound, while still maintaining a big, warm, vibrant tone.  Subtle sophistication and comfort exist in its focused core. The highs and lows are rich and singing while the mids carry through its even range. With clarity and definition, the altissimo is exceptionally resonant.  Articulation is quick, easy, and precise.  If you are looking for complexity, focus, and resonance in all registers, look no further than the Equinox.” As you would expect because of the higher rollover baffle and smaller chamber the Equinox had a brighter sound than the Eclipse.  It was very focused sounding and had a nice buzz to the sound.  It was very easy to play around the horn.  The intonation was great and it had a lot of power when you pushed it.  The sub-tone was nice down low.  The tone seemed drier to me than the Eclipse.  You can hear the difference when you listen to the sound clips. Phil-Tone Equinox Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece The Eclipse was close to the brightness of the Equinox but it seemed to have a fatter and wetter tone to me.  More spread sounding.  To put these words in perspective…….the Equinox reminded me more of a Coltrane type sound.  A tight dry core to the sound that leaned to the brighter side.  I think you can hear these differences when you listen to the clips.  The Eclipse sounded fatter and more spread tone wise.  One isn’t better than the other, which one you like is a matter of personal choice.  They both played great! Here is what Phil says about the Eclipse mouthpiece on the Phil-Tone website: “When the moon moves across the sun, the earth is enveloped in a sweeping darkness lit by a powerful, illuminating edge.  For a brief moment in time both light and shadow become one.  It is in that spirit that the Phil-Tone Eclipse is crafted.  It is a powerful mouthpiece with a rich, medium-dark core that has roundness and warmth, but with a scintillating brightness at its edge. This powerfully resonant piece can carry you through ballads or your loudest gigs.  It will take all the air you can give it without breaking up or losing its warm focus, and has an unparalleled dynamic range.  The highs sing out with rich harmonics, and the low end is broad and expansive. The Eclipse allows the player to shape their tone with ease of play [...] Today I am reviewing the Phil-Tone Equinox tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I’m also including a sound clip and comparison to the Phil-Tone Eclipse mouthpiece.  I reviewed the Eclipse over two years ago on this site when it was just called the [...] Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-solstice-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-solstice-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 03:03:05 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=5626 Read More...]]> This is a Phil-Tone Solstice alto saxophone mouthpiece.  It used to be called the “West Coast” model but is now called the Solstice.  It has a .076 tip opening.  I have reviewed Phil Engleman’s mouthpieces before and every one has been excellent! Phil has just come out with a new website and a few new mouthpiece models that I will review in the next few days.

Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Solstice alto mouthpiece looks great right out of the box.  The table, tip and rails look perfect.  The engraving and logo is nothing fancy but it does the job.  It has a slight rollover baffle the declines into what I would consider a small to medium chamber.  The side walls are straight and not scooped like many Meyer type mouthpieces are.  The baffles rollover is right near the tip and very slight.  It does it’s job and then gets out of the way.

Here is a description of the mouthpiece from the Phil-Tone website:

“A solstice signals the change in the seasons, just as this mouthpiece marks a departure from the traditional jazz alto setup.  The Solstice harkens to the days of the ”West Coast” school of sound, made famous by such greats as Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond.  The sounds and styles of these greats inspired the creation of this mouthpiece.  The Solstice has a rich core and a full harmonic palate, while also possessing a lively and lyrical quality.  There have been several modern attempts to approach the West Coast sound but the majority leave the player with a stuffy, dull, and resistant piece. The Solstice plays open, full, and with ease.  Its ringing, centered tone provides a unique avenue towards expression and opens the door to new possibilities.  From flowing bossa novas, to the jazz quartet standards, to a beautiful, lyrical, emotional ballad…the Solstice does it all..”

Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I really enjoyed this mouthpieces a lot.  I didn’t read the description on Phil’s site before I played it but the first thing I thought when I played it was “Paul Desmond”.   I actually went into “Take 5″ on the clip.  Later when I went to his site and read that it was modeled after a west coast Paul Desmond type vibe I smiled.  Phil did a great job with this.

The tone is light and on the brighter side.  It does indeed lean towards that Paul Desmond type sound.  When I played it I felt like I should be smoking a cigarette and drinking a Martini  (I’ve seen pictures of Desmond doing this).  The tone has a dryness to it just like you associate with that west coast sound.   The intonation was great and the sound was nice and even throughout the range of the horn.  I did feel  that if I pushed the air too much it would get too bright and edgy for my tastes.  It reminded me of how a Selmer Soloist blows.  If you play soft,medium and loud it is beautiful but if you push it too super loud it can get really bright.  You have to really push it to the  max to hear that though.  To be honest, if you are in to that west coast Paul Desmond sound you probably wouldn’t push it like that anyways…………..

This mouthpiece doesn’t get as big and fat sounding as some other alto mouthpieces I have played but it does what it does really well.  To put it in perspective, I have played other mouthpieces that have reminded me of a Cannonball type sound.  Big, fat and  loud.  Imagine Cannonball playing next to Desmond…………..  One isn’t better than the other. They are just different.  What you like and want to sound like depends on your personal preferences and tastes.

I have played hundreds of alto mouthpieces and this is the closest to a Desmond sound I have ever come.  Well done Phil!

