Steve Neff Music Blog http://www.neffmusic.com/blog website of steve neff Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:20:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 website of steve neff no MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/macsax-empyreal-alto-saxophone/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/macsax-empyreal-alto-saxophone/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:23:23 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1477 Today, I’m reviewing the MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone.  This sax is manufactured in Taiwan for the MacSax company in Austin Texas. This is the Unlacquered Finish model.  It looks like bare brass which gives it a cool vintage look.  I am told that the brass is subjected to a gas treatment that gives it a stable and uniform color.   The Empyreal Alto comes with a Theo Wanne hard rubber Gaia mouthpiece as well as a Theo Wanne  ”Enlightened” ligature.  I used all of these for the sound clip below. I’ve had this horn for a couple weeks now and I am very impressed with it. From the first moment I played it,  I knew it was a great horn!  It’s one of those horns that resonate under your fingers when you play so you can feel the vibrations of the sound.  I love that!

MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone

  • Appearance:

The MacSax Empyreal alto saxophone has a cool vintage look to the finish.  It looks like bare brass and does have some scuffs and marks here and there but that just adds to the vintage look.  If you click on the pictures below they will enlarge so you can see more detail.  It reminds me of when you purchase that “vintified” new furniture and it has marks and scrapes on it to make it look older.

  • Build Quality:

I’m not a repair man in the least so I can’t speak with authority about issues dealing with construction and repair  but to me the sax is solid and seems to be made with high standards.  The keys are all nice and firm and it is made of strong sturdy metal.  It doesn’t feel like you will bend a key if you push it too hard like on a few other saxophones I have played.  The saxophone came setup right out of the box and had no leaks that I could see with a leak light.  A couple of things I didn’t like about the sax were that the spring tension seemed too strong for me.  I prefer a light spring tension so my fingers have to work as little as possible to push down the keys.  If I were to keep this sax, the first thing I would do is to bring it to my repairman and have all the springs adjusted to be lighter.  The rest of the key work on the sax was perfect and ergonomically pleasant feeling.  One area  that could be improved for me was the side Bb,and C.  For some reason they slope down away from the high side “E” which made them further from my hand.  Not a big deal, but  I would probably have my repairman bend those keys upward so they were closer to the palm of my hand.

  • Tone:

The tone of the horn is compact and focused.  I found it neither bright nor dark but when comparing it to my Selmer Reference alto it does have a more compact and focused sound than my Selmer.  My Selmer Reference alto has a wider more spread sound to it.  The tone does remind me of a really good Mark VI a friend of mine has.  I remember playing it once and thinking how focused the sound was.  I had the same thoughts while playing this Empyreal saxophone.

  • Control:

The MacSax Empyreal is great to play and control.  I felt at ease on it right out of it’s case.  The true test of course is playing it to music which I did pretty quickly.  It involved no effort on my part to lock it in intonation wise and play with a rhythm section.  Large intervals were easy to achieve. Altissimo was as easy as my Selmer.  The low notes spoke even easier then on my Selmer.

  • Intonation:

Intonation was great. It wasn’t perfect but I have never played a saxophone that was.  This is just as good as the most in tune saxophones I have played including my Selmer Reference and some great Mark VI altos.  Low Bb to middle C# were right on “O” on the tuner.  Perfect. Middle D-E were slightly sharp.  10-20 cents without any adjustment but this is normal for every saxophone I have ever played so it’s easy to adjust to. (You just have to “voice” those notes a bit lower)  The high register was also perfectly in tune.  The first thing I check when I play a saxophone  is the intonation between the octaves.  If I play a B and then press the octave key the note should go up an octave and be relatively  in tune without any adjustment or changes needed from my embouchure.  I have played hundreds of saxes that were incredibly sharp in the upper register.  I’m happy to say that the MacSax Empyreal was perfectly in tune with the octaves.

The MacSax Empyreal alto saxophone is another great saxophone out of Taiwan.  To be honest, if this Macsax and my RSBerkeley tenor are good indications of the quality coming out of Taiwan, I think the big 4 sax manufacturers better make sure they are on the top of their game or they will be losing some serious market share to Taiwan.  This alto plays as good or better than the best alto’s I’ve played over the last 10 years.  I would have no problem suggesting this to a student or fellow player  who was looking for a great alto.  As usual, the truth is in the playing………if you are curious about the MacSax Empyreal alto saxophone try one for yourself.  Their website is  www.macsax.com .  Tell them Steve sent you……………


