• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT

Search Neffmusic

You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece Review

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece Review

January 1, 2016 by Steve 15 Comments

Today, I am reviewing the new Tenor Madness EBII hard rubber tenor mouthpiece.  Randy Jones over at Tenor Madness caused quite a stir in the saxophone world when he came out with a “new” EB (Early Babbitt) version of the Otto Link tenor mouthpiece a number of years ago which I reviewed here.  At the time, there were lots of players that were really digging these new hard rubber EB mouthpieces that were being produced.

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

Unfortunately, Tenor Madness had to stop selling the New EB tenor mouthpiece because of some issues with consistency.  After a number of years, it looks like Tenor Madness is now producing a new Early Babbitt type tenor mouthpiece called the EB II.  I was very excited to try this new EB II as I was a big fan of many of the original Early Babbitt hard rubber Otto Links as well as the original Tenor Madness EB remake. Here is a quote about the EBII from the Tenor Madness website:

“We took everything we liked about the original TMEBs, including the slimmer, more comfortable beak, and used that as a launching point to see if we could make something even more special. Crafting and refining the dimensions of the original core was a painstaking process, but well worth it in the end. This new mouthpiece is the culmination of a 4-year journey to improve upon the original TMEB mouthpieces.

The new Tenor Madness mouthpieces are made from vulcanized rubber. These are not cut from premade bar stock and there is absolutely no CNC machining involved. Every mouthpiece is finished by hand. In our experience, mouthpieces made from molded and baked hard rubber have a unique character that you don’t find in those made from bar stock. Each one comes out of the oven with its own personality.

Our original concept has evolved into a new mouthpiece that has a clean, focused sound and excellent articulation. They are free-blowing with a quick and even response; every bit as fun to play as they are expressive. It was also a must for the mouthpiece to have some power! We wanted to provide players with something that has a clear and centered voice at fff as well as at a sub-tone. There’s a definition to the front of the note that creates a sense of excitement and momentum for line-playing. The tonal color varies, though they are generally just on the brighter side of neutral. We are happy to pick one out to suit your preferences.”

Drew at Tenor Madness was kind enough to send me 3 TMEBII 7*  mouthpieces to try.  All 3 were excellent but each had it’s own character and response to it. I had a heck of a time trying to choose the one to play for the review and honestly spent hours going back and forth between all three.  They sent me a .098 tip, a .101 tip and a .105 tipped piece.  I ended up loving the .101 and the .105 because I was most comfortable with those tip openings. I ended up choosing the .101 to review but the .105 was killin’ also.

As you can see from the pictures, Tenor Madness has changed the design of this mouthpiece from the Otto Link logo to a new Tenor Madness logo.  The rails on the one I have start a bit wider near the opening of the window get progressively thinner as they head towards the tip and then right before the tip they look to fatten up a bit as they flare out slightly.  The tip rail is very close to the shape of the tip of my Rigotti Gold reeds that I use.

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

The TMEBII has a substantial rollover baffle to it just like the old EB Otto Links had.  The baffle then angles down into a  large chamber.  The descent of the baffle has a side to side curve to it as you can see from the picture of the chamber below.  The baffle looks to be a bit higher on the right hand side than the left also. I know some guys that are fanatical about evenness and perfect symmetry but  that is not so important to me.   What is important to me is how a mouthpiece plays!  (My favorite JVW Link metal mouthpiece with an added baffle also has a baffle that is higher on the right side……….) The side rails are scooped out nicely.

The other thing that struck me about the TMEBII is that it must have a very efficient facing curve.  While teaching a Skype lesson the other day, I showed a student how to do the suction test with the reed and the mouthpiece and was very surprised how long the reed stuck to the mouthpiece. I swear it was 10 to 15 seconds which is a record for me……….

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

The EBII seemed to really like harder reeds for me.  I hardly ever go up to 3 1/2 reeds these days but a Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 Light reed just felt great on this mouthpiece.  It was responsive and gave a nice resistance to blow against.  The harder reed gave the tone a bit more substance and character I think.

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

The Tenor Madness EBII was smooth throughout the range of the horn. I felt like the tone was thick and rich and did lean slightly to the brighter side.  The high notes felt round and full sounding.  Even though I could play loud with this mouthpiece I never felt like the notes in the upper register got harsh or edgy which I really liked.

I know the question will be asked “How does this compare to the first TMEB mouthpiece?” It is certainly in the same ballpark sound wise and I feel it plays and responds in a similar way as the first TMEB.  To be honest,  it is really hard to give an opinion on how they compare without having a first run TMEB here to compare side by side with the TMEBII.  All I can say is that I loved the first TMEB and I also love this new TMEBII.

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

If you read this review, listen to the clip and want to try the Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor saxophone mouthpiece you can contact Tenor Madness at this link to order one or you can call  (319)234-3561 or send an email to drew@tenormadness.com. As of this review, they are offering a 7 day trial of the EBII with no restocking fee which is awesome!  Great job Randy Jones, Drew and everyone else at Tenor Madness!

