Dom over the years has acquired a wealth of knowledge (in a non geeky way) of everything to do with the saxophone, especially mouthpieces. Here are a selection of Mouthpiece reviews that I was given the position to write at Sax.co.uk during the period that I was employed there in 2015....
MORGAN FRY ORIGINAL METAL ALTO MOUTHPIECE
A beautifully designed mouthpiece with versatility in mind
The Morgan Fry Rhodium Alto mouthpiece has been designed by English mouthpiece maker Morgan Fry (one of England's top mouthpiece makers) and is designed with versatility in mind to satisfy all players demands and needs of the professional player.
Detailed description
It’s a known fact that a lot of people find metal mouthpieces too bright and edgy for the alto sax and instead go for ebonite for more tonal character; however this is where this piece stands out. I was surprised how smoothly it played for a metal piece, full of character and tonal colors. There was a real sense of quality to this piece which is shown by the care and attention put into the design with precision made to the rails, tip and baffle design with no marks; and rhodium plating which makes it really stand out. What was so surprising about this piece is it had a really fat depthy tone to it and was not thin or shrill which can often be the case with metal pieces and the altissimo popped out with ultimate ease.
The piece is very free-blowing and the sub-tone was really easy to play with real warmth and thickness to the sound. It also has some serious projection and power when pushed, and again this does not turn piercing or edgy. This is the sort of piece that allows you to really develop and find your own personal sound.
A brilliant all-round piece whether you want to play soft ballads or powerful funk/electronic music. If you are in the mindset that metal pieces are too shrill, bright and edgy give this a go and it might just change your mind, thumbs up to Morgan Fry to this piece! Dom@sax.co.uk
Material - Brass (rhodium plated)
Made in - England
Chamber - Medium chamber
Window - Sloping mid-low baffle
Ligature - No Ligature
Manufacturing Process - CNC and hand finished by Morgan Fry
A beautifully designed mouthpiece with versatility in mind
The Morgan Fry Rhodium Alto mouthpiece has been designed by English mouthpiece maker Morgan Fry (one of England's top mouthpiece makers) and is designed with versatility in mind to satisfy all players demands and needs of the professional player.
Detailed description
It’s a known fact that a lot of people find metal mouthpieces too bright and edgy for the alto sax and instead go for ebonite for more tonal character; however this is where this piece stands out. I was surprised how smoothly it played for a metal piece, full of character and tonal colors. There was a real sense of quality to this piece which is shown by the care and attention put into the design with precision made to the rails, tip and baffle design with no marks; and rhodium plating which makes it really stand out. What was so surprising about this piece is it had a really fat depthy tone to it and was not thin or shrill which can often be the case with metal pieces and the altissimo popped out with ultimate ease.
The piece is very free-blowing and the sub-tone was really easy to play with real warmth and thickness to the sound. It also has some serious projection and power when pushed, and again this does not turn piercing or edgy. This is the sort of piece that allows you to really develop and find your own personal sound.
A brilliant all-round piece whether you want to play soft ballads or powerful funk/electronic music. If you are in the mindset that metal pieces are too shrill, bright and edgy give this a go and it might just change your mind, thumbs up to Morgan Fry to this piece! Dom@sax.co.uk
Material - Brass (rhodium plated)
Made in - England
Chamber - Medium chamber
Window - Sloping mid-low baffle
Ligature - No Ligature
Manufacturing Process - CNC and hand finished by Morgan Fry
YANAGISAWA METAL MOUTHPIECE - BARITONE SAXOPHONEYANAGISAWA METAL MOUTHPIECE - BARITONE SAXOPHONE
Introduction An all-round jazz favourite from the beginner to professional player The Yanagisawa metal mouthpieces are made in Japan and like their saxophones are built to the highest degree of precision and quality. With their versatility and play-ability they have become a mouthpiece of choice for many professional and amateur players. Detailed description Some metal pieces can be very one-dimensional in sound they produce which gives you little flexibility in developing your own personalized sound. The metal Yanagisawa mouthpieces separate themselves from other because of the amount of tonal colours that can be produced. These pieces seem to work exceptionally well on the baritone; they blow freely and you can hit the more difficult low notes a lot more easily. I found you can get a real fatness to the sound that really enhances the overall presence of the baritone and this accentuates the low-end sound. This piece is very powerful as well so you can really cut through; and the notes come out clearly and un-muffled which can be a problem on the baritone sax. One of my favorites for the baritone sax as it’s easy to play and helps produce the sound and clarity that you need as a baritone player. Dom@sax.co.uk • Made in Japan • Silver plated brass • Square chamber • Low baffle • Metal ligature & plastic cap • CNC machined |
DRAKE - NEW ERA - SOPRANO EBONITE MOUTHPIECEA high quality mouthpiece suitable for all styles of music.
The New Era soprano mouthpiece is the latest piece out from the renowned mouthpiece maker Aaron Drake. These pieces have gained a great reputation recently with their great sound, unique design and strong attention to detail. Detailed description These pieces are all handmade By Aaron and the first thing I noticed was how well built this mouthpiece is. The attention to detail is top notch and this is immediately evident by the smooth unmarked tip and rails. The mouthpiece is made from a special vintage resin which recreates the richness and depth of sound produced by pieces of the past; combined with the modern-day manufacturing process. This piece was very responsive, played very smoothly with very stable intonation and tuning throughout the whole range of the sax. I was incredibly impressed by the amount of tonal colours that can be produced from this piece, which is down to the vintage resin material used. The sub-tone was absolutely effortless and the tone came out warm and full bodied, which makes it perfect for playing smooth ballads. When pushed this piece had some serious power and this didn’t become harsh at loud volumes which can often be the case on the soprano. This also makes the piece perfect for playing in louder settings such as funk, rock or electronic music. Overall a great piece which should satisfy all the demands of the everyday musician who plays in many different musical situations. Dom@sax.co.uk • Material -Vintage Resin ebonite • Made in USA • Medium Chamber • Window- Rollover Baffle • Liagture - Vintage resin Double Rail Ligature • Handmade |
CLAUDE LAKEY - ALTO SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE
A powerful mouthpiece with a real presence of sound
The Claude Lakey mouthpiece is a very powerful piece and is ideal for players who need to cut through. These pieces are handcrafted and made from a high quality composite which shows in the quality of the design of the piece. This piece is ideal for players who need to be heard when playing with loud amplified instruments or as a lead player in a big band. Detailed description Claude Lakey have come up with a piece that in terms of power and projection can be compared with the Vandoren Jumbo Java. It shares many characteristics with a metal mouthpiece in terms of the power and projection that you can produce, with a real clarity of sound. However like the jumbo java with some work this can be tamed and you can produce a warmer and darker sound with more tonal characteristics. It’s very free-blowing and the altissimo comes screaming of this piece with ultimate ease. Overall a very easy piece to play. However if you are looking to immediately produce a smooth warm sound it may be worth considering a different setup. Dom@sax.co.uk Material - Hard rubber composite Made in - USA Chamber - Small Window - High Baffle Ligature - Ligature and Cap Not Included Manufacturing Process - Handcrafted |