]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/macsax-empyreal-alto-saxophone/feed/ 4 Today, I’m reviewing the MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone.  This sax is manufactured in Taiwan for the MacSax company in Austin Texas. This is the Unlacquered Finish model.  It looks like bare brass which gives it a cool vintage look.  I am told that the brass is subjected to a gas treatment that gives it a stable and uniform color.   The Empyreal Alto comes with a Theo Wanne hard rubber Gaia mouthpiece as well as a Theo Wanne  ”Enlightened” ligature.  I used all of these for the sound clip below. I’ve had this horn for a couple weeks now and I am very impressed with it. From the first moment I played it,  I knew it was a great horn!  It’s one of those horns that resonate under your fingers when you play so you can feel the vibrations of the sound.  I love that! MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone Appearance: The MacSax Empyreal alto saxophone has a cool vintage look to the finish.  It looks like bare brass and does have some scuffs and marks here and there but that just adds to the vintage look.  If you click on the pictures below they will enlarge so you can see more detail.  It reminds me of when you purchase that “vintified” new furniture and it has marks and scrapes on it to make it look older. Build Quality: I’m not a repair man in the least so I can’t speak with authority about issues dealing with construction and repair  but to me the sax is solid and seems to be made with high standards.  The keys are all nice and firm and it is made of strong sturdy metal.  It doesn’t feel like you will bend a key if you push it too hard like on a few other saxophones I have played.  The saxophone came setup right out of the box and had no leaks that I could see with a leak light.  A couple of things I didn’t like about the sax were that the spring tension seemed too strong for me.  I prefer a light spring tension so my fingers have to work as little as possible to push down the keys.  If I were to keep this sax, the first thing I would do is to bring it to my repairman and have all the springs adjusted to be lighter.  The rest of the key work on the sax was perfect and ergonomically pleasant feeling.  One area  that could be improved for me was the side Bb,and C.  For some reason they slope down away from the high side “E” which made them further from my hand.  Not a big deal, but  I would probably have my repairman bend those keys upward so they were closer to the palm of my hand. Tone: The tone of the horn is compact and focused.  I found it neither bright nor dark but when comparing it to my Selmer Reference alto it does have a more compact and focused sound than my Selmer.  My Selmer Reference alto has a wider more spread sound to it.  The tone does remind me of a really good Mark VI a friend of mine has.  I remember playing it once and thinking how focused the sound was.  I had the same thoughts while playing this Empyreal saxophone. Control: The MacSax Empyreal is great to play and control.  I felt at ease on it right out of it’s case.  The true test of course is playing it to music which I did pretty quickly.  It involved no effort on my part to lock it in intonation wise and play with a rhythm section.  Large intervals were easy to achieve. Altissimo was as easy as my Selmer.  The low notes spoke even easier then on my Selmer. Intonation: Intonation was great. It wasn’t perfect but I have never played a saxophone that was.  This is just as good as the most in tune saxophones I have played including my Selmer Reference and some great Mark VI altos.  Low Bb to middle C# were right on “O” on the tuner.  Perfect. Middle D-E were slightly sharp.  10-20 cents without any adjustment but this is normal for every saxophone I have ever played so it’s easy to adjust to. (You just have to “voice” those notes a bit lower)  The high register was also perfectly in tune.  The first thing I check when I play a saxophone  is the intonation between [...] Today, I’m reviewing the MacSax Empyreal Alto Saxophone.  This sax is manufactured in Taiwan for the MacSax company in Austin Texas. This is the Unlacquered Finish model.  It looks like bare brass which gives it a cool vintage look.  I am told [...] Warburton Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece by Eric Falcon http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-soprano-saxophone-mouthpiece-by-eric-falcon/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-soprano-saxophone-mouthpiece-by-eric-falcon/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:16:18 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1431 This is a Warburton soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Eric Falcon.  This is one of the best soprano mouthpieces I have had the pleasure of playing.   It plays effortlessly and has a big fat soprano sound to it.  The first day I played on it, I actually recorded a few lessons with it because I felt so comfortable on it.  It has a .065 tip opening which is right around where I prefer.  I use to use play mostly around a .070 but I noticed my embouchure would get tired after awhile.  With the .065 I don’t have that problem.  ………………

Warburton Soprano Mouthpiece

  • Appearance:

The tip and rails of this mouthpiece are perfect.  The tip curve is slightly different than the shape of the Vandoren Java reeds I use but it makes no difference in the way it plays.  The baffle looks to be slightly lower than my Selmer Super Session and the chamber slightly larger. It’s a little smaller than my other soprano mouthpiece on the outside and my Vandoren Optimum ligature wouldn’t fit on it.  I had to use a LAW ligature that I had in my ligature box.

  • Tone:

It seems to have a fatter bigger sound to me than the other soprano mouthpiece I have tried.  I think the bigger chamber allows this to happen. It is in no way a large chambered mouthpiece but it is slightly larger than  others I have played.

  • Intonation:

Nothing stuck out intonation wise.  It was good and within the normal spectrum for this Yamaha soprano.

  • Control:

This was a very easy mouthpiece to play and control.  It is very even sounding up and down the horn.

  • Volume:

Volume was great on this mouthpiece also.  It played soft to very loud easily. Up high I had to be careful that the high notes didn’t get to bright and higher volumes but that is normal for this soprano.

