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by Katinthehat108
(1 post)
19 years ago

Mouthpieces

What do yall think of The Yamaha 4C mouthpiece and the Selmer C*? Which one would you say is better and why?

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  2. by Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
    (55 posts)
    19 years ago

    Re: Mouthpieces

    I think they're both garbage. The 4C is basically a stock mouthpiece, and the C* i just don't like. Other people will tell you it's the best legit mouthpiece they've ever played, but I'm telling you it's not so hot. It has a square chamber, which is really weird on classical mouthpieces, and the tone is too thin for me. It doesn't have the substance I need when I have to play classical. If you're playing jazz, don't even look at the Selmer, get a JodyJazz or a Phil Barone. They are two of the most famous independent mouthpiece makers in the world, and both are based in NYC, Jody Espina and Phil Barone. They are absolutely superb pieces, very even up and down, great low end, altissimo pops out nicely. And they both have great customer service. Much better than any other people I've dealt with.

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    1. by YanagisawA-901
      (312 posts)
      19 years ago

      Re: Mouthpieces

      never played the yamaha 4C, but my friend played a stock 4C i believe on his yamaha tenor... and he sounded damn sweet on that thing.. he had a naturally sweet tone to begin with.. but it enhanced it.. as for the C*, i have one, and i like it.. BGM: maybe the reason u dont like it for legit is because its not a di hard legit piece? it can be used for other things.. its not for classical, as a meyer is to jazz ya kno?? it has some breathing room in other settings.. i personally like the piece.. it centers you.. it allows you to grow and find ur tone.. there 2 kids in my section whom have the same exact setup as me.. professional horn, c* piece, java reeds, rovner lig.... thier tones arent very appealing.. mine isnt either.. but u can tell im a step above them.. and they grow with thier tones every week.. because it allows you to do that.. doesnt really allow for a lot of balls to the wall playing tho.. it tends to keep u subdued and under the rest of the band so u can "play as an ensemble".. i dont know anything about the specifics or the true mechanics.. but for what i do, it serves me well..

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      1. by Bleeding_Gums_Murphy
        (55 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Mouthpieces

        There's my point. What you like about the piece is what I hate about it. From my point of view, it is too restricting and does not allow you to get the full potential out of your instrument. A good mouthpiece lets you make your own sound; it allows you to play your heart out and keep on going. I don't like to be subdued, I like to let go and really get into the music. You just can't express yourself on a C*. I actually think the C* is strictly a legit piece, just not a very good one. I'm mainly a jazz player, but I play legit for school band and for NYSSMA. Other people in my section use S80 C*s as well, but I am the only one who consistently has a crowd of people complimenting him on his great sound after every concert. BTW, I use a Selmer Larry Teal, Rico Royal 4's, and a Rovner dark for legit, Jody Jazz Classic 8, Alexander D.C. 3's, and Consoli Ramplig Dark for Jazz.

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        1. by zaxophoneman
          (2 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpieces

          Both of those monstrosities are crap! I agree w/ bleeding gums whole-heartedly on this one.

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        2. by zootspiker
          (13 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpieces

          Phil Barone for sure. Great service. I use a hard rubber NY on my MVI (82xxx) for jazz. Very approachable from subtle ppp in lower register to dark growls up top. Rovner lig. I have a metal Barone for my series II (the horn I love to hate) that picks up where the NY leaves off. Still trying to find the right lig for it. Very narow (More than the beechler Bellite) but much more accessible. any help on lig's greatly appreciated.
          Michael Krechevsky
          King Silversonic Tenor

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        3. by mrd
          (137 posts)
          19 years ago

          For the money- Vandoren V-16 T75

          Hey guys. For the money, I found that the Metal Vandoren V16 is a delight with the optimum ligature. There may be others that play just as well, but I would rather pay less for equal results. This mouthpiece covers all sides:: legit, jazz, bright, warm, full... Vandoren makes some of the best on the market. This one just shines...

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      2. by HYK
        (5 posts)
        19 years ago

        Re: Mouthpieces

        Im not sure. Im using a C* and it's definitely a good classical mouthpiece and I can express myself easily. It is an all-rounded mouthpiece. I play jazz with it and its awesome. Depends on you.

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        1. by Tully
          (49 posts)
          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpieces

          Katinthehat, are you talking about alto or tenor, and jazz or legit? While I think a vintage (and only vintage) C* sounds wonderful for classical playing on alto, I (and probably the majority of tenor players) find their tips too small to be used comfortably on tenor. As for the Yamaha 4C, it's pure crap for any style. If you're into legit playing, you won't go wrong with a Caravan. For jazz, there are a ton of good choices, but JodyJazz and Otto Link (only if you find a good one; Links are terribly inconsistent) would be good companies to check out.

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