{"id":36960,"date":"2016-06-09T11:01:01","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T15:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/?p=36960"},"modified":"2024-06-22T15:54:21","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T19:54:21","slug":"liu-shizhao-pilgrimage-mb-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/liu-shizhao-pilgrimage-mb-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage MB Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

A month or two ago, \u00a0I posted a review of a couple new saxophone mouthpiece from Liu Shizhao out of China. \u00a0He sent me a tenor saxophone mouthpiece prototype MB Prototype<\/a>\u00a0and an alto prototype<\/a> that I was very impressed with\u00a0and wrote reviews on. Recently, \u00a0he has sent me two more saxophone mouthpieces to review that I am equally impressed with if not more impressed. \u00a0This review is on his new tenor sax mouthpiece called the Pilgrimage MB model (MB stands for Michael Brecker).<\/p>\n

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Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Pilgrimage MB model is a copy of an original Guardala traditional model tenor saxophone mouthpiece. \u00a0The main difference between the MBI, MBII,\u00a0Studio model and the traditional model is that the shelf baffle in the Studio, MBI & MBII is rounded off \u00a0to descend smoothly into the large chamber.<\/p>\n

The Pilgrimage MB model tenor saxophone mouthpiece is exceptionally well made in my opinion. \u00a0The rails and tip are even and thin. \u00a0The baffle rolls over smoothly and evenly all the way down to the chamber. \u00a0The side rails are slightly scooped out near the chamber but they are straight until they reach that point. \u00a0I would consider the Pilgrimage\u00a0MB to have a large chamber as it looks as big as most of my Otto Link chambers as I compare them side to side. \u00a0The bite plate has a beautiful green design on it although it is hard to make out in the picture above.<\/p>\n

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Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0model has a tip opening of .114 which\u00a0I have heard is right around the tip that Michael Brecker\u00a0played on. Mr. Shizhao believes this is the style of mouthpiece that Michael Brecker actually played on as opposed to the MBI and MBII style mouthpiece baffles that WWBW has reproduced but I have heard many differing and competing opinions and statements regarding that fact from many sax players over the years so I will leave that for a different blog post and discussion perhaps………<\/p>\n

I have to admit that I had high hopes for this sax mouthpiece because every other Brecker style mouthpiece I have owned and reviewed has always been too bright for my personal tastes at the end of the day. \u00a0My first original Guardala Studio model I bought 13 years ago sounded killer in a big room with natural reverb or on a gig, \u00a0but in the practice room I was always struggling with my sound being too bright\u00a0and edgy. \u00a0I was really hoping that this baffle design would be a change in the right direction for me…………<\/p>\n

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Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u00a0first tried the Shizhao Pilgrimage mouthpiece with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds which played pretty well but I found them a bit too edgy for my tastes. \u00a0Vandoren Java 2 1\/2 reeds were amazing on this mouthpiece and I felt like they played\u00a0with less edge and had a fatter sound to my ear. \u00a0I had a Rovner fabric ligature that fit the\u00a0Pilgrimage well but I felt it muted the tone a bit too much as Rovner\u00a0ligatures\u00a0can do sometimes (IMHO) so I actually ordered a new Selmer 402 alto ligature from WWBW to use on it. \u00a0When I received the 402, I felt like\u00a0it\u00a0was perfect for this mouthpiece and livened up the sound perfectly as compared to the Rovner. \u00a0I believe Michael Brecker used one of these Selmer 402 ligatures also.<\/p>\n

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Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Shizhao Pilgrimage mouthpiece played absolutely great for me. I’ve played a number of handmade Guardala tenor mouthpieces\u00a0as well as laser trimmed Guardalas over the years and in my opinion this mouthpiece is in a similar\u00a0category as those BUT the big difference for me is in the high end of the horn. \u00a0I felt like the higher register of the horn had a definite fatter\u00a0and smoother sound to it than many of the Guardala mouthpieces with a straight\u00a0baffle and ridge inside. \u00a0I mentioned in my last Shizhao MB protoype review how my opinion was that that mouthpiece had a fatter, less edgy tone than many Guardala originals and copies because of the smoothed over ridge on the baffle. \u00a0This “Pilgrimage” mouthpiece takes that even farther and has an even fatter and warmer sound because the ridge is totally gone! \u00a0The baffle just curves down evenly and smoothly\u00a0until it reaches the bottom of the chamber.<\/p>\n