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-soprano-saxophone-mouthpiece-by-eric-falcon/feed/ 0 This is a Warburton soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Eric Falcon.  This is one of the best soprano mouthpieces I have had the pleasure of playing.   It plays effortlessly and has a big fat soprano sound to it.  The first day I played on it, I actually recorded a few lessons with it because I felt so comfortable on it.  It has a .065 tip opening which is right around where I prefer.  I use to use play mostly around a .070 but I noticed my embouchure would get tired after awhile.  With the .065 I don’t have that problem.  ……………… Warburton Soprano Mouthpiece Appearance: The tip and rails of this mouthpiece are perfect.  The tip curve is slightly different than the shape of the Vandoren Java reeds I use but it makes no difference in the way it plays.  The baffle looks to be slightly lower than my Selmer Super Session and the chamber slightly larger. It’s a little smaller than my other soprano mouthpiece on the outside and my Vandoren Optimum ligature wouldn’t fit on it.  I had to use a LAW ligature that I had in my ligature box. Tone: It seems to have a fatter bigger sound to me than the other soprano mouthpiece I have tried.  I think the bigger chamber allows this to happen. It is in no way a large chambered mouthpiece but it is slightly larger than  others I have played. Intonation: Nothing stuck out intonation wise.  It was good and within the normal spectrum for this Yamaha soprano. Control: This was a very easy mouthpiece to play and control.  It is very even sounding up and down the horn. Volume: Volume was great on this mouthpiece also.  It played soft to very loud easily. Up high I had to be careful that the high notes didn’t get to bright and higher volumes but that is normal for this soprano. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is a Warburton soprano saxophone mouthpiece made by Eric Falcon.  This is one of the best soprano mouthpieces I have had the pleasure of playing.   It plays effortlessly and has a big fat soprano sound to it.  The first day I played on it, [...] Theo Wanne Gaia 6 Hard Rubber Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/theo-wanne-gaia-6-alto-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/theo-wanne-gaia-6-alto-mouthpiece/#comments Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:55:05 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1420 This is another great mouthpiece by Theo Wanne.  This is a Gaia 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece that came with a Macsax alto that I’m trying out (more on that later).  This sax mouthpiece has  a nice baffle in it as you can see from the pictures. The baffle slopes down into the chamber and is higher and longer than you would find on a Meyer type mouthpiece.   The chamber of the mouthpiece is what is unique to so many of Theo Wanne’s mouthpieces.  It’s pretty large.  The baffle and side rail just expand outward  for the large chamber size.  Theo’s website advertises that his mouthpiece are unique in that they have “true” large chambers.  That, plus the amazing craftsmanship is what makes these mouthpieces play so well.

This mouthpiece is no exception.  It plays great. The higher baffle gives it a brighter sound but the bigger chamber gives the sound a robustness and depth to it that you don’t find on many high baffle mouthpieces.  I really enjoyed this mouthpiece a ton.  I’m thinking that this might be a keeper for me if it passes the 7 day test.  (I have to still be really into it after 7 days).  Here’s a link if you want to go to Theo’s website to check out more details on the Gaia alto saxophone mouthpiece.  Let me know what you think……………

Gaia 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

  • Appearance:

This mouthpiece looks perfect in every way. The side rails and tip rails are thin and perfect.  The baffle is even and smooth and the chamber is smooth and large.  The gold ring around the shank is a great addition and looks beautiful with the engraving on it.  It came in a beautiful leather pouch with a  gold enlightened ligature.

  • Tone:

I had a feeling this would be brighter because of the higher longer baffle.  The large chamber balances out the brightness though. I really liked the tone of this mouthpiece.  I could see doing a fusion type gig on it as well as some standards also.  It plays like one of those mouthpieces that can do it all.

  • Intonation:

Intonation was very good on this piece and I had no problems playing it.

  • Control:

Easy mouthpiece to control from the bottom to the top of the horn.  It was a breeze to play.  Interestingly enough, my Selmer Reference alto gurgles on low C when I use a high baffled mouthpiece.  That didn’t happen here.  I think the larger chamber countered the baffle and low C was perfect.  This was an easy mouthpiece to control.  I found it very easy to manipulate the notes.   With a size 3 Java reed it also had some nice resistance to it that allowed be to play with more expression and bend the notes easier.

  • Volume:

No problem with volume on this mouthpiece.  It’s only a 6 which is a little small for me but it was plenty loud. I think a 7 or 8 would be even louder if that was what you wanted but I would be happy with this.  I like the control and focus that the 6 gives me.

Great Job Theo!

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/theo-wanne-gaia-6-alto-mouthpiece/feed/ 9 This is another great mouthpiece by Theo Wanne.  This is a Gaia 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece that came with a Macsax alto that I’m trying out (more on that later).  This sax mouthpiece has  a nice baffle in it as you can see from the pictures. The baffle slopes down into the chamber and is higher and longer than you would find on a Meyer type mouthpiece.   The chamber of the mouthpiece is what is unique to so many of Theo Wanne’s mouthpieces.  It’s pretty large.  The baffle and side rail just expand outward  for the large chamber size.  Theo’s website advertises that his mouthpiece are unique in that they have “true” large chambers.  That, plus the amazing craftsmanship is what makes these mouthpieces play so well. This mouthpiece is no exception.  It plays great. The higher baffle gives it a brighter sound but the bigger chamber gives the sound a robustness and depth to it that you don’t find on many high baffle mouthpieces.  I really enjoyed this mouthpiece a ton.  I’m thinking that this might be a keeper for me if it passes the 7 day test.  (I have to still be really into it after 7 days).  Here’s a link if you want to go to Theo’s website to check out more details on the Gaia alto saxophone mouthpiece.  Let me know what you think…………… Gaia 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Appearance: This mouthpiece looks perfect in every way. The side rails and tip rails are thin and perfect.  The baffle is even and smooth and the chamber is smooth and large.  The gold ring around the shank is a great addition and looks beautiful with the engraving on it.  It came in a beautiful leather pouch with a  gold enlightened ligature. Tone: I had a feeling this would be brighter because of the higher longer baffle.  The large chamber balances out the brightness though. I really liked the tone of this mouthpiece.  I could see doing a fusion type gig on it as well as some standards also.  It plays like one of those mouthpieces that can do it all. Intonation: Intonation was very good on this piece and I had no problems playing it. Control: Easy mouthpiece to control from the bottom to the top of the horn.  It was a breeze to play.  Interestingly enough, my Selmer Reference alto gurgles on low C when I use a high baffled mouthpiece.  That didn’t happen here.  I think the larger chamber countered the baffle and low C was perfect.  This was an easy mouthpiece to control.  I found it very easy to manipulate the notes.   With a size 3 Java reed it also had some nice resistance to it that allowed be to play with more expression and bend the notes easier. Volume: No problem with volume on this mouthpiece.  It’s only a 6 which is a little small for me but it was plenty loud. I think a 7 or 8 would be even louder if that was what you wanted but I would be happy with this.  I like the control and focus that the 6 gives me. Great Job Theo! share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is another great mouthpiece by Theo Wanne.  This is a Gaia 6 alto saxophone mouthpiece that came with a Macsax alto that I’m trying out (more on that later).  This sax mouthpiece has  a nice baffle in it as you can see from the pictures. [...] Warburton Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:09:13 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1417 This is a new Warburton alto saxophone mouthpiece.  These are made by Eric Falcon who is a top notch mouthpiece refacer.  This mouthpiece has an .080 tip opening.  I consider it to have a brighter sound but still fat sounding.  It’s a bit fatter sounding than the PT Meyer that I put up yesterday.  There is tons of volume that I could get out of this mouthpiece.  The altissimo was easy to get also.  In this clip I am just playing around with a simple Bb blues and using a bunch of lines from my “Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale ” book.

