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
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Kanee Vintage New York 8 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
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I just got a Kanee New York 8 and it’s been wonderful! After getting used to it, i’ve found that it is very flexible. It allows me to really project without sacrificing it’s sweet tone quality. It also allows me to easily blend in with a section. Highly recommended!
That’s great. I’m glad your happy with it.
I continue to be thoroughly happy with the Kanee Ming 8 for tenor that I bought on eBay 3 months ago. I really did not know much about the company, but I took a chance and glad I did! It’s playability, tone, and versatility make it a pleasure every time, not to mention it is like a gorgeous piece of art on its own. Looks as perfect as when I got it.
I am looking for his alto pieces but am not finding many avenues to purchase them. I would like to give him increased exposure for crafting such an excellent mouthpiece. Thank you Kanee, I hope you and your company are thriving! Thank you Mr. Neff for the informative reviews and helpful recordings – your playing is just a pleasure to hear on its own!