I ended up recording 3 clips for this mouthpiece.   I think clip # 3 sounds the best with more highs in the sound because of the position of the mic in the room.

Clip # 1-Recorded this with too high a gain setting.

Audio Player
https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2015/December/TMEBIIClip.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

 

*I received a message from a fan of the site that the sound clip above was clipping in a number of places on the recording and the recording seemed to be midrange heavy to his ears.  I think I probably recorded with to high a gain by accident on this one so I will try another recording early next week.  Stay tuned…….

I recorded two more clips a week later with a lower gain to give more samples of how the mouthpiece sounds.

Clip #2-Recorded in the same spot as #1 but with a lower gain setting (also a different Rigotti Gold 3 1/2 Light reed)

Audio Player
https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2015/December/TMEBII2.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

 

Clip #3-Recorded with the mic in the middle of the room.  (Clip 1 & 2 were recorded on a desk with a wall behind the mic) This clip seems brighter to me because of the different mic position.

Audio Player
https://cdn.neffmusic.com/2015/December/TMEBII3.mp3
00:00
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

 

I think with all 3 of these clips you can get a good sense of how the mouthpiece sounds for me. Steve

Tenor Madness New EBII Tenor Mouthpiece

Filed Under: Mouthpiece Reviews, Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews Tagged With: early babbitt, jazz mouthpiece, Randy Jones, review, tenor madness, 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. AvatarKevin Ledbetter says

    January 1, 2016 at 1:10 pm

    I got 2 of these… a 7* and an 8. Loved them both. More edge than a Link but not as much as a high baffle piece. There is great response from the top to the bottom on the horn. These compare favorably with any modern mouthpiece and I think they are great. They can project and they can sub-tone with ease.
    Super job Tenor Madness!!!

    Reply
  2. AvatarJeff Todd says

    January 1, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    To my ears, sound is much more interesting on this piece than on the earlier TMEB review. Although the response is very good on this one, the reed does sound maybe a tiny bit hard. It sounds as if you could maybe have a slightly more immediate response with a slightly softer reed. Sounds really great! I am definitely intrigued.

    Reply
  3. AvatarJames Adams says

    January 2, 2016 at 3:30 pm

    I had the original TMEB 7* and it was a great piece. I sold it on because the value doubled and I found a saxscape piece I really liked. I always admire the work that Randy and co. do and I think this is a great addition. The mouthpiece market is so competitive these days-

    Reply
  4. AvatarJason Schwager says

    January 25, 2016 at 11:44 pm

    Hey Steve, Thank you soooo much for your dedication and fine, fine, fine web site. Question: Regarding this TM EBII What are your impressions (YES, I’VE READ YOUR DRAKE REVIEW TOO) contrasting the Drake Jerry Bergonzi wtih the Tenor Madness EBII. If YOU had to choose only one, which would you choose and why? (Yes, I will try both, but wanted to hear YOUR impressions if you were going to the proverbial desert island which you’d pack).

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 28, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      Jason,
      To be honest, it has been so long, and I have reviewed so many mouthpieces that I don’t remember much about the Drake Jerry Bergonzi model. I remember liking it and writing the review but that is about it. I would have to get another and play it side by side with the EBII to be able to compare them. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help, Steve

      Reply
  5. Avatarjason says

    February 1, 2016 at 1:00 pm

    Steve, did you get one of TM’s new EBII’s?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      February 6, 2016 at 1:10 pm

      Jason,
      Yes, this review is of Tenor Madness’s new EBII. Steve

      Reply
  6. AvatarRalf says

    February 4, 2016 at 5:53 am

    Hi Steve, you sound awsome. This piece reminds me of the later Bunte 42 model.
    Saxquest offers a new Bunte mouthpiece “The Core”. That is based on a Brilhart design as the earlier 42.
    If you should came across one of the new cor mouthpieces I would be very interested in a comparision to the EBII.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      February 6, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      Ralf,
      Yes, I have a Core piece sitting on my desk to review. I also have another 42 mouthpiece that was later than the original 42 I reviewed. This one is quite a bit darker than that first 42 I reviewed. I hope to do the review of the Core mouthpiece in the next few weeks. Steve

      Reply
  7. AvatarRalf says

    February 6, 2016 at 1:11 pm

    wow, great!! Really looking forward to your review!

    Reply
  8. AvatarJason says

    February 8, 2016 at 12:50 am

    I’m sorry Steve, my question wasn’t clear. I used the word “get.” I meant did you buy, retain, or keep, the TM EBII?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      February 19, 2016 at 3:11 pm

      Yes, I tried 3 of them and Tenor Madness was nice enough to let me keep the one I reviewed so I still have that one. Steve

      Reply
  9. Avatarallan says

    February 16, 2016 at 1:45 am

    Do you prefer the sound of this mpc compared to the old brilhart tonalin? Because when i switched back between the two mpcs based from the audio files…it’s like day and night….difficult to compare..but i really dig your sound on the tonalin. As always, you sound great 🙂

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      February 19, 2016 at 2:59 pm

      Thanks Allan. I don’t remember the Brilhart at all. I think I only had it for a little while to do the review and then I had to send it back to the owner. Steve

      Reply
  10. Avatarninni digex says

    January 21, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    io ne ho uno n 8 e lo trovo fantastico, migliore di un Babbit
    Grazie Steve anche tu sei fantastico

    Translation:

    I have one 8 and I find it fantastic, better than a Babbit. Thanks Steve you are fantastic too

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Ralf Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Cart

Subscribe to the Neffmusic Newsletter for the latest reviews and best deals delivered straight to your inbox every month. Join now and you will also receive my 40 Ultimate Michael Brecker Licks free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to


Thanks for joining!


