Saxgourmet Fat Boy and Florida Mouthpiece review
So with my enthusiasm of my new Saxgourmet tenor I decided to try the mouthpieces as I have been on a wild goose chase trying to find a high baffle mouthpiece in tenor that was to my liking. I have owned a Ponzol M2+ and a plastic Runyon Quantum #12. The Ponzol was a very good mouthpiece but it was always very reed picky, the tone wasnt quite what i was looking