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<\/a><\/p>\nRS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The exciting thing about this project is that it sounds like Chris Potter brought his favorite tenor mouthpiece to RS Berkeley to have it copied exactly! \u00a0What’s even cooler is that Chris Potter is still alive! \u00a0So you know that he must have played it the copies afterwards and approved of them. From the quotes below, it sounds like he liked it even better than the original mouthpiece!<\/p>\n Here is \u00a0a quote from Chris Potter, a snippet from the RS Berkeley website and a quote\u00a0from Les Silver on the Chris Potter Legends Series mouthpiece and it’s development:<\/p>\n “I was very pleased the first time I played this mouthpiece and was amazed to find it’s even a little better than the vintage piece it was based on for the sound I’m trying to get. It has a good, clear response in all registers and most importantly, it offers me the flexibility of tone color that thus far I had only been able to find in older mouthpieces. I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I do.\u201d<\/em><\/span> \u2013 Chris Potter<\/p>\n Material: Metal, Natural<\/em><\/p>\n Tip Opening: .105″<\/em><\/p>\n Legends Series mouthpieces are officially licensed mouthpiece reproductions modeled after the originals used by the world\u2019s most iconic musicians. The creation of the Legends Series line begins with and features 3D scanning and post processing services by Konica Minolta\u2019s 3D Scanning Labs, state of the art laboratory. Konica Minolta technicians capture highly precise scan data, capturing the unique characteristics of each original piece, thus matching the exact geometry of the original. Once the scan process is completed, the scan data is paired with highly specialized software to clean, align and create high quality CAD models. From an archival standpoint, Konica Minolta\u2019s 3D scan models of the mouthpieces are exact representations of the original. The formal production process begins once the CAD models arrive in the RS Berkeley shop, where molds are then crafted. Master mouthpiece maker and designer, Jack Onque oversees every element of the process, from design to hand finishing to ensure the highest possible quality and accuracy of each authentic reproduction. Our new revolutionary process allows the reed to seat better on the lay portion of the mouthpiece, providing an air tight bond that enables improved vibration on the rails and tip opening. The process also frees up the chamber, delivering uniformed resonance and maximum projection.<\/em><\/p>\n Legends Series mouthpieces are designed and crafted in the United States.<\/em><\/p>\n “Here is exactly what happened with Chris. We made him 8 mouthpieces for him to try. He came over to our warehouse in\u00a0<\/span>Berkeley Heights, NJ. last August. We put the 8 mouthpieces\u00a0on a table, and just let Chris try the mouthpieces\u00a0and see what he thinks.\u00a0He took each mouthpiece\u00a0out, put his reed on and played each one. The only thing Chris cared about \u00a0was how did they sound.\u00a0The almost impossible happened. Chris loved all 8 mouthpieces. A perfect score. How could this happen. Maybe I was dreaming. \u00a0Chris picked out two of them, and asked if he could take \u00a0two of the mouthpieces and play them that night with Pat Metheny. \u00a0When Chris came on stage I saw he was using the mouthpiece we made for him. \u00a0After the concert, I went back stage to speak to \u00a0Chris. Chris said to me “The mouthpiece you made for me sounds better then the original”<\/span> -Les Silver<\/em><\/p>\n RS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The Chris Potter model tenor sax mouthpiece comes in a .105 tip opening. \u00a0That is the only tip opening offered for it. It is brass with some type of textured finish to it. \u00a0I’m not sure what they call it but\u00a0when I\u00a0hold it in my hand the texture of it\u00a0 reminds me of holding a piece of chalk. \u00a0One downside to this finish is that it seems to darken and stain quite easily from saliva.<\/p>\n The 3D scanning and\u00a0creation process used to make this mouthpiece copies every single detail of the original mouthpiece. \u00a0I noticed a slight indentation in the beak of the mouthpiece and thought maybe someone had played it for a while before I got it. \u00a0I later found out that that indentation was on Chris Potter’s\u00a0original mouthpiece and so came through in the copies also…….seems like a strange touch but it\u00a0is\u00a0an exact copy so……….<\/p>\n The Chris Potter mouthpiece\u00a0has nice even side rails and a thin tip rail. \u00a0 It\u00a0has a rollover baffle that slides down into what I would consider a Florida Link size chamber.\u00a0 The side rails are scooped out and the chamber is smooth with no imperfections or edges.\u00a0 The side of the mouthpiece is engraved with “Chris Potter” in cursive engraving.<\/p>\n RS Berkeley does not reveal what mouthpiece is being duplicated in their advertising but this Chris Potter mouthpiece looks very similar to many Florida Otto Links I have. \u00a0That would be my guess………..<\/p>\n RS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The Chris Potter Legends series mouthpiece played very well with most reeds I tried on it. \u00a0I gravitated to a Rico Select Jazz 3S Unfiled reed but I also played it with Rigotti Gold 3 Light and 3 Mediums and it played great with those also. \u00a0Although the mouthpiece played well from the beginning, \u00a0I did notice that there was more resistance in this mouthpiece than in my other Otto Links that have been refaced. \u00a0The facing curve feels much longer than most of my other mouthpieces also. \u00a0I had no problems with reeds or getting suction using the suction test though.<\/p>\n RS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n In this case, \u00a0the resistance I sensed and felt was a great resistance. \u00a0To me, it’s like the analogy of waving your hands around in the air as opposed to waving them around when under water. \u00a0There is resistance under water. \u00a0You are pushing against something and you see immediate results. \u00a0You feel the force and consistency of the water and you can easily create movement and waves within that element. \u00a0Playing with a healthy resistance is similar to that in my mind.\u00a0The sound can be more easily manipulated and shaped. With the Chris Potter Legends mouthpiece I felt like I could use my air more effectively and efficiently to shape the tone and soundI was producing.<\/p>\n RS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The RS Berkeley Chris Potter plays great! \u00a0It is similar in sound concept to a some of the great Florida Links I have owned and played. \u00a0That being being said, \u00a0I consider this mouthpiece to lean to the darker side of the tone spectrum. One of the things I loved about playing this mouthpiece was that it didn’t get much brighter or edgier when I blew harder. \u00a0 The tone is round, full and rich sounding. The upper end of the horn has a beautiful round tone that doesn’t thin out in my opinion\u00a0and the low end is rich and fat sounding. \u00a0I think the longer facing curve also allows me to take in more mouthpiece and get a much bigger sound as I experiment with it.<\/p>\n The other element I hear in the sound is what I would describe has a “hollowness”. \u00a0 I’m not sure how\u00a0to describe that word or quality\u00a0but I did a review of a double ring Otto Link<\/a>\u00a0in the past that I thought also had that quality in\u00a0it’s\u00a0tone. \u00a0Someone in the comments of that review commented on how they loved the hollow sound that double ring link had and that word sounded like a good description.<\/p>\n RS Berkeley Chris Potter Legends Series Tenor Sax Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The RS Berkeley Chris Potter\u00a0Legends series tenor saxophone mouthpiece was great to play. If you like the sound of the clip below and the mouthpiece catches your interest then give it a try. You can contact Les Silver at his website at\u00a0rsberkeley.com<\/a>\u00a0or purchase a Chris Potter Legends Series mouthpiece at TenorMadness.com<\/a> Tell them\u00a0Steve sent you………….Great work Les and everyone at RS Berkeley!!…….(next you should do Michael Brecker’s Guardala mouthpiece!!)<\/p>\n Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n