NEFFMUSIC PRINTED BOOKS

Testimonials

1 2 3 4 5
I would like to say that in the last year my sax playing has progressed loads from your lessons. I have had a sax for about 20 years and dabbled with lessons from a few teachers and have learnt very little from them. As you have said in your lessons many teachers tell you to use the blues scale and leave it there, not even showing you the resolution points!!. I am now believing I can in time become a good improviser.
Thanks again,
Shane
Shane
1 2 3 4 5
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.
Milton
1 2 3 4 5
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John
1 2 3 4 5

Your material is great! I got your New Altissimo Lesson 6 months ago and I have learned more from that than in all my 44 years of playing! I appreciate your down to earth teaching method and I really appreciate the heart that you teach with. I have been a subscriber to your lessons for the past 6 months and I have learned a great deal. Over that period of time I have had some questions and you have never failed to respond. Thanks! I have already recommended your lessons to a number of players in… Read more

Michael Byington
1 2 3 4 5
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
1 2 3 4 5

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin
1 2 3 4 5
Hey Steve! I hope you and your family are well.  I’m just writing to say thank you so much for all the resources you have made available to the saxophone community. I have been using your material for many years and I always come back to it… in fact I just took a break from practicing to write this…( reviewing “CreatingModern II-V-I Lines with simple pentatonics”.) I am, and continue to be, one of your raving fans! Blessings to you and your family this holiday season! Wishing… Read more
Gerry Aylward
1 2 3 4 5
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith
1 2 3 4 5
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington
1 2 3 4 5

I must say again how much I appreciate all your material. Including the video tutorials. It help keep me focused and knowing what to aim for. And your laid back teaching style appeals to me too. 

Thanks

P

P
1 2 3 4 5
I’ve been downloading your lessons for 4 months now (20 lesson) and I have noticed tremendous growth in my playing thus far! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site!
Bob
1 2 3 4 5
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
1 2 3 4 5
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric
1 2 3 4 5
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
1 2 3 4 5
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
1 2 3 4 5

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.

Milton
1 2 3 4 5
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant
1 2 3 4 5
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
1 2 3 4 5
Just to say thanks for your advice and lessons.  I’ve just read your amazing story.  I really appreciate what you do in regards to teaching.  I have bought a couple of your lessons and frankly they’re undersold.   I’ve learned much more with these two lessons than with 2 years of sax teachers.   Thanks so much………..
Mike
1 2 3 4 5

I want to thank you again, because, not only are you an inspiration to listen to, you are a fine teacher!

I have been teaching sax and other winds for over 20 years, and you give me that “push” to give my students more!

Mark Peotter

Mark Peotter
1 2 3 4 5
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete
1 2 3 4 5
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
1 2 3 4 5
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
Ron
1 2 3 4 5

Thank You Steve. I think that I will be busy for years. Thank You for your great contribution to jazz music. Your books, more than teaching “how to play jazz”, actually teach “how to speak jazz”. I wish I found your methods years ago.  

Jean-Eric
Start
Stop
NextPrev

Featured Video Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99 Original price was: $19.99.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson
    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $9.99

Now over 600 video and audio lessons to choose from!

Free Lessons

  • Free Lesson on The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering Altered Pentatonics
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale and Language Book 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Approach Note Velocity Book

Recent reviews

  • Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson by Noah
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) by Andy
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Russ
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Timothy
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Ray Holland

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Brian Albee on Otto Link Super Tone Master Florida V Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on Revisiting a Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Thor on Revisiting a Lamberson J7 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Perry on Will the Real Michael Brecker’s Sax Mouthpiece Please Stand Up?
  • Steve on Will the Real Michael Brecker’s Sax Mouthpiece Please Stand Up?

Top rated products

  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1 The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Invitation Tune of the Week-Invitation
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Product tags

alto sax alto saxophone approach notes audio lesson bebop scale beginner beginner saxophone blues blues licks blues patterns blues scale blues scales diminished scale dominant chords ear training fundamentals II-V-I improvisation jazz improvisation jazz lines jazz patterns jazz sax jazz saxophone jazz standard jazz standards licks Mastering the Blues Scale Michael Brecker modern improv modern improvisation online lesson patterns playing outside practice habits reading music sax basics sax lessons saxophone scales smooth jazz steve neff tenor sax tenor saxophone video lesson video lessons
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • SUPPORT

Neffmusic © 2005–2025