![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2015\/October\/ShizTenorTop.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLiu Shizhao MB Prototype\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n A few weeks later, I received a package in the mail from China. \u00a0I was very excited! \u00a0These mouthpieces looked beautiful and I was really hoping they played as good as they looked. \u00a0I opened up the package and inside were a carefully packed silver tenor mouthpiece and silver alto mouthpiece. \u00a0Today I am reviewing the tenor mouthpiece. \u00a0 Mr. Shizhao calls this mouthpiece his MB prototype mouthpiece which I assumes refers to Michael Breckers Guardala mouthpiece that he played for so many years.<\/p>\n Liu Shizhao MB Prototype\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The Shizhao MB model looked great upon inspection. Although you can’t tell from the pictures, it has a beautifully designed dark green bite plate. \u00a0The craftmanship looks superb. \u00a0The rails are thin and even and the tip rail looks to match the shape of my reeds exactly. \u00a0The table looks to be exactly the width of the reed so the edges of the reed are even with the outside of the thin side rails.<\/p>\n It looks to have a step baffle like the Guardala\u00a0mouthpieces\u00a0I have played in the past. \u00a0Instead of having a sharp edge on the step baffle like the laser trimmed Guardala\u00a0mouthpieces\u00a0have, the Shizhao step baffle edge has been smoothed to produce a smooth rollover that then descends down into the large chamber. \u00a0Everything looks very even and smooth in regards to the baffle and it’s shape. \u00a0 Very well crafted!<\/p>\n Liu Shizhao MB Prototype\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The sidewalls of the Shizhao MB mouthpiece are scooped out and the chamber looks pretty large to my eye. \u00a0On the side of the mouthpiece is engraved .114 which is the tip size. \u00a0I generally don’t like going over .110 tip openings but when a mouthpiece has a baffle of this length\u00a0and height a tip of around .115 can still feel pretty comfortable for me.<\/p>\n I found Rigotti Gold reeds to be a bit too edgy for me on this mouthpiece but the Rico Select Jazz reeds worked perfectly with a 3S unfiled size. \u00a0I found that the RSJ reeds gave a bit more body and thickness to the tone and took away some of the edge that I got with the Rigotti reeds. \u00a0I tried a Rovner ligature on this piece also but I didn’t like it as much as a metal ligature. \u00a0The Rovner coupled with the Rico reeds just took too much of the highs out of the sound for my tastes but others might like the Rovner for a darker vibe.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n