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You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews / 9 Great Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces to Compare

9 Great Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces to Compare

December 13, 2014 by Steve 11 Comments

This is from a comparison post I made some years ago of 9 great tenor saxophone mouthpieces.   I thought it was worthy of a repost since it has been awhile since I made it.   On all 9 clips I’m just playing a simple Bb blues (C for tenor) I’m trying to keep it relatively simple so the clips are similar.  Each one was with the same Java 2 1/2 reed and I was standing about 2 feet from the mic. Take a listen and let me know which one you like the best. All 9 pieces play great for me but they all have slightly different characteristics to their sound. I could play any of them and be happy I think.   The mouthpieces heard here are:

  • Lamberson J7 (.110)
  • Jon Van Wie STM Link with baffle (.110)
  • Brian Powell Modern STM (.108)
  • Early Babbit HR Link (.110)
  • Phil Tone HR (.105)
  • Ponzol SS M2 (.110)
  • Modern NY Link Brian Powell refaced to (.108 with my own baffle in it)
  • Metal Florida Link Brian Powell refaced (.105)
  • SP HR Link refaced by Brian Powell (.110)

Update: I added 9 more clips of me playing as loud as i can on the pieces. I’d say around 95% so you can hear how they sound playing all out. Obviously, some are better loud and some are better soft I think. I also added 9 clips that were recorded from across the room about 6-7 feet away so you can hear the difference if any from across the room.
Take a Listen………

Modern NY Link (BP .108 with my own baffle)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1018.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1037.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0994.mp3

Across the Room


Lamberson J7

https://public.neffmusic.com/1020.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1042.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0995.mp3

Across the Room


SP Link (BP refaced to .110)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1021.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1028.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0996.mp3

Across the Room


JVW STM Link .110 (JVW baffle)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1011.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1035.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0988.mp3

Across the Room


EB HR Link (BP reface to .110)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1022.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1031.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0997.mp3

Across the Room


Ponzol SS M2 .110

https://public.neffmusic.com/1019.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1040.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1003.mp3

Across the Room


Florida STM 8 (refaced to .105 by BP)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1009.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1038.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1004.mp3

Across the Room


Brian Powell Modern STM (.108)

https://public.neffmusic.com/1014.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1034.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0990.mp3

Across the Room


Phil-Tone HR .105

https://public.neffmusic.com/1024.mp3

Laid Back Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/1033.mp3

Loud Blues

https://public.neffmusic.com/0998.mp3

Across the Room

Filed Under: Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: comparison, sax mouthpiece, sound clips, tenor saxophone

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. AvatarJR says

    December 19, 2014 at 5:29 am

    First impression is that i liked the JVW STM Link .110. Allround piece, soft to loud, colour. And the high elements in the sound are nice to listen to.
    If you want to sell it (i don’t think you will do:)) than i am interested.

    Reply
    • AvatarSwerdy says

      August 2, 2022 at 7:47 am

      Sound great on all of these! The Lamberson is quite interesting to the ear, I like this one a lot. And the EB is really full and fat, love that tone! The JVW sounds like it’s part of your breath! Hard to explain but it sounds like you’re in balance with the back pressure, and it’s very lyrical.

      It’s like when I described playing a great piano like a Steinway; the keys bounce back up with your finger and give as much energy back as you put it, like it’s part of your hands.

      Reply
  2. Avatarturk says

    December 25, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    EB HR Link (BP reface to .110) is amazing!!! so fat and colorful..

    Reply
  3. AvatarDAR says

    December 27, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    For me, that Phil-Tone is the winner. I’ve had a couple of PT HR pieces and they have not sounded that open and colorful. Very nice.

    Reply
  4. AvatarCarlySax says

    February 1, 2015 at 8:14 am

    The Phil Tone HR 105. Lazy Blues.

    Reply
  5. AvatarShades says

    February 7, 2015 at 6:24 am

    JVW link the EB HR & the Lamberson J7 ( I got one myself) are my favorites, anyway you sound great on all of them.

    Reply
  6. AvatarRoldan says

    June 15, 2015 at 6:10 pm

    EB HR Link (BP reface to .110) vintage or modern?
    Nice, so fat and colorful..!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      June 23, 2015 at 9:38 am

      Hi Roldan,
      That is a vintage EB link and is actually the model with the large font facing number that were the first EB’s made from the Slant link blanks from what I have been told.

      Reply
  7. Avatarjoel frahm says

    July 4, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    Hey Steve-

    You sound amazingly consistent on all of these, but I liked the tone quality of the EB and the Florida STM the best. Hope you’re well!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      July 28, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      Joel, Yes, I like those two also. Those are two pieces I have had for quite a while……..

      Reply
  8. AvatarGrahame Easthope says

    October 25, 2016 at 8:32 am

    I’ve come to this a little late, but just reaffirms how much I love Links…

    Reply

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I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.   I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more  bite sized way.
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