Warburton Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

  • Appearance:

The tip and rails of this mouthpiece are great.   The arc of the tip is a little different than my Java reeds but it is very close.  It makes no difference in playablity that I can notice.  The chamber is nice, smooth and looks to be very symmetrical and balanced.  The outside of the mouthpiece is beautiful and the gold band around the shank is a nice touch.

  • Tone:

Beautiful brighter tone. Very even up and down the horn . Easy to sub-tone down low. The notes have a nice focus to them but still have a nice round sound to them. The high notes had a tendency to get overly bright but once I got use to the piece it was easy to control.  I could morph into a Sanborn type sound pretty easily up high if I wanted to.

  • Intonation:

Intonation was very good on this piece and I had no problems playing it..

  • Control:

Easy mouthpiece to control from the bottom to the top of the horn.  At first I felt like the high end was getting away from me but once I fattened up my lower lip and took a little more mouthpiece the high notes were great.  Easy piece to bend notes with.

  • Volume:

This mouthpiece had some great volume to it when I really blew.  It got a tad brighter but never lost it’s fat sound.  Down low it was very focused and I tended to want to sub-tone more down there to fatten it up a bit.   It was easy to play from ppp-FFF.

Great Job Eric!

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/07/warburton-alto-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 3 This is a new Warburton alto saxophone mouthpiece.  These are made by Eric Falcon who is a top notch mouthpiece refacer.  This mouthpiece has an .080 tip opening.  I consider it to have a brighter sound but still fat sounding.  It’s a bit fatter sounding than the PT Meyer that I put up yesterday.  There is tons of volume that I could get out of this mouthpiece.  The altissimo was easy to get also.  In this clip I am just playing around with a simple Bb blues and using a bunch of lines from my “Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale ” book. Warburton Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Appearance: The tip and rails of this mouthpiece are great.   The arc of the tip is a little different than my Java reeds but it is very close.  It makes no difference in playablity that I can notice.  The chamber is nice, smooth and looks to be very symmetrical and balanced.  The outside of the mouthpiece is beautiful and the gold band around the shank is a nice touch. Tone: Beautiful brighter tone. Very even up and down the horn . Easy to sub-tone down low. The notes have a nice focus to them but still have a nice round sound to them. The high notes had a tendency to get overly bright but once I got use to the piece it was easy to control.  I could morph into a Sanborn type sound pretty easily up high if I wanted to. Intonation: Intonation was very good on this piece and I had no problems playing it.. Control: Easy mouthpiece to control from the bottom to the top of the horn.  At first I felt like the high end was getting away from me but once I fattened up my lower lip and took a little more mouthpiece the high notes were great.  Easy piece to bend notes with. Volume: This mouthpiece had some great volume to it when I really blew.  It got a tad brighter but never lost it’s fat sound.  Down low it was very focused and I tended to want to sub-tone more down there to fatten it up a bit.   It was easy to play from ppp-FFF. Great Job Eric! share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is a new Warburton alto saxophone mouthpiece.  These are made by Eric Falcon who is a top notch mouthpiece refacer.  This mouthpiece has an .080 tip opening.  I consider it to have a brighter sound but still fat sounding.  It’s a bit [...] Modern STM Otto Link Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Refaced by Brian Powell http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/06/modern-stm-otto-link-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-refaced-by-brian-powell/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/06/modern-stm-otto-link-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-refaced-by-brian-powell/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:16:08 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1376 This is a modern Super Tone Master Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.   Everyone knows that buying a modern metal Otto Link is pretty much a roll of the dice.  I remember going to a music store and trying 10 of them and not liking any of them.  Many times over the years I have stopped at different  stores just to see what they had for Otto Link mouthpiece and I was almost always disappointed.  Some of them were just horrible to play.  I have had students come in with metal links that had crooked facings, uneven tips, and horribly uneven tables.  Many of these mouthpieces were causing the students to really struggle for months if not years.

The best think you can do for a link like this is send it to get refaced.  There are many great refacers out there.  They measure your mouthpiece to see how it measures up and then fix it so that it plays as well as it can.  This mouthpiece was refaced by Brian Powell who opened it up to a .115 from it’s original .095.  A friend of mine sent it to me to see what I thought of it.

