Today, I am reviewing a mouthpiece made by the Absolute company. These are made in Italy and this model is called the “Alto +”. There is also an Alto AL, Alto ST and an Alto R model on their website. You can also find all these models for Baritone, Soprano and Tenor saxophones as well. This + model is made of stainless steel. Below is a picture of many of the ST mouthpieces for all the saxophones.
Absolute ST Saxophone Mouthpiece Line
All of these models are priced pretty reasonably. This model is about 282 US dollars. (the exchange rate is always changing so this price will fluctuate somewhat)
The mouthpiece looks great. The tip rails look very even and it has a straight baffle that angles down into another baffle that drops down to a Berg like scoop into the chamber. The sidewalls are straight and even until they meet the circular medium-large chamber.
Absolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
The tip opening on this mouthpiece is a 7* which is a .090 tip opening which surprised me because I have never been very comfortable with anything over .080 on alto yet I was very comfortable on this mouthpiece. A Vandoren Java 3 reed played perfectly on it for me. The Absolute + alto mouthpiece comes with it’s own custom built ligature which is really nice. If you look at the picture below you will see that the ligature has 8 sides to it. These 8 sides match up perfectly with the 8 sides the mouthpiece has. It is next to impossible to have trouble with this ligature. You just slide it on in the position that fits the mouthpiece and then tighten. As you tighten the crew, the plates descend down onto the reed and clamp it to the table. It’s a very inventive and unique design in my opinion……….
Absolute Alto + Saxophone Ligature
The Absolute Alto + mouthpiece has an almost duckbill type design to the beak although it is not as extreme as some duckbill beaked mouthpieces I have played. It feels very comfortable to me.
Absolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
The tone of the Absolute “Alto +” is focused and brighter to me. It’s tone has a nice bright bebop sound to it that can also cover the louder R&B type alto genres. It’s brighter than the ST model that I reviewed earlier. To demonstrate this, I played the same solo clip from a Phil Woods solo (The Summer Knows) from the Absolute ST review clip. If you go to that clip and compare it to this clip I think you can hear how it is brighter and louder that the ST clip.
Absolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
If you are interested in the Absolute “Alto +” alto saxophone mouthpiece contact Marco at Absolutesax.com. This is a great alto mouthpiece!!
Let me know what you think in the comments below………….Thanks, Steve
Absolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
Absolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
Audio PlayerAbsolute “Alto+” Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece
Hi Steve,
this one looks like a Dukoff baffle design, any idea how it would compare to SaxZ or Saxworks as realy Dukoff-clones or Aaron Drake’s contemporary alto mp?
Walter,
It reminded me of a Dukoff or SaxZ a bit. It wasn’t as edgy as the SaxZ in my opinion. Much better tone quality than the Dukoffs I have played. I can’t remember the Drake contemporary very much as that was a long time ago. You’d have to compare sound clips on that one. Steve
dear neff
i like sanborn , brecker and coltrane sound very much
do you know which modern metal mouthpiece
can make sound very close to sanborn , trane and brecker
and where can i buy them
thank you
Daniel,
I consider Sanborn, Brecker and Coltrane to have vastly different sounds and tones. Sanborn is on the alto sax so it is a different instrument. I have played mouthpieces that get me closer to their sounds and tones so I can suggest those. For Sanborn, I like the SaxZ Sanborn mouthpiece. For Brecker, I like a Guardala MB II by WWBW or maybe an original Guardala if you can afford one. For Coltrane I think a nice Florida Link will get you close. There are vast differences in Florida links though so you might have to search for one that gives you that brighter compact sound that Trane had…………Hope this helps, Steve
Hi Steve,
What are the absolute stainless steel mouthpieces like to play as they apparently don’t have have a bite plate. Great website by the way.
Thanks,
Peter