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You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews / Lawton 8* BB Special Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Lawton 8* BB Special Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

February 1, 2010 by Steve 19 Comments

This a Lawton 8*BB Special tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I’ve never tried a Lawton before so I was looking forward to playing this one.  This a special one that Geoff Lawton made without the typical sliding ligature track he usually puts on his mouthpieces. This is a great playing mouthpiece. The 8* tip is a bit above what I am used to at .115 but I have a feeling that if I played this for a little bit I would get used to it.

The bigger tip opening requires a bit more air from me and the intonation is more flexible because of the larger tip.  I found the tone to be in the middle of the dark/bright spectrum.  Depending on how I play I could get it to head in either direction pretty easily.  To me the tone of the mouthpiece sounded dense and rich.  Kind of a thick kind of sound.  The baffle was a pretty high rollover baffle that traveled pretty far into the chamber and squeezed together smoothly as it narrows into the chamber creating a smaller chamber  that gives you more power I think.  This is a very nice mouthpiece.  i think anyone out there that likes a .115 tip would really love this piece. Let me know what you think.    Steve

https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/Lawton%208BB.mp3

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: lawton, saxophone mouthpiece, tenor mouthpiece

Steve

About Steve

Steve Neff has been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for over 30 years. He is the author of many best selling jazz improvisation methods as well as founding the popular jazz video lesson site Neffmusic.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarJason says

    February 2, 2010 at 10:04 pm

    Wow. I think that’s the best clip I’ve heard you play. Wasn’t really expecting to like a Lawton but it sounded awesome. Yeah, rich and thick. Nice one.

    Reply
  2. AvatarDr. A says

    June 16, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    Is this mouthpiece still available? $?.
    Dr. A

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      June 16, 2010 at 2:44 pm

      Nope. I was borrowing it from a friend. Sorry.

      Reply
  3. AvatarSamer says

    November 23, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    Oh Yes,,, I really agree, I have this mouthpiece , but suddenley as you know I had a fever about different sounds by using other different mouthpieces, I went for a Bobby Dukoff Special with a serial number limited edition Nu 8 D Chamber made from sterling silver, it had a certain colour of sound, but it sacrified the full-body of my Tenor, then after 3 years one day a tryed my Lawton again, from the first blow I found out that this is my sound and this mouthpiece is a jewell that I’ve forgotten for 3 years while I wasn’t using it !!!

    So I feel myself realised now !!

    Reply
  4. Avatardeolsaxman says

    January 25, 2011 at 3:12 am

    I had been playing Bergs for 50 years…they’re hard to beat. Last year I got the mp itch and discovered a Lawton. This is after getting a Dukoff, Vandoren, Guardala, Wanne Durga (all in different sizes). I’ve kept the Vandoren V16 T95, Durga 9* and a few Bergs, But the Lawton is something else. It has power AND character. Recently, I picked up other Lawton sizes and they all have the same basic great qualities.
    The ONLY downside is they like lots of air, especially the larger openings.
    My favorite is a 10*B. A 6*BB makes me play Jr. Walker.
    I accidentaly discovered that if I blow my 180/2 Bronze Berg for 10 minutes (which is all I can do), the Lawton feels like a little straw after that.
    I’ve listened to most of Steve’s clips, and even though he makes them all sound great, I find it hard to tell a difference in most. But this clip was OBVIOUS…..pure Lawton.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      January 25, 2011 at 9:37 pm

      You probably already know this but make sure you have really good computer speakers. I can hardly tell a difference on my wife’s laptop or my Mac’s built in speaker. I bought some Klipsch speakers and the difference was huge. There are many speakers even better than those too.

      Reply
  5. AvatarDave says

    January 26, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    Hi Steve:

    You sound great. I play on a Lawton gold Plated 11*BB on a 98000 Selmer Mk VI Tenor and a CannonBall Black Laquer silver tube Custom Tenor sax made for me I have had my Lawton for over 30 yrs. I love it. Wish I had bought two of then when I had a chance.
    Dave Schiff

    Reply
  6. AvatarMaurizio says

    August 29, 2013 at 8:27 am

    Ciao, non ho mai suonato un G. Lawton ma sono alla ricerca di un bocchino del genere perchè ne sento parlare in giro e sarei contento se fosse ancora disponibile, posso avere notizie sulla mia mail? Grazie infinite, Maurizio.

    Reply
  7. AvatarMAURIZIO says

    September 7, 2013 at 3:09 pm

    Ciao, posso chiederLe di inviarmi qualche altra foto sulla mia mail e sapere quanto costa il bocchino ? Grazie, Maurizio.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      September 7, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      Maurizio, Lo siento. Yo no vendo boquillas, pero sólo reviso.

      Reply
  8. AvatarCarlySax says

    February 5, 2015 at 2:45 pm

    Jnr Walker played on one of these!

    Reply
  9. AvatarKevin Goodall says

    April 1, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    What reeds did you use on your lawton and size please

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      April 1, 2016 at 12:28 pm

      Kevin,
      Unfortunately, That review was done early on before I started saying what reed I was using in the clip so I don’t know what I used. If I had to guess I think it was probably a Vandoren Java 2 1/2 as that is what I mostly used back then. Steve

      Reply
  10. AvatarMardell Cook says

    March 1, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    I have a Lawton 8B tenor sax mouthpiece that someone wants to buy. It belonged to my husband and I have no idea of value. Can you help me?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 14, 2017 at 11:22 am

      Mardell, Sorry, I haven’t been following prices of Lawton mouthpieces. What I usually do is look up the sold auctions on ebay to see what prices a mouthpiece is selling for to find out what I can sell it for. Steve

      Reply
  11. AvatarKevin Goodall says

    March 14, 2017 at 1:53 pm

    Hi

    Mardell possibly around the £200. to £250 mark dependent on condition and if you have the box. I would be interested if you are looking to sell it

    Reply
  12. AvatarTim Hall says

    December 26, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Absolutely love my lawton 9 BB . Only piece I’ve found that I liked better than my Guardala Super King

    Reply
  13. AvatarShane White says

    January 3, 2020 at 11:44 pm

    Dude! That clip was amazing. Wow.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 6, 2020 at 11:29 am

      Thank you!

      Reply

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