I have to say upfront that I think this is one of the loudest metal links I have ever played.  This mouthpiece has some serious volume to it.  It’s not that bright kind of loudness that a link with a baffle might have but more of a medium husky kind of volume.  I think because of the .115 tip I could put a lot more air through it than my other .105 and .110 tips.  It felt that way anyways.

I played this mouthpiece for a few hours and it felt really comfortable to play although I did notice that my embouchure was getting mighty tired by the end.  I think I was subconsciously putting more pressure on the reed to push it closer to the tip of the mouthpiece so that it felt more like a .105-.110 tip to me.  That can sometimes happen when you move to a bigger tip.

The mouthpiece has what I consider a brighter than average link sound to it but not overly bright.  Like most mouthpieces with a bigger tip,  it tends to have a bigger more spread sound to it that has a little more of a hollow quality to it. (As opposed to a smaller tip that to me has a more focused, compact and centered sound to it.)  This was a great mouthpiece and I’m glad I had a chance to try it.  I think I will still stick with my .105 tip openings though………..Let me know what you think.

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/06/modern-stm-otto-link-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-refaced-by-brian-powell/feed/ 0 This is a modern Super Tone Master Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.   Everyone knows that buying a modern metal Otto Link is pretty much a roll of the dice.  I remember going to a music store and trying 10 of them and not liking any of them.  Many times over the years I have stopped at different  stores just to see what they had for Otto Link mouthpiece and I was almost always disappointed.  Some of them were just horrible to play.  I have had students come in with metal links that had crooked facings, uneven tips, and horribly uneven tables.  Many of these mouthpieces were causing the students to really struggle for months if not years. The best think you can do for a link like this is send it to get refaced.  There are many great refacers out there.  They measure your mouthpiece to see how it measures up and then fix it so that it plays as well as it can.  This mouthpiece was refaced by Brian Powell who opened it up to a .115 from it’s original .095.  A friend of mine sent it to me to see what I thought of it. I have to say upfront that I think this is one of the loudest metal links I have ever played.  This mouthpiece has some serious volume to it.  It’s not that bright kind of loudness that a link with a baffle might have but more of a medium husky kind of volume.  I think because of the .115 tip I could put a lot more air through it than my other .105 and .110 tips.  It felt that way anyways. I played this mouthpiece for a few hours and it felt really comfortable to play although I did notice that my embouchure was getting mighty tired by the end.  I think I was subconsciously putting more pressure on the reed to push it closer to the tip of the mouthpiece so that it felt more like a .105-.110 tip to me.  That can sometimes happen when you move to a bigger tip. The mouthpiece has what I consider a brighter than average link sound to it but not overly bright.  Like most mouthpieces with a bigger tip,  it tends to have a bigger more spread sound to it that has a little more of a hollow quality to it. (As opposed to a smaller tip that to me has a more focused, compact and centered sound to it.)  This was a great mouthpiece and I’m glad I had a chance to try it.  I think I will still stick with my .105 tip openings though………..Let me know what you think. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is a modern Super Tone Master Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.   Everyone knows that buying a modern metal Otto Link is pretty much a roll of the dice.  I remember going to a music store and trying 10 of them and not liking any of [...] Does Your Saxophone Equipment Matter? http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/does-your-saxophone-equipment-matter/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/does-your-saxophone-equipment-matter/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:39:06 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1323 The ongoing debate in the saxophone community is whether equipment really matters.  By equipment we mean the brand of saxophone, mouthpiece, ligature, reeds, neck, pads and resonators.  Some people will even argue that the type of material, screws and resonance stones on the body of the sax make a difference.  I’ve had students come in with electrical tape wrapped around the outside of the sax neck because it added more darkness to the sound.  Does all this stuff even make a difference or is it all connected to our endless obsession to look outside of ourselves to find change? ( Whoa, that’s deep)  For this post on my blog I thought I would take the opportunity to post a recording of a setup that is less than optimal for me.  This is a typical setup that an elementary student would come in with……………

I’m playing on an Alpine alto saxophone.  The saxophone has some obvious leaks in it but plays reasonably well nonetheless.  I’m using a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece that has a few small chips in the tip,  a  standard Rico #3 reed and a standard no name metal ligature.  In this clip I’m playing Charlie Parker’s solo on Yardbird Suite from the omnibook.

Listen to the clip and see if you can hear a difference between it and my other alto clips on the site.  It is recorded in exactly the same way and I am trying really hard to play the solo to the best ability.   As I was playing and then listening to the recording it was obvious to me that  equipment does matter and have an affect on me.  If it isn’t optimal then it can affect your sound quality, technique, creativity and even your mood.  You need a horn and setup that helps you to achieve what the sound is that you imagine in your mind but the question always comes up………….when is the time to change gear or make that jump?  I always tell my students that it is when you feel like you have taken you current  gear  as far as it will go.  A  fourth grade student in elementary school doesn’t need a Selmer Mark VI.  Even if they jumped from a beat up Bundy to a Selmer there wouldn’t be that much of a difference if any because the student hasn’t  learned the fundamentals of the horn and  gone far on his musical path yet.  Even adults will come in to take lessons and want to know what saxophone to upgrade to or what mouthpiece to get and many times I will tell them that they have more work to do on their current setup or horn.  To drive home the point sometimes I will play their horn and mouthpiece just to show that I can get a good tone out of it and not squeek.  If you are uncertain of your own situation it’s best to get an outside opinion from a reputable teacher.