These mouthpieces are very reasonably priced.  Right now, I have 4 of my students playing on Phil’s pieces.   If you like the  Phil-Tone Solstice alto saxophone sound then visit Phil Engleman’s website and check one out for yourself! http://www.phil-tone.com/.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-tone-solstice-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 5 This is a Phil-Tone Solstice alto saxophone mouthpiece.  It used to be called the “West Coast” model but is now called the Solstice.  It has a .076 tip opening.  I have reviewed Phil Engleman’s mouthpieces before and every one has been excellent! Phil has just come out with a new website and a few new mouthpiece models that I will review in the next few days. Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece The Phil-Tone Solstice alto mouthpiece looks great right out of the box.  The table, tip and rails look perfect.  The engraving and logo is nothing fancy but it does the job.  It has a slight rollover baffle the declines into what I would consider a small to medium chamber.  The side walls are straight and not scooped like many Meyer type mouthpieces are.  The baffles rollover is right near the tip and very slight.  It does it’s job and then gets out of the way. Here is a description of the mouthpiece from the Phil-Tone website: “A solstice signals the change in the seasons, just as this mouthpiece marks a departure from the traditional jazz alto setup.  The Solstice harkens to the days of the ”West Coast” school of sound, made famous by such greats as Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond.  The sounds and styles of these greats inspired the creation of this mouthpiece.  The Solstice has a rich core and a full harmonic palate, while also possessing a lively and lyrical quality.  There have been several modern attempts to approach the West Coast sound but the majority leave the player with a stuffy, dull, and resistant piece. The Solstice plays open, full, and with ease.  Its ringing, centered tone provides a unique avenue towards expression and opens the door to new possibilities.  From flowing bossa novas, to the jazz quartet standards, to a beautiful, lyrical, emotional ballad…the Solstice does it all..” Phil-Tone Solstice Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece I really enjoyed this mouthpieces a lot.  I didn’t read the description on Phil’s site before I played it but the first thing I thought when I played it was “Paul Desmond”.   I actually went into “Take 5″ on the clip.  Later when I went to his site and read that it was modeled after a west coast Paul Desmond type vibe I smiled.  Phil did a great job with this. The tone is light and on the brighter side.  It does indeed lean towards that Paul Desmond type sound.  When I played it I felt like I should be smoking a cigarette and drinking a Martini  (I’ve seen pictures of Desmond doing this).  The tone has a dryness to it just like you associate with that west coast sound.   The intonation was great and the sound was nice and even throughout the range of the horn.  I did feel  that if I pushed the air too much it would get too bright and edgy for my tastes.  It reminded me of how a Selmer Soloist blows.  If you play soft,medium and loud it is beautiful but if you push it too super loud it can get really bright.  You have to really push it to the  max to hear that though.  To be honest, if you are in to that west coast Paul Desmond sound you probably wouldn’t push it like that anyways………….. This mouthpiece doesn’t get as big and fat sounding as some other alto mouthpieces I have played but it does what it does really well.  To put it in perspective, I have played other mouthpieces that have reminded me of a Cannonball type sound.  Big, fat and  loud.  Imagine Cannonball playing next to Desmond…………..  One isn’t better than the other. They are just different.  What you like and want to sound like depends on your personal preferences and tastes. I have played hundreds of alto mouthpieces and this is the closest to a Desmond sound I have ever come.  Well done Phil! These mouthpieces are very reasonably priced.  Right now, I have 4 of my students playing on Phil’s pieces.   If you like the  Phil-Tone Solstice alto saxophone sound then visit Phil Engleman’s website and [...] This is a Phil-Tone Solstice alto saxophone mouthpiece.  It used to be called the “West Coast” model but is now called the Solstice.  It has a .076 tip opening.  I have reviewed Phil Engleman’s mouthpieces before and every one has been [...] SAXZ “Vintage 1950″ Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/saxz-vintage-1950-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/saxz-vintage-1950-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:38:36 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=4924 Read More...]]> This is a SaxZ “Vintage 1950″ hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe.  I reviewed a SAXZ Dave Sanborn model which was a very modern sounding mouthpiece.  This tenor mouthpiece is SAXZ’s version of a vintage 1950 type mouthpiece.

SAXZ  “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece

This mouthpiece has an 8 tip opening (.110).  The table, rails and tip look good.  The baffle is a medium rollover baffle that ramps down smoothly into a medium large chamber.

This mouthpiece played very well.  When played at a low or medium volume is produced a nice dark sound that was robust and thick.   The sub-tones were really nice on this mouthpiece as you can hear on the recording.  The  response was fast and even throughout the whole range of the horn.  When you listen to the clip below you can judge for yourself.  I know I felt very comfortable on it and didn’t have to fight the mouthpiece at all to play the way I wanted.

Here are some words about the mouthpiece from Sax-ccessories.com which sells the mouthpiece:

“The Saxz Vintage 1950 tenor sax mouthpiece has husky and dark sound with a lot of buzz like 1950′s sound. This mouthpiece has very quick response and all the playability and very good pitch that you find in today’s mouthpieces. This is a mouthpiece that offers outstanding performance. It features a low baffle with medium large chamber. It has a hand-finished body, tip, and side rails.”

SAXZ “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece

Like the alto mouthpiece, this is a great mouthpiece to play on.  It gives you that lush ’50′s tenor sound if you want it but it has plenty of power when you push it.  When I think of 1950 tenor players you have quite the list.  John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, George Coleman…………

This mouthpiece won’t make you automatically sound like any of these guys.  That’s up to you. I do think this mouthpiece can get you in the ballpark sound wise though.

“Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying SaxZ mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review. If you like the “Vintage 1950′s SaxZ” sound visit his website and check one out for yourself! http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ .

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

SAXZ  “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/saxz-vintage-1950-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 4 This is a SaxZ “Vintage 1950″ hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe.  I reviewed a SAXZ Dave Sanborn model which was a very modern sounding mouthpiece.  This tenor mouthpiece is SAXZ’s version of a vintage 1950 type mouthpiece. SAXZ  “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece This mouthpiece has an 8 tip opening (.110).  The table, rails and tip look good.  The baffle is a medium rollover baffle that ramps down smoothly into a medium large chamber. This mouthpiece played very well.  When played at a low or medium volume is produced a nice dark sound that was robust and thick.   The sub-tones were really nice on this mouthpiece as you can hear on the recording.  The  response was fast and even throughout the whole range of the horn.  When you listen to the clip below you can judge for yourself.  I know I felt very comfortable on it and didn’t have to fight the mouthpiece at all to play the way I wanted. Here are some words about the mouthpiece from Sax-ccessories.com which sells the mouthpiece: “The Saxz Vintage 1950 tenor sax mouthpiece has husky and dark sound with a lot of buzz like 1950′s sound. This mouthpiece has very quick response and all the playability and very good pitch that you find in today’s mouthpieces. This is a mouthpiece that offers outstanding performance. It features a low baffle with medium large chamber. It has a hand-finished body, tip, and side rails.” SAXZ “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece Like the alto mouthpiece, this is a great mouthpiece to play on.  It gives you that lush ’50′s tenor sound if you want it but it has plenty of power when you push it.  When I think of 1950 tenor players you have quite the list.  John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, George Coleman………… This mouthpiece won’t make you automatically sound like any of these guys.  That’s up to you. I do think this mouthpiece can get you in the ballpark sound wise though. “Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying SaxZ mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review. If you like the “Vintage 1950′s SaxZ” sound visit his website and check one out for yourself! http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ . Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve SAXZ  “Vintage 1950″ Model Tenor Mouthpiece This is a SaxZ “Vintage 1950″ hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe.  I reviewed a SAXZ Dave Sanborn model which was a very modern sounding mouthpiece.  This tenor mouthpiece is [...] Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-barone-super-new-york-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-barone-super-new-york-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:45:01 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=5598 Read More...]]> Up for review today, is a new tenor saxophone mouthpiece model by Phil Barone.  It’s called the Super New York.  Phil Barone has been making mouthpieces for a long long time.  I first heard his name back in the 90′s when I saw Dino Govoni play at the Acton Jazz Club.  Dino sounded great that night and I asked him what he was playing on and he said a Barone mouthpiece.  I had never heard of them before but shortly after that I found a Jazz model on ebay that I loved.  Over the years,  I have tried numerous Jazz, New York and Hollywood models.  When I heard Phil had a new model coming out that he was excited about I was instantly curious.  Especially after I read his description of it on the internet.

Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

This is what Phil Barone had to say about the Super New York on SOTW (Sax on the Web):

I’m extremely happy to announce that after a year and a half of working on the Super New York model tenor mouthpiece that I’ve finally completed the very first one and it is way beyond my expectations. We started with a model then went to a prototype then we scanned the prototype and made a CNC program and finally after tweaking the program we finally made the very first mouthpiece which I then hand-finished it and it is an absolute monster, a MONSTER. I guess the last time I was this excited about a mouthpiece was when I made the Hollywood and that was mouthpiece history.

It’s a dark mouthpiece but loud as hell and very free-blowing and it gets a little brighter as you push into it but not much and physically it has a very large chamber with a nice rollover baffle but while the sound is dark it’s also very bold and vibrant. This is an unusual combination. If you and I have a phone consultation before purchasing one and you end up not liking the mouthpiece I will give you a one hundred percent refund. I have to do it this way because I will have a limited number of pieces so I have to be careful of who I send them to until I have a substantial number of mouthpieces.

You will love one of them if you play an Otto Link, metal or rubber or even if you have a higher baffle mouthpiece and are frustrated with the quality of the sound. This is a VERY free-blowing mouthpiece and I’m very certain you will be happy with it. A waiting list is forming so call 212.686.9410. Phil Barone

Phil’s description really piqued my curiosity.  In the past, I had loved the darkness of the Jazz models but had sold the ones I owned because I couldn’t get the highs and volume I needed in today’s modern funk and rock world.   I tried the New York and Hollywood models and they  had that brightness and volume I needed live but I also found them a bit too bright for what I wanted.  I was always looking for something in between the Jazz models and the New York and Hollywood models.  In my opinion, this is that mouthpiece.  It has that dark core to the sound that is thick and full sounding.  It could take all the air I could give it and get mighty loud.  You can’t hear it on the clip but I tried to record a clip before this one and when I played full blast I would max out the mic levels.  For the sample below I had to keep it at a low to medium volume to not max out the mic.  When I really pushed it it did get brighter but not too much in my opinion.  I think it is bright enough to hold it’s own in a modern loud band situation when you push it though.


I have to say that the intonation on this mouthpiece was amazing.  Usually, my middle E is quite a bit sharp.  I am used to that and adjust to fix it.  With the Super New York I didn’t have to adjust at all.  The octaves were close to perfectly in tune.  You can hear it in the clip when I play a little bit of “Pure Imagination”.  The melody jumps to an E at one point and I was expecting it to be sharp and it was perfect.  That was a nice surprise.  The altissimo was easy to play and was easy to keep in tune also.

 

Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I ranked this mouthpiece a 5 in every area except construction (No plating and bite played not glued on)  Phil did tell me this before hand as this is the prototype model and wasn’t finished to sell.  I didn’t rank that category just because I didn’t think it was fair to Phil as this isn’t a final product.  To be honest,  I could care less about the plating and the bite plate…….what matters to me is the way it plays.  This Super New York plays great.  I felt instantly at home and comfortable on it.  I’ve played it for a week straight now and loved the sound of it as much today as I did last week.

For tone I gave it a 5 because I loved the lush full thick sound it had all over the range of the horn.  There wasn’t a thin note anywhere on the horn.  The tone had a lot of character to it also.  The thickness of the tone reminded me of a Dexter or Eric Alexander kind of sound.  Nice and thick and full.

For response I also gave it a 5.  It had some resistance but it was a good resistance. It lets you shape the sound and push against something.  It would take all my air and get super loud.  Usually response goes hand in hand with how comfortable I feel on a mouthpiece.  I felt very comfortable.  The more comfortable I am, the more creative I am.  I’m not thinking about the mouthpiece and sound but I’m just playing and focused on creating.  That’s a 5 for me.

For value I gave it a 5 also.  I don’t even know what these will sell for but the mouthpiece plays so well that to me it is worth the price to get this sound and response.

This mouthpiece that Phil Barone sent me is the first one that he has made.  It hasn’t been finished and the bite plate isn’t even glued on yet.  I have a regular New York in my possession now and that mouthpiece is much brighter than the Super.  When I look at them side by side the Super looks to have a slightly higher roll over baffle but looks to have a faster decline to the chamber.  The chamber and bore look bigger than the New York model I have.  This combination of baffle with large chamber gives the mouthpiece a beautiful balance of power and a thick fat tone.  Maybe in the future I can do a comparison clip of the New York and Super New York side by side so you can hear the differences.

Thanks to Phil for letting me try this mouthpiece and review it.  If you like this clip and my review contact Phil Barone by phone  212.686.9410 or by his website.  I believe he has the first run of these in production even as I type this so hopefully they will be available very soon.  If you get one of these feel free to come back and write your own review down below………………

Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/phil-barone-super-new-york-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 19 Up for review today, is a new tenor saxophone mouthpiece model by Phil Barone.  It’s called the Super New York.  Phil Barone has been making mouthpieces for a long long time.  I first heard his name back in the 90′s when I saw Dino Govoni play at the Acton Jazz Club.  Dino sounded great that night and I asked him what he was playing on and he said a Barone mouthpiece.  I had never heard of them before but shortly after that I found a Jazz model on ebay that I loved.  Over the years,  I have tried numerous Jazz, New York and Hollywood models.  When I heard Phil had a new model coming out that he was excited about I was instantly curious.  Especially after I read his description of it on the internet. Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece This is what Phil Barone had to say about the Super New York on SOTW (Sax on the Web): I’m extremely happy to announce that after a year and a half of working on the Super New York model tenor mouthpiece that I’ve finally completed the very first one and it is way beyond my expectations. We started with a model then went to a prototype then we scanned the prototype and made a CNC program and finally after tweaking the program we finally made the very first mouthpiece which I then hand-finished it and it is an absolute monster, a MONSTER. I guess the last time I was this excited about a mouthpiece was when I made the Hollywood and that was mouthpiece history. It’s a dark mouthpiece but loud as hell and very free-blowing and it gets a little brighter as you push into it but not much and physically it has a very large chamber with a nice rollover baffle but while the sound is dark it’s also very bold and vibrant. This is an unusual combination. If you and I have a phone consultation before purchasing one and you end up not liking the mouthpiece I will give you a one hundred percent refund. I have to do it this way because I will have a limited number of pieces so I have to be careful of who I send them to until I have a substantial number of mouthpieces. You will love one of them if you play an Otto Link, metal or rubber or even if you have a higher baffle mouthpiece and are frustrated with the quality of the sound. This is a VERY free-blowing mouthpiece and I’m very certain you will be happy with it. A waiting list is forming so call 212.686.9410. Phil Barone Phil’s description really piqued my curiosity.  In the past, I had loved the darkness of the Jazz models but had sold the ones I owned because I couldn’t get the highs and volume I needed in today’s modern funk and rock world.   I tried the New York and Hollywood models and they  had that brightness and volume I needed live but I also found them a bit too bright for what I wanted.  I was always looking for something in between the Jazz models and the New York and Hollywood models.  In my opinion, this is that mouthpiece.  It has that dark core to the sound that is thick and full sounding.  It could take all the air I could give it and get mighty loud.  You can’t hear it on the clip but I tried to record a clip before this one and when I played full blast I would max out the mic levels.  For the sample below I had to keep it at a low to medium volume to not max out the mic.  When I really pushed it it did get brighter but not too much in my opinion.  I think it is bright enough to hold it’s own in a modern loud band situation when you push it though. I have to say that the intonation on this mouthpiece was amazing.  Usually, my middle E is quite a bit sharp.  I am used to that and adjust to fix it.  With the Super New York I didn’t have to adjust at all.  The octaves were close to perfectly in tune.  You can hear it in the clip when I play a little bit of “Pure Imagination”.  The melody jumps to an E at one point and I was expecting it to be sharp and it was perfect.  That was a nice surprise.  The altissimo was easy to play and was easy to keep in tune [...] Up for review today, is a new tenor saxophone mouthpiece model by Phil Barone.  It’s called the Super New York.  Phil Barone has been making mouthpieces for a long long time.  I first heard his name back in the 90′s when I saw Dino Govoni [...] Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/tenor-madness-42-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/tenor-madness-42-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:37:52 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=5587 Read More...]]> The new Tenor Madness 42 (TM 42) 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by James Bunte appeared out of nowhere.  I was browsing through Sax on the Web (SOTW) and I came across a discussion about the TM 42 mouthpieces by James Bunte that were being sold at Saxquest.  A couple of people were raving about them and I thought “How can this be?  A great mouthpiece that I don’t know about!”.   I immediately asked if I could try one and write a review on it.

Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I received the mouthpiece in the mail a couple of weeks later from James Bunte.  Mr. Bunte is an accomplished saxophone player as you can tell from reading his website and listening to the clips when you visit it.   I’m all that much more impressed at the fact that he can make his own mouthpieces!

This is what Saxquest says about this mouthpiece:

“This is the new TM 42 mouthpiece for tenor saxophone, designed in the spirit of the vintage hard rubber Brilhart mouthpieces. These mouthpieces are designed with long facings, medium large chambers and have a slight roll on the baffle for improved projection. They are all play tested and hand finished by Dr. James Bunte of the Oasis Saxophone Quartet.

Saxquest has spent a lot of time play testing these pieces against other current production mouthpieces and vintage pieces. The results are in and we are extremely impressed with the product. The TM 42’s play with a warm resonating sound that is rich in color and overtones. Projection on this mouthpiece is also quite exceptional due to the quality work on the inner chamber and baffle.

Dr. Bunte believes it is very important to provide progressive students and professionals with a more affordable option when it comes to a quality hand finished mouthpiece. Typically professional level mouthpieces start in the $250 to $350 area. The new TM 42’s are selling for a very the reasonable cost of $180. This price is a reflection of Dr. Bunte’s philosophy and not the quality of the mouthpiece itself.

These pieces are currently only available in the 7* tip opening.”

When I received the mouthpiece in the mail,  I was confused because the mouthpiece I received had a large brass ring on the back end of it.  The mouthpiece pictures I saw on saxquest didn’t have this big metal ring.  Mr. Bunte said he was experimenting with it on his mouthpieces.  It was a different concept for a hard rubber mouthpiece than I had seen before.  Mr. Bunte let me know that the metal ring could be removed from the mouthpiece and he was curious to see what I thought of it.

When I took the mouthpiece out of the package, the first thing I thought was that it was really heavy.  This is because of the metal ring.  The metal ring itself seems to weigh more than the mouthpiece.   When I looked at the mouthpiece,  it had a pretty high beginning baffle that  sloped down into a medium chamber.  It reminded me a lot of some slant signature links and early babbit links I have played.  The table looked to be flat and the tip and rails were well shaped to match the reeds I was playing.  It was a 7* tip opening and at this time the TM 42 is only offered in a 7* tip opening.    I tried a Vandoren Java #3 reed on it and it played perfectly right out of the box.

Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

My first thought as I blew into this mouthpiece was “Wow, this is powerful!”  It had a tone that leaned to the brighter side of the spectrum but was full and fat sounding.  It played smoothly and evenly throughout the range of the horn and was very easy to play.  I felt very comfortable on it within minutes of trying it.   The intonation was very good and the projection was excellent.

The first clip below is with the bare hard rubber mouthpiece without the ring on it.  The second clip is with the ring added.  I didn’t change anything on the mouthpiece.  I slipped it off the cork and put the ring on and then slid it back on to the same place on the cork.  Any change or differences you hear or don’t hear are due to the metal ring.  Mr. Bunte asked me what I thought.  I was a bit skeptical that a metal ring on the outside of the mouthpiece would make any difference whatsoever.  If I did perceive a change I thought that it would be purely psychological.  Sure enough,  my opinions of the tone were that with the metal ring it was deeper, thicker, heavier and fuller sounding.  At first I had no doubts but then I started second guessing myself and thinking that the metal ring made the front end of the horn feel heavier and thicker and maybe I was  projecting this on to my impressions of the tone.

I can’t give you a definitive answer either way.  When I played the mouthpiece in my practice room I felt like the metal band made the tone thicker and fuller sounding.  On the other hand, without the ring it felt like the piece vibrated more and a bit more buzz and ring to it.  When I listen to the sound clips I’m not sure if I hear this difference.   Give it a listen yourself and let me know what you think.  I’m very curious to know………..Can a thick metal ring outside of the mouthpiece have an impact on the sound of a mouthpiece?  Whoa!

Saxquest  is carrying the TM 42 7* tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  Tenor Madness is also carrying them and you can order one by phone if you call  319 234 3561.   These are worthy contenders for a happening tenor piece that won’t break the bank price wise.  These are great mouthpiece for the 180.00 they are selling for at the time of this review.  Contact the shops above and give them a try yourself.  If you happen to try one come back and write your own review below so others can see what you think of them.

Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Metal Ring

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/09/tenor-madness-42-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 3 The new Tenor Madness 42 (TM 42) 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by James Bunte appeared out of nowhere.  I was browsing through Sax on the Web (SOTW) and I came across a discussion about the TM 42 mouthpieces by James Bunte that were being sold at Saxquest.  A couple of people were raving about them and I thought “How can this be?  A great mouthpiece that I don’t know about!”.   I immediately asked if I could try one and write a review on it. Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece I received the mouthpiece in the mail a couple of weeks later from James Bunte.  Mr. Bunte is an accomplished saxophone player as you can tell from reading his website and listening to the clips when you visit it.   I’m all that much more impressed at the fact that he can make his own mouthpieces! This is what Saxquest says about this mouthpiece: “This is the new TM 42 mouthpiece for tenor saxophone, designed in the spirit of the vintage hard rubber Brilhart mouthpieces. These mouthpieces are designed with long facings, medium large chambers and have a slight roll on the baffle for improved projection. They are all play tested and hand finished by Dr. James Bunte of the Oasis Saxophone Quartet. Saxquest has spent a lot of time play testing these pieces against other current production mouthpieces and vintage pieces. The results are in and we are extremely impressed with the product. The TM 42’s play with a warm resonating sound that is rich in color and overtones. Projection on this mouthpiece is also quite exceptional due to the quality work on the inner chamber and baffle. Dr. Bunte believes it is very important to provide progressive students and professionals with a more affordable option when it comes to a quality hand finished mouthpiece. Typically professional level mouthpieces start in the $250 to $350 area. The new TM 42’s are selling for a very the reasonable cost of $180. This price is a reflection of Dr. Bunte’s philosophy and not the quality of the mouthpiece itself. These pieces are currently only available in the 7* tip opening.” When I received the mouthpiece in the mail,  I was confused because the mouthpiece I received had a large brass ring on the back end of it.  The mouthpiece pictures I saw on saxquest didn’t have this big metal ring.  Mr. Bunte said he was experimenting with it on his mouthpieces.  It was a different concept for a hard rubber mouthpiece than I had seen before.  Mr. Bunte let me know that the metal ring could be removed from the mouthpiece and he was curious to see what I thought of it. When I took the mouthpiece out of the package, the first thing I thought was that it was really heavy.  This is because of the metal ring.  The metal ring itself seems to weigh more than the mouthpiece.   When I looked at the mouthpiece,  it had a pretty high beginning baffle that  sloped down into a medium chamber.  It reminded me a lot of some slant signature links and early babbit links I have played.  The table looked to be flat and the tip and rails were well shaped to match the reeds I was playing.  It was a 7* tip opening and at this time the TM 42 is only offered in a 7* tip opening.    I tried a Vandoren Java #3 reed on it and it played perfectly right out of the box. Tenor Madness 42 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece My first thought as I blew into this mouthpiece was “Wow, this is powerful!”  It had a tone that leaned to the brighter side of the spectrum but was full and fat sounding.  It played smoothly and evenly throughout the range of the horn and was very easy to play.  I felt very comfortable on it within minutes of trying it.   The intonation was very good and the projection was excellent. The first clip below is with the bare hard rubber mouthpiece without the ring on it.  The second clip is with the ring added.  I didn’t change anything on the mouthpiece.  I slipped it off the cork and put the ring on and then slid it back on to the same place [...] The new Tenor Madness 42 (TM 42) 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by James Bunte appeared out of nowhere.  I was browsing through Sax on the Web (SOTW) and I came across a discussion about the TM 42 mouthpieces by James Bunte that were being sold at [...] Kanee Vintage New York Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/kanee-vintage-new-york-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/kanee-vintage-new-york-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:25:32 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=4949 Read More...]]> This is a new  mouthpiece from Kanee mouthpieces in China.  Kanee mouthpieces has been working on a Vintage Series line of mouthpieces for both alto and tenor saxophones.  This vintage series alto mouthpiece is called the “New York” model.

Kanee Vintage New York Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I received a 6 and an 8 tip opening for these alto  saxophone mouthpieces.  Each saxophone mouthpiece looked great out of the box.  The rails were even and thin and the tip rails matched up to the shape of the reed tip perfectly.  These seem to be made from a different hard rubber than the Kanee custom models that I have reviewed before (At least, it looks different anyways.)  The custom series hard rubber is shiny and smooth whereas the vintage series has a texture to it.  They look similar to the texture and feel of the Aizen mouthpieces that I have reviewed previously.  They actually have a bit of that vintage hard rubber smell to them.  I’m not sure what that smell is from but I have smelled it here and there on a variety of vintage mouthpieces.  If you put the Kanee mouthpieces up to your nose you can smell a similar smell.  The New York model has a medium baffle that slides down into a medium chamber.  The inside does indeed look similar to a New York Meyer type of baffle and chamber.

I played on the 6 tip opening first with a Woodstone 3 reed. The tone was bright and focused sounding.  It had plenty of volume when I pushed it and had a tone that was reminiscent of a great bebop sound to my ears.  It reminded me of a Phil Woods, Richie Cole type of sound.  More on the brighter side of the tone spectrum.  I like how the notes really sung out and seemed to resonate fully.

Kanee Vintage New York Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The 8 tip opening was of course a bit more open but it was strange because the reed that I used on the 6 didn’t seem any harder on it.  Usually, when you jump up a couple of tip sizes a reed will feel more stiff.  In this case, I could tell it was more open but the reed played with a similar stiffness and resistance to the 6.  I think there is a difference in the way the facing curve is laid out between them.

I ended up choosing a Rigotti Gold 3 light for the 8.  To me the 8 could be played louder because of the larger tip.  When a tip opening is bigger, you can blow a lot more air through it when you want which will make it louder.  The sound was more spread and not as bright as the 6 tip opening but still plenty loud when you pushed it.  The 6 tip opening had a brighter more laser beam type tone and the 8 had a louder but more spread  tone to my ears.

Keep a look out for the Kanee Vintage series.  They should be out on ebay and specific dealers around the world.  These are a great alternative for a vintage Meyer type sound without the vintage Meyer price tag!