Even though it is fatter and a tad warmer, I believe it still has that Guardala core sound and power that these designs are known for. \u00a0The question for most gigging players is “Does this fatter warmer sound affect the ability for the player to cut through in a live playing gig?” \u00a0 That is the eternal question for us sax players. \u00a0I can’t tell you how many mouthpiece I\u00a0have played that sound killer on the gig through the sound system but in the practice room are overly loud, bright and edgy. \u00a0I then find a mouthpiece more pleasant in the practice room with a fatter warmer sound and then when I get out on the gig I find it not cutting through the mix and I can’t hear myself!<\/p>\n

Although I haven’t taken the Pilgrimage out on a gig as of yet, I believe strongly that this mouthpiece is a good mix of the legendary Guardala properties and more of a traditional fat saxophone sound. \u00a0It can definitely play loud and wail. \u00a0It leans to the right side of bright that is for sure but for me it is not over the top at all. \u00a0It can be controlled and manipulated for a variety of styles.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0made this statement in the Shizhao MB protoype review but it is still true for this mouthpiece as well so I will include it here also:<\/p>\n

“I found that making my lower lip fatter and more pillowy really helped fatten up the tone and take some of the brightness\u00a0away. \u00a0I’ve also found that the way I blow and focus my air has to be different than playing on a Link style sax mouthpiece. It usually takes me some time to readjust to a high baffle piece but once I do they can play and sound great!”<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve only played this mouthpiece for a couple of hours,\u00a0\u00a0but for me the key to getting closer to a Michael Brecker type sound concept on it is playing\u00a0at at least 80% air and a full air column supported with the diaphragm. \u00a0The mouthpiece can take all the air you give it because of the large chamber and I feel like the more air you give it the fatter and more powerful it sounds.<\/p>\n

The intonation on this mouthpiece was terrific in my opinion and the mouthpiece played really smoothly and evenly throughout the range of the horn also. \u00a0The altissimo was especially easy. (towards the end of the clip (3:03) I do an altissimo run from high E up and back down surprisingly easy. \u00a0I don’t know that I’ve even ever done that before that I\u00a0can remember!)<\/p>\n

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Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve provided two samples of the same clip below. \u00a0One is a clip with added reverb and the other is a dry clip in a moderate sized room. \u00a0I think it’s important to add the reverb clip just so people can get a sense of what the sound is like with a little bit of that added affect since most studio recordings of Brecker have some reverb added I believe.<\/p>\n

I’m a little rusty on my Brecker influenced\u00a0licks but I threw a few of them into the sound clip as well as a few attempts at some Brecker\u00a0influenced\u00a0overtone lines. \u00a0Towards the end I\u00a0play a little of “Moose the Mooche” and a ballad to give you a little bit of a different taste of what this mouthpiece can do and sound like.<\/p>\n

The Shizhao Pilgrimage saxophone mouthpiece is right up there with some of the best high baffle tenor mouthpieces I have played on. \u00a0I am told that these tenor mouthpieces sell for 495.00 USD at the time of this review which I think is a great deal. \u00a0To order one you can contact Liu Shizhao by email at saxproshop@gmail.com\u00a0or\u00a0you can usually also find these mouthpiece for sale on Ebay if you do a search there.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to Mr. Shizhao for making another excellent well crafted mouthpiece! \u00a0Great Job!<\/p>\n

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and if you get a Shizhao Pilgrimage saxophone mouthpiece be sure to come back and let us know what you think below……..Thanks!!<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2016\/PilgrimReverb.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Added Reverb<\/strong><\/p>\nhttps:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2016\/Pilgrim.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage\u00a0Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Dry<\/strong><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I received the sample mouthpiece mentioned above for free in the hope that I would try it and perhaps review\u00a0it on my blog. Regardless, I only review mouthpieces\u00a0that I\u00a0enjoy\u00a0playing\u00a0and believe will be good for other saxophone players to try also. \u00a0 \u00a0Steve<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A month or two ago, \u00a0I posted a review of a couple new saxophone mouthpiece from Liu Shizhao out of China. \u00a0He sent me a tenor saxophone mouthpiece prototype MB Prototype\u00a0and an alto prototype that I was very impressed with\u00a0and wrote reviews on. Recently, \u00a0he has sent me two more saxophone mouthpieces to review that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":37243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1119],"tags":[335,716,1438,35,1492,658,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-36960","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tenor-high-baffle-reviews","8":"tag-guardala","9":"tag-jazz-sax","10":"tag-liu-shizhao","11":"tag-michael-brecker","12":"tag-pilgrimage","13":"tag-review","14":"tag-tenor-mouthpiece","15":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36960\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}