In this clip I am struggling a bit with the ergonomics of the horn,  the closed tip of the mouthpiece and even the sound and tone of the mouthpiece and horn.  It has a very one dimensional and flat sound to my ears.  I do believe that if I was on a desert island and this was the horn and setup that washed up on the beach I would do fine with it.  I would practice like crazy and in the end hopefully get the sound out of it that I would want.  That being said,  I’m not on a desert island so I think I’ll stick to my Selmer.  I’m sure you will form your own opinions about this clip and subject while you listen.  I have had a number of people that have asked me to do a recording like this just to hear how I sound on average equipment so here you go.  Anyways,…..let me know what you think.

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/does-your-saxophone-equipment-matter/feed/ 6 The ongoing debate in the saxophone community is whether equipment really matters.  By equipment we mean the brand of saxophone, mouthpiece, ligature, reeds, neck, pads and resonators.  Some people will even argue that the type of material, screws and resonance stones on the body of the sax make a difference.  I’ve had students come in with electrical tape wrapped around the outside of the sax neck because it added more darkness to the sound.  Does all this stuff even make a difference or is it all connected to our endless obsession to look outside of ourselves to find change? ( Whoa, that’s deep)  For this post on my blog I thought I would take the opportunity to post a recording of a setup that is less than optimal for me.  This is a typical setup that an elementary student would come in with…………… I’m playing on an Alpine alto saxophone.  The saxophone has some obvious leaks in it but plays reasonably well nonetheless.  I’m using a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece that has a few small chips in the tip,  a  standard Rico #3 reed and a standard no name metal ligature.  In this clip I’m playing Charlie Parker’s solo on Yardbird Suite from the omnibook. Listen to the clip and see if you can hear a difference between it and my other alto clips on the site.  It is recorded in exactly the same way and I am trying really hard to play the solo to the best ability.   As I was playing and then listening to the recording it was obvious to me that  equipment does matter and have an affect on me.  If it isn’t optimal then it can affect your sound quality, technique, creativity and even your mood.  You need a horn and setup that helps you to achieve what the sound is that you imagine in your mind but the question always comes up………….when is the time to change gear or make that jump?  I always tell my students that it is when you feel like you have taken you current  gear  as far as it will go.  A  fourth grade student in elementary school doesn’t need a Selmer Mark VI.  Even if they jumped from a beat up Bundy to a Selmer there wouldn’t be that much of a difference if any because the student hasn’t  learned the fundamentals of the horn and  gone far on his musical path yet.  Even adults will come in to take lessons and want to know what saxophone to upgrade to or what mouthpiece to get and many times I will tell them that they have more work to do on their current setup or horn.  To drive home the point sometimes I will play their horn and mouthpiece just to show that I can get a good tone out of it and not squeek.  If you are uncertain of your own situation it’s best to get an outside opinion from a reputable teacher. In this clip I am struggling a bit with the ergonomics of the horn,  the closed tip of the mouthpiece and even the sound and tone of the mouthpiece and horn.  It has a very one dimensional and flat sound to my ears.  I do believe that if I was on a desert island and this was the horn and setup that washed up on the beach I would do fine with it.  I would practice like crazy and in the end hopefully get the sound out of it that I would want.  That being said,  I’m not on a desert island so I think I’ll stick to my Selmer.  I’m sure you will form your own opinions about this clip and subject while you listen.  I have had a number of people that have asked me to do a recording like this just to hear how I sound on average equipment so here you go.  Anyways,…..let me know what you think. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post The ongoing debate in the saxophone community is whether equipment really matters.  By equipment we mean the brand of saxophone, mouthpiece, ligature, reeds, neck, pads and resonators.  Some people will even argue that the type of material, [...] Selmer Long Shank Soloist Tenor Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/selmer-long-shank-soloist-tenor-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/selmer-long-shank-soloist-tenor-mouthpiece/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:23:41 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1308 This is a Vintage Selmer Long Shank Soloist Tenor Mouthpiece that was originally a C*.  This mouthpiece has been refaced to a .105 tip opening by Brian Powell.  I have been wanting to try one of these ever since I tried a Selmer short shank soloist about a year ago.  I loved the short shank soloist but the mouthpiece sat so far out on the edge of my cork when it was in tune that it seemed like it would fall off of my saxophone neck.  The long shank model fixes that problem and gives me a very similar sound…………

As you can see from the pictures the chamber of this mouthpiece has a horseshoe shape to it.  This chamber gives it a unique sound in my opinion.  The baffle is quite low in comparison to other mouthpieces I have tried.  Usually, the lower the baffle the darker the mouthpiece.  These Soloists are unique in that the low baffle gives them a darker sound but  the smaller horseshoe chamber gives them a focused and more powerful sound.  More focused than a wide open otto link type chamber might give with a low baffle.  It’s interesting to note the affect of the baffle and chamber combinations………..a higher baffle will speed up the air flow and make the mouthpiece brighter and louder but a smaller chamber will do this also by squeezing the air through a smaller hole.  It’s very interesting to me because the brights of a smaller chamber are quite different then the brights of a raised baffle.  Great players that play or have played soloists are Joe Henderson, Rich Perry,  and Kenny Garrett on alto………….. Let me know what you think. Steve