Let me know what you think in the comments below.  if you try one of these Kanee mouthpieces yourself feel free to write a review with a star rating below.   Thanks, Steve

Kanee Vintage New York 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Kanee Vintage New York 8 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/kanee-vintage-new-york-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 0 This is a new  mouthpiece from Kanee mouthpieces in China.  Kanee mouthpieces has been working on a Vintage Series line of mouthpieces for both alto and tenor saxophones.  This vintage series alto mouthpiece is called the “New York” model. Kanee Vintage New York Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece I received a 6 and an 8 tip opening for these alto  saxophone mouthpieces.  Each saxophone mouthpiece looked great out of the box.  The rails were even and thin and the tip rails matched up to the shape of the reed tip perfectly.  These seem to be made from a different hard rubber than the Kanee custom models that I have reviewed before (At least, it looks different anyways.)  The custom series hard rubber is shiny and smooth whereas the vintage series has a texture to it.  They look similar to the texture and feel of the Aizen mouthpieces that I have reviewed previously.  They actually have a bit of that vintage hard rubber smell to them.  I’m not sure what that smell is from but I have smelled it here and there on a variety of vintage mouthpieces.  If you put the Kanee mouthpieces up to your nose you can smell a similar smell.  The New York model has a medium baffle that slides down into a medium chamber.  The inside does indeed look similar to a New York Meyer type of baffle and chamber. I played on the 6 tip opening first with a Woodstone 3 reed. The tone was bright and focused sounding.  It had plenty of volume when I pushed it and had a tone that was reminiscent of a great bebop sound to my ears.  It reminded me of a Phil Woods, Richie Cole type of sound.  More on the brighter side of the tone spectrum.  I like how the notes really sung out and seemed to resonate fully. Kanee Vintage New York Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece The 8 tip opening was of course a bit more open but it was strange because the reed that I used on the 6 didn’t seem any harder on it.  Usually, when you jump up a couple of tip sizes a reed will feel more stiff.  In this case, I could tell it was more open but the reed played with a similar stiffness and resistance to the 6.  I think there is a difference in the way the facing curve is laid out between them. I ended up choosing a Rigotti Gold 3 light for the 8.  To me the 8 could be played louder because of the larger tip.  When a tip opening is bigger, you can blow a lot more air through it when you want which will make it louder.  The sound was more spread and not as bright as the 6 tip opening but still plenty loud when you pushed it.  The 6 tip opening had a brighter more laser beam type tone and the 8 had a louder but more spread  tone to my ears. Keep a look out for the Kanee Vintage series.  They should be out on ebay and specific dealers around the world.  These are a great alternative for a vintage Meyer type sound without the vintage Meyer price tag! Let me know what you think in the comments below.  if you try one of these Kanee mouthpieces yourself feel free to write a review with a star rating below.   Thanks, Steve Kanee Vintage New York 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Kanee Vintage New York 8 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece This is a new  mouthpiece from Kanee mouthpieces in China.  Kanee mouthpieces has been working on a Vintage Series line of mouthpieces for both alto and tenor saxophones.  This vintage series alto mouthpiece is called the “New York” [...] Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/lebayle-lrii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/lebayle-lrii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:59:10 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=4922 Read More...]]> Today, I am reviewing a Fred Lebayle LRII tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  The last time I played a Lebayle tenor mouthpiece was about 8 years ago.  I bought a wood Lebayle Jazz mouthpiece to try.  The mouthpiece totally blew my mind.  I fell in love with it and was ecstatic to play it.  I played it for about two weeks on every gig I had and it sounded killer!  On the third week, I took it out to play a gig and it would not play.  It wasn’t responding and when it did it would squeak.  I was devastated!  The only thing I could think of was that the wood had warped and was messed up.  I sent it back to Mr. Lebayle and he was nice enough to reface it and send me another mouthpiece when he sent it back.  The other mouthpiece was a wood LR model.  Both mouthpieces played great but to be honest, I was so messed up from the issue with the wood warping that I was afraid to play them.   I ended up selling them and haven’t tried a Lebayle tenor mouthpiece since then. (nor another wood mouthpiece)

Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I received this mouthpiece from Brian at Sax-ccesories in California.  He was kind enough to let me try a few mouthpieces that I haven’t tried  yet.  I was pleasantly surprised by this rhodium plated Lebayle LRII.  I’ve been wanting to try one of these for quite a while because I have read that Branford Marsalis uses one on tenor.  I loved his sound on the album “Eternal” and was very curious as to what he was playing on after I heard that album.

The Lebayle LRII  has a smooth rollover baffle that squeezes  together a bit as it enters the chamber.  I don’t think I’ve seen a mouthpiece with this exact baffle before.  The chamber looks huge to me.  It looks cavernous coming from the baffle and sidewalls.

The sound of this mouthpiece is on the darker side of the tone spectrum.  It has a strong thick core to the sound that seems to have soft edges to it.  I know all these strange descriptions are a bit nebulous when you read them but I’m trying to put into words what I’m thinking when I played it so bear with me………..The low register is beefy and thick.  The high register brightens up a little but not much.  It was still quite dark sounding to me.  I often get emails from players asking me to recommend a dark mouthpiece that is powerful.  This is on the top of my list for those of you looking for that sound.  Check out the clip below and you can decide for yourself.

The intonation on the Lebayle LRII was quite good on my Selmer SBA tenor.  I think the large chamber really complements the bore size of the SBA as the notes were much easier to play in tune than on other mouthpieces with higher baffles and smaller chambers than the LRII.

Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

“Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying Lebayle mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review this week. If you like the sound of the Lebayle LRII  visit his website and check one out for yourself! http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ .

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/lebayle-lrii-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 14 Today, I am reviewing a Fred Lebayle LRII tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  The last time I played a Lebayle tenor mouthpiece was about 8 years ago.  I bought a wood Lebayle Jazz mouthpiece to try.  The mouthpiece totally blew my mind.  I fell in love with it and was ecstatic to play it.  I played it for about two weeks on every gig I had and it sounded killer!  On the third week, I took it out to play a gig and it would not play.  It wasn’t responding and when it did it would squeak.  I was devastated!  The only thing I could think of was that the wood had warped and was messed up.  I sent it back to Mr. Lebayle and he was nice enough to reface it and send me another mouthpiece when he sent it back.  The other mouthpiece was a wood LR model.  Both mouthpieces played great but to be honest, I was so messed up from the issue with the wood warping that I was afraid to play them.   I ended up selling them and haven’t tried a Lebayle tenor mouthpiece since then. (nor another wood mouthpiece) Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece I received this mouthpiece from Brian at Sax-ccesories in California.  He was kind enough to let me try a few mouthpieces that I haven’t tried  yet.  I was pleasantly surprised by this rhodium plated Lebayle LRII.  I’ve been wanting to try one of these for quite a while because I have read that Branford Marsalis uses one on tenor.  I loved his sound on the album “Eternal” and was very curious as to what he was playing on after I heard that album. The Lebayle LRII  has a smooth rollover baffle that squeezes  together a bit as it enters the chamber.  I don’t think I’ve seen a mouthpiece with this exact baffle before.  The chamber looks huge to me.  It looks cavernous coming from the baffle and sidewalls. The sound of this mouthpiece is on the darker side of the tone spectrum.  It has a strong thick core to the sound that seems to have soft edges to it.  I know all these strange descriptions are a bit nebulous when you read them but I’m trying to put into words what I’m thinking when I played it so bear with me………..The low register is beefy and thick.  The high register brightens up a little but not much.  It was still quite dark sounding to me.  I often get emails from players asking me to recommend a dark mouthpiece that is powerful.  This is on the top of my list for those of you looking for that sound.  Check out the clip below and you can decide for yourself. The intonation on the Lebayle LRII was quite good on my Selmer SBA tenor.  I think the large chamber really complements the bore size of the SBA as the notes were much easier to play in tune than on other mouthpieces with higher baffles and smaller chambers than the LRII. Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece “Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying Lebayle mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review this week. If you like the sound of the Lebayle LRII  visit his website and check one out for yourself! http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ . Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve Lebayle LRII Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Today, I am reviewing a Fred Lebayle LRII tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  The last time I played a Lebayle tenor mouthpiece was about 8 years ago.  I bought a wood Lebayle Jazz mouthpiece to try.  The mouthpiece totally blew my mind.  I fell in [...] Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Sax Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/ishimori-woodstone-7-hard-rubber-tenor-sax-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/ishimori-woodstone-7-hard-rubber-tenor-sax-mouthpiece/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:01:03 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=4910 Read More...]]> I have an Ishimori Woodstone hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece to review and play for you today. This is a 7* tip opening (.105) hard rubber mouthpiece. I have been eagerly wanting to play one of these Ishimori mouthpieces for quite a while.  I reviewed an 8 tip last week and wanted to try a 7* to see how it compared.

Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Mouthpiece

Over the past few months, I have heard of Ishimori Woodstone mouthpieces from a number of players on the web. They were all raving about how good these mouthpieces were which really peaked my curiosity. I had a problem though, when I searched around for these mouthpieces I couldn’t find them anywhere except for the Ishimori site in Japan and the whole site was in Japanese. (I am not fluent in Japanese) I gave up after that but then a month later I heard another player raving about them again. This time I decided to try contacting Ishimori directly through their website. I sent them an email asking about their mouthpieces and a few days later received a courteous response from Norikiyo Yaguchi who handles Overseas transactions for Mr. Ishimori. He was nice enough to send me 5 mouthpieces to review- 2 alto, 2 tenor and one soprano mouthpiece.

This tenor sax mouthpiece is beautiful. It has a perfect looking facing curve and tip. The baffle is medium low and slopes down to a medium to large sized chamber. The shape of the baffle is similar to the classic Otto Link Slant Signature mouthpieces that play so great. The baffle slides smoothly and evenly down into the chamber and there’s not an edge or blemish anywhere. Absolutely perfect looking.

 The sound of this Ishimori 7* is dark and rich sounding to my ears. The tone seems to be more compact and thicker than the 8 I tried last week.   It has a sweetness to the sound that I really liked.  The subtone was beautiful sounding and was very easy to attain.  To me it has that dark rich sound that is a classic tenor sound. (Think Hank Mobley)  Compared to the .110 tip Ishimori I reviewed last week I felt like this .105 and a tighter more compact sound to it.  I also felt like it was a bit darker than the .110.  Now when I go back and listen to that clip I feel like the .110 has more of a spread and hollow sound compared to this .105.  Listen to both clips and I think you can hear what I’m talking about.

Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Mouthpiece

I used a Woodstone #2 1/2 reed on it which was perfect for this mouthpiece. As you listen to the clip below, I think you can hear the rich thick sound this piece has. This would be a perfect mouthpiece for those of you who like that “slant” link type sound and want to sound great on a jazz set.  It’s on the darker side of things but at the same time it is very rich sounding which I really loved.

The intonation was also great on this mouthpiece as it has been on every Ishimori mouthpiece I have tried so far.

Every mouthpiece and reed that I have received from the Ishimori company has been perfect. They pay attention to the smallest details and it is obvious when you see and play their products. Believe it or not, I have played about 40 of their Woodstone reeds and haven’t found a bad one yet. They all played great right out of the box!

“Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying Ishimori reeds, mouthpieces and some other accessories. It is the only shop at present where people can buy the reeds and the mouthpieces in the U.S. http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ . If you like the clip below contact Sax-ccessories and give them a try.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/ishimori-woodstone-7-hard-rubber-tenor-sax-mouthpiece/feed/ 3 I have an Ishimori Woodstone hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece to review and play for you today. This is a 7* tip opening (.105) hard rubber mouthpiece. I have been eagerly wanting to play one of these Ishimori mouthpieces for quite a while.  I reviewed an 8 tip last week and wanted to try a 7* to see how it compared. Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Mouthpiece Over the past few months, I have heard of Ishimori Woodstone mouthpieces from a number of players on the web. They were all raving about how good these mouthpieces were which really peaked my curiosity. I had a problem though, when I searched around for these mouthpieces I couldn’t find them anywhere except for the Ishimori site in Japan and the whole site was in Japanese. (I am not fluent in Japanese) I gave up after that but then a month later I heard another player raving about them again. This time I decided to try contacting Ishimori directly through their website. I sent them an email asking about their mouthpieces and a few days later received a courteous response from Norikiyo Yaguchi who handles Overseas transactions for Mr. Ishimori. He was nice enough to send me 5 mouthpieces to review- 2 alto, 2 tenor and one soprano mouthpiece. This tenor sax mouthpiece is beautiful. It has a perfect looking facing curve and tip. The baffle is medium low and slopes down to a medium to large sized chamber. The shape of the baffle is similar to the classic Otto Link Slant Signature mouthpieces that play so great. The baffle slides smoothly and evenly down into the chamber and there’s not an edge or blemish anywhere. Absolutely perfect looking.  The sound of this Ishimori 7* is dark and rich sounding to my ears. The tone seems to be more compact and thicker than the 8 I tried last week.   It has a sweetness to the sound that I really liked.  The subtone was beautiful sounding and was very easy to attain.  To me it has that dark rich sound that is a classic tenor sound. (Think Hank Mobley)  Compared to the .110 tip Ishimori I reviewed last week I felt like this .105 and a tighter more compact sound to it.  I also felt like it was a bit darker than the .110.  Now when I go back and listen to that clip I feel like the .110 has more of a spread and hollow sound compared to this .105.  Listen to both clips and I think you can hear what I’m talking about. Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Mouthpiece I used a Woodstone #2 1/2 reed on it which was perfect for this mouthpiece. As you listen to the clip below, I think you can hear the rich thick sound this piece has. This would be a perfect mouthpiece for those of you who like that “slant” link type sound and want to sound great on a jazz set.  It’s on the darker side of things but at the same time it is very rich sounding which I really loved. The intonation was also great on this mouthpiece as it has been on every Ishimori mouthpiece I have tried so far. Every mouthpiece and reed that I have received from the Ishimori company has been perfect. They pay attention to the smallest details and it is obvious when you see and play their products. Believe it or not, I have played about 40 of their Woodstone reeds and haven’t found a bad one yet. They all played great right out of the box! “Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying Ishimori reeds, mouthpieces and some other accessories. It is the only shop at present where people can buy the reeds and the mouthpieces in the U.S. http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ . If you like the clip below contact Sax-ccessories and give them a try. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve Ishimori Woodstone 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece I have an Ishimori Woodstone hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece to review and play for you today. This is a 7* tip opening (.105) hard rubber mouthpiece. I have been eagerly wanting to play one of these Ishimori mouthpieces for quite a while.  I [...] SAXZ David Sanborn Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/saxz-david-sanborn-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/saxz-david-sanborn-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2011 19:23:56 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=4902 Read More...]]> This is a SaxZ “David Sanborn” metal alto saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe.

SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Man, I wish I had this mouthpiece when I was a kid.  When I was in junior high school, one of the first alto players I listened to was David Sanborn.  I remember going to the library and getting the album “Voyeur”.  That was the first time I listened to Dave Sanborn.  It blew my mind because his sound was so different than the alto players I had listened to until then.   I remember trying to play along with him and copy his sound.  I spent many hours each day trying to get down his licks and sound.   I did get many of his licks down but his sound was always very elusive for me.  I knew nothing about mouthpieces back then and had no idea that there were different kinds.  I didn’t know that you could sound different by choosing another mouthpiece.  I actually remember going through a stage where I was playing a Caravan mouthpiece for classical auditions and I was still trying to get that Sanborn sound out of it.  That was rough! (this Caravan had one of the darkest tones) The reason I would have loved this mouthpiece is that it propels you into the neighborhood of  that raw Sanborn sound without too much effort.

I feel like the “Sanborn” sound is more of an extreme sound tone wise.  It is very raw,bright,edgy and tough sounding.  It’s right in your face.  What Michael Brecker did for the tenor sound,  Sanborn did for the alto sound.  It’s not a middle of the road type of sound.  If you are going for  that type of sound you have to be bold and unapologetic about it.  You have to play with confidence!

Here are some words about the mouthpiece from SaxZ:

“From SAXZ and Mitsui Watanabe in Japan are the *NEW* David Sanborn alto sax mouthpieces. These are replicas of the mouthpiece David has been playing for years and is available in metal, sterling silver, and hard rubber/resin!

This superb metal mouthpiece incorporates the most up-to-date technology while maintaining the traditional high-baffle style. Performance versatility is built into every aspect of this excellent mouthpiece.” 

The mouthpiece does indeed look to be a replica of a metal Dukoff mouthpiece.  As you can see in the pictures, there is a slight blemish on the baffle.  I’m not sure if it came from the factory this way.  The baffle is high and even and angles down into a medium small chamber.  The high baffle and smallish chamber are what speed up the air and give a brighter more powerful sound to the tone.

SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Personally, I don’t play with this type of alto sound.  I haven’t played too much of this style since high school when I started getting into Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley.   Recording the clip below did take me back though.  You can check out the clip and if you like that sound and style then you should give this mouthpiece a try.  I have to warn you that this clip is a bit louder and brighter than others I have done.

“Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying SaxZ mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review this week.  If you like the David Sanborn sound visit his website and check one out for yourself!  http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ .

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve

SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2011/08/saxz-david-sanborn-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 9 This is a SaxZ “David Sanborn” metal alto saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe. SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Man, I wish I had this mouthpiece when I was a kid.  When I was in junior high school, one of the first alto players I listened to was David Sanborn.  I remember going to the library and getting the album “Voyeur”.  That was the first time I listened to Dave Sanborn.  It blew my mind because his sound was so different than the alto players I had listened to until then.   I remember trying to play along with him and copy his sound.  I spent many hours each day trying to get down his licks and sound.   I did get many of his licks down but his sound was always very elusive for me.  I knew nothing about mouthpieces back then and had no idea that there were different kinds.  I didn’t know that you could sound different by choosing another mouthpiece.  I actually remember going through a stage where I was playing a Caravan mouthpiece for classical auditions and I was still trying to get that Sanborn sound out of it.  That was rough! (this Caravan had one of the darkest tones) The reason I would have loved this mouthpiece is that it propels you into the neighborhood of  that raw Sanborn sound without too much effort. I feel like the “Sanborn” sound is more of an extreme sound tone wise.  It is very raw,bright,edgy and tough sounding.  It’s right in your face.  What Michael Brecker did for the tenor sound,  Sanborn did for the alto sound.  It’s not a middle of the road type of sound.  If you are going for  that type of sound you have to be bold and unapologetic about it.  You have to play with confidence! Here are some words about the mouthpiece from SaxZ: “From SAXZ and Mitsui Watanabe in Japan are the *NEW* David Sanborn alto sax mouthpieces. These are replicas of the mouthpiece David has been playing for years and is available in metal, sterling silver, and hard rubber/resin! This superb metal mouthpiece incorporates the most up-to-date technology while maintaining the traditional high-baffle style. Performance versatility is built into every aspect of this excellent mouthpiece.”  The mouthpiece does indeed look to be a replica of a metal Dukoff mouthpiece.  As you can see in the pictures, there is a slight blemish on the baffle.  I’m not sure if it came from the factory this way.  The baffle is high and even and angles down into a medium small chamber.  The high baffle and smallish chamber are what speed up the air and give a brighter more powerful sound to the tone. SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Personally, I don’t play with this type of alto sound.  I haven’t played too much of this style since high school when I started getting into Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley.   Recording the clip below did take me back though.  You can check out the clip and if you like that sound and style then you should give this mouthpiece a try.  I have to warn you that this clip is a bit louder and brighter than others I have done. “Sax-ccessories” in CA is carrying SaxZ mouthpieces and some other accessories. Brian at Sax-ccessories was kind enough to let me borrow this mouthpiece and a few others to review this week.  If you like the David Sanborn sound visit his website and check one out for yourself!  http://www.sax-ccessories.com/ . Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece This is a SaxZ “David Sanborn” metal alto saxophone mouthpiece.  SaxZ is a company in Japan which is run by Mitsu Watanabe. SaxZ David Sanborn Model Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Man, I wish I had this mouthpiece when I was a kid.  When I was in [...]