Saxophone Forum


by SuperSax875
(55 posts)
15 years ago

Caravan and Rascher Mouthpiece

I'm looking into buying a better classical tenor mouthpiece. I use the Yanagisawa hard rubber mouthpiece that came with my 991 because it is darker then my S80 C*, but neither give me the deep, resonate sound I really want. I've heard alot about Caravan and Rascher mouhtpieces. I'd really like to try both before I purchase either but I dont know how I could, since there are no dealers in my area that I know of and I'm not sure of any online dealers where I could send the piece back if i didnt fancy it. Do I want to try out and find the perfect Vandoren or Selmer soloist piece at the a local music store or take a risk with the Rascher or Caravan? Thanks ~SuperSax

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  1. by barisax999
    (400 posts)

    15 years ago

    Re: Caravan and Rascher Mouthpiece

    personally i do not really care for the caravan or rascher mouthpieces very much. rascher was one of the greatest saxophonists of all time and did a lot to advance the saxophone and its repertoire. however, his sound is not what i like about him. you will find that very few modern classical players have gone with this style of sound or his style of mouthpiece. listen to some rascher recordings, if you can find some, and decide if that is the general sound you are going for. then go to the far end of the spectrum and listen to some otis murphy, another of the most brilliant saxophone players. figure out what kind of sound you want, then determine the style of mouthpiece and then try the mouthpiece.

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  2. by GregLauer
    (37 posts)

    15 years ago

    Re: Caravan and Rascher Mouthpiece

    The Large Chamber Mouthpieces are Great! Its a wider spectrum of color and darkness yes, but they can be commanded to be brilliant in their own way, plus in many instances they are cheaper than any vandoren or selmer mouthpiece on the market today! Best for blending in a quartet, in a Wind Symphony, or for solo work. I say go with the Rascher on your tenor, they do not need to have any work done to them! They take practice but you will be pleased with the rewards on your tenor! Regards Greg

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    1. by baron
      (2 posts)

      14 years ago

      Re: Caravan and Rascher Mouthpiece

      There are sites such as classic sax online that have both the Rascher and the Caravan that will take returns after a 3 day trial. My experience is that Raschers are well suited to older saxes and they enrich the lower notes well. I use a Rascher on my Conn soprano and alto new wonder II. On my Tenor Conn New wonder II however I am more partial to the Caravan. So depending on the horn you may get different results. The differences I find is the Rascher has a more complex tone and a slightly richer low end on the older horns where as the Caravan seems less complex but even tonality through out the the horns range. My Alto Selmer MK VI wasn't as well served by the Caravan as it exposed the horns thin upper register, so I never spent the time working with it on that sax.

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  3. by jdcsax
    (14 posts)

    14 years ago

    Re: Caravan and Rascher Mouthpiece

    I played on a C* for a few years. But tried out the Vandoren optimum and I haven't looked back. I get a much richer sound and it has less resistance, which i like. It would be worth it to give them a shot. I now play on the AL3, which is similar to the C*. Hope this helps. -JDCsax

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