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/04/selmer-long-shank-soloist-tenor-mouthpiece/feed/ 10 This is a Vintage Selmer Long Shank Soloist Tenor Mouthpiece that was originally a C*.  This mouthpiece has been refaced to a .105 tip opening by Brian Powell.  I have been wanting to try one of these ever since I tried a Selmer short shank soloist about a year ago.  I loved the short shank soloist but the mouthpiece sat so far out on the edge of my cork when it was in tune that it seemed like it would fall off of my saxophone neck.  The long shank model fixes that problem and gives me a very similar sound………… As you can see from the pictures the chamber of this mouthpiece has a horseshoe shape to it.  This chamber gives it a unique sound in my opinion.  The baffle is quite low in comparison to other mouthpieces I have tried.  Usually, the lower the baffle the darker the mouthpiece.  These Soloists are unique in that the low baffle gives them a darker sound but  the smaller horseshoe chamber gives them a focused and more powerful sound.  More focused than a wide open otto link type chamber might give with a low baffle.  It’s interesting to note the affect of the baffle and chamber combinations………..a higher baffle will speed up the air flow and make the mouthpiece brighter and louder but a smaller chamber will do this also by squeezing the air through a smaller hole.  It’s very interesting to me because the brights of a smaller chamber are quite different then the brights of a raised baffle.  Great players that play or have played soloists are Joe Henderson, Rich Perry,  and Kenny Garrett on alto………….. Let me know what you think. Steve share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is a Vintage Selmer Long Shank Soloist Tenor Mouthpiece that was originally a C*.  This mouthpiece has been refaced to a .105 tip opening by Brian Powell.  I have been wanting to try one of these ever since I tried a Selmer short shank [...] “Live” For The Love of You Solo-Lamberson DD7 http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/live-for-the-love-of-you-solo-lamberson-l7/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/live-for-the-love-of-you-solo-lamberson-l7/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:02:25 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1273 This is a live clip from a gig I did 5-6 years ago. I play a tenor saxophone solo using the Fred Lamberson DD7 tenor mouthpiece I had back then.  The mouthpiece is made of white aacetal with a  high long baffle in it that drops down into the chamber after about a half inch or so.  This is Lambersons brightest mouthpiece but I still found it fat sounding.  It can be brighter and wailin’ or you  can lay back on it and get a great jazz tone.  The tune is “For the Love of You”.  Since then I have sold this mouthpiece because I found it too bright but as I listen to this clip I really like the tone of it.  This is the same mouthpiece I use on the “Let’s Get it On” video on the Sights & Sounds page of my site. It’s also the same mouthpiece that I’m playing in this clip.

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/live-for-the-love-of-you-solo-lamberson-l7/feed/ 2 This is a live clip from a gig I did 5-6 years ago. I play a tenor saxophone solo using the Fred Lamberson DD7 tenor mouthpiece I had back then.  The mouthpiece is made of white aacetal with a  high long baffle in it that drops down into the chamber after about a half inch or so.  This is Lambersons brightest mouthpiece but I still found it fat sounding.  It can be brighter and wailin’ or you  can lay back on it and get a great jazz tone.  The tune is “For the Love of You”.  Since then I have sold this mouthpiece because I found it too bright but as I listen to this clip I really like the tone of it.  This is the same mouthpiece I use on the “Let’s Get it On” video on the Sights & Sounds page of my site. It’s also the same mouthpiece that I’m playing in this clip. share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post This is a live clip from a gig I did 5-6 years ago. I play a tenor saxophone solo using the Fred Lamberson DD7 tenor mouthpiece I had back then.  The mouthpiece is made of white aacetal with a  high long baffle in it that drops down into the [...] Barone Hollywood Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/barone-hollywood-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/barone-hollywood-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:21:48 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1238 Here is a fairly new Phil Barone  tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  This is the “Hollywood” model and is an 8 (.110) tip opening.  I believe this is a 2009 model although there is no date on it ( his older mouthpieces had dates engraved on the side of them).  I have owned 5-6 Barone mouthpieces over the years and I was very curious to try these new models that Phil is making.  As you can see from the pictures of the baffle this has what looks like a shelf type baffle in it that made me think it would be very bright and loud.  It wasn’t though………….

I was surprised when I first played this mouthpiece.  I thought that it would be really bright and loud from the looks of the baffle but in reality it had a medium volume and was more on the midway line between dark and bright.  The one thing I found about this mouthpiece was that it had a lot more resistance than other Hollywoods I have played in the past.  I like a little bit of resistance when I play but this had a bit too much for my preference.  I was also trying a Barone “Jazz” model when I was trying this mouthpiece and I  really liked that one much more.  It had less resistance and I could get more volume out of it.  While I was playing, I felt like I was getting more of an airy and smokey vibe to the sound.  The interesting thing is that the person who sent me the  Barone mouthpieces told me that they liked the Hollywood the best.  That goes to show you that each person has their own preferences for what they like or don’t like.  I have to say though, please don’t take this review as the bottom line description of all Hollywood mouthpieces.  I have played many over the years and there was a lot of variety in how much resistance each mouthpiece had.  Some of the Hollywoods I have played in the past were more free blowing, louder and brighter.  Some were darker and fatter.  Some were more resistant like this one.  Phil works on each mouthpiece by hand and many times customizes the mouthpiece for the needs of the player buying it.   Phil’s website is www.PhilBarone.com if you want to read more about his mouthpieces…………Enjoy!

