Saxophone Forum


by henry12345
(1 post)
11 years ago

Jazz Mouthpiece Recommendations

Hi everyone,
My name is Henry. I'm new to the forums and I need a new mouthpiece for my tenor. I started playing alto in middle school and I switched to a tenor for the high school jazz band. I have a Selmer C* and Meyer 5M on my alto, and right now I have a Yamaha 4C on my tenor. I use 3 1/2 Vandoren ZZ's on my tenor. My teacher recommended either a Meyer or an Ottolink mouthpiece. Can anyone give me some advice on how to pick a mouthpiece? Thanks!

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  1. by dewey
    (1 post)

    11 years ago

    Re: Jazz Mouthpiece Recommendations

    Well I have a Jody Jazz DV 7* that I'm selling if you are interested.

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  2. by GFC
    (842 posts)

    11 years ago

    Re: Jazz Mouthpiece Recommendations

    Hi Henry, Your teacher is on the right track. Meyers and Links are good for a rich classic jazz sound and their basic design concept - low baffle and large chamber - is the template for high end manufacturers who produce mouthpieces for richness and depth of sound. Mouthpieces with high baffles and smaller chambers are geared towards a more cutting sound, more volume, more projection, and easier altissimo. They're great if you need to be heard with a lot of amplified instruments, but they're not the path to a more personal sound and there's less control of dynamics. Meyers and Links are also easier on the budget. I'm quite happy with a metal Otto Link Super Tone Master (NY)#9 (.120 tip opening). You might find that a tip opening in the range of 7 to 8 (.100 to .110) is preferrable for dynamic control and more edge. That's the most popular range of openings. The NY label signifies a larger chamber than a standard Super Tone Master, for a deeper and darker sound. I also like the clarity and richness of metal pieces relative to hard rubber pieces. Hard rubber might be better for blending into an ensemble. If you do decide on a metal Link, be sure that you are able to try it before committing to it. They are notoriously inconsistent in their manufacture. Most of the time it's not a huge deal because the design is relatively fault-tolerant. But there are the occasional lemons.

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