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/03/barone-hollywood-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece/feed/ 6 Here is a fairly new Phil Barone  tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  This is the “Hollywood” model and is an 8 (.110) tip opening.  I believe this is a 2009 model although there is no date on it ( his older mouthpieces had dates engraved on the side of them).  I have owned 5-6 Barone mouthpieces over the years and I was very curious to try these new models that Phil is making.  As you can see from the pictures of the baffle this has what looks like a shelf type baffle in it that made me think it would be very bright and loud.  It wasn’t though…………. I was surprised when I first played this mouthpiece.  I thought that it would be really bright and loud from the looks of the baffle but in reality it had a medium volume and was more on the midway line between dark and bright.  The one thing I found about this mouthpiece was that it had a lot more resistance than other Hollywoods I have played in the past.  I like a little bit of resistance when I play but this had a bit too much for my preference.  I was also trying a Barone “Jazz” model when I was trying this mouthpiece and I  really liked that one much more.  It had less resistance and I could get more volume out of it.  While I was playing, I felt like I was getting more of an airy and smokey vibe to the sound.  The interesting thing is that the person who sent me the  Barone mouthpieces told me that they liked the Hollywood the best.  That goes to show you that each person has their own preferences for what they like or don’t like.  I have to say though, please don’t take this review as the bottom line description of all Hollywood mouthpieces.  I have played many over the years and there was a lot of variety in how much resistance each mouthpiece had.  Some of the Hollywoods I have played in the past were more free blowing, louder and brighter.  Some were darker and fatter.  Some were more resistant like this one.  Phil works on each mouthpiece by hand and many times customizes the mouthpiece for the needs of the player buying it.   Phil’s website is www.PhilBarone.com if you want to read more about his mouthpieces…………Enjoy! share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post Here is a fairly new Phil Barone  tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  This is the “Hollywood” model and is an 8 (.110) tip opening.  I believe this is a 2009 model although there is no date on it ( his older mouthpieces had dates engraved on the [...] Florida Link Refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/02/florida-link-refaced-by-eric-greiffenhagen/ http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/02/florida-link-refaced-by-eric-greiffenhagen/#comments Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:46:03 +0000 steve http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/?p=1176 Here is an incredible Florida Link  saxophone mouthpiece that was refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen from a 6 to a 7* (.105).  I bought this mouthpiece from Les Arbuckle about 6 weeks ago and have been playing it ever since.  Les came on SOTW (Sax on the Web) and said he had a link for sale that was one of the best he had ever played.  Now I hear that quite often from people selling mouthpieces but I had never heard that from Les before so it caught my attention.  I knew he had been around probably hundreds of links and if he thought this one was great then it must be.

The first thing that struck me about this tenor mouthpiece is that it has a huge fat low end.  I’m talking lush here.  Every time I play the piece I go to that low end and want to play a nice lush tenor saxophone ballad.  The tone throughout the range of the saxophone is even and round sounding.  It’s actually a bit darker than what I sound like on almost every clip on this site but I’m really digging that out of this mouthpiece.  The last thing that strikes me about it is the playablity of it.  I know that sounds like a vague concept but certain mouthpieces connect to a player in a way that really allows them to express themselves more than on other pieces.  Even though I’ve only played this  mouthpiece for a short time I’ve already had some moments with it where I was playing things that I wouldn’t normally play.  It’s as if the mouthpiece is a fine tool that is letting me play better than other pieces I have played.  I’ve had a few of these pieces throughout the years that I’ve really connected with (most I still have sitting on my shelf)  Anyways, I want to thank Les again for selling me a great mouthpiece.  Let me know what you think……..seriously.   I listened to the clip a number of times and part of me thinks it might be too dark for my tastes but I’m curious what you all think.  Now I have to take it into battle against my other reigning florida link! Here’s a link to contact Erik.   Steve

]]> http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2010/02/florida-link-refaced-by-eric-greiffenhagen/feed/ 12 Here is an incredible Florida Link  saxophone mouthpiece that was refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen from a 6 to a 7* (.105).  I bought this mouthpiece from Les Arbuckle about 6 weeks ago and have been playing it ever since.  Les came on SOTW (Sax on the Web) and said he had a link for sale that was one of the best he had ever played.  Now I hear that quite often from people selling mouthpieces but I had never heard that from Les before so it caught my attention.  I knew he had been around probably hundreds of links and if he thought this one was great then it must be. The first thing that struck me about this tenor mouthpiece is that it has a huge fat low end.  I’m talking lush here.  Every time I play the piece I go to that low end and want to play a nice lush tenor saxophone ballad.  The tone throughout the range of the saxophone is even and round sounding.  It’s actually a bit darker than what I sound like on almost every clip on this site but I’m really digging that out of this mouthpiece.  The last thing that strikes me about it is the playablity of it.  I know that sounds like a vague concept but certain mouthpieces connect to a player in a way that really allows them to express themselves more than on other pieces.  Even though I’ve only played this  mouthpiece for a short time I’ve already had some moments with it where I was playing things that I wouldn’t normally play.  It’s as if the mouthpiece is a fine tool that is letting me play better than other pieces I have played.  I’ve had a few of these pieces throughout the years that I’ve really connected with (most I still have sitting on my shelf)  Anyways, I want to thank Les again for selling me a great mouthpiece.  Let me know what you think……..seriously.   I listened to the clip a number of times and part of me thinks it might be too dark for my tastes but I’m curious what you all think.  Now I have to take it into battle against my other reigning florida link! Here’s a link to contact Erik.   Steve share: Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recomend on Facebook Tip on Hyves Share via MySpace Share on Orkut share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post Here is an incredible Florida Link  saxophone mouthpiece that was refaced by Erik Greiffenhagen from a 6 to a 7* (.105).  I bought this mouthpiece from Les Arbuckle about 6 weeks ago and have been playing it ever since.  Les came on SOTW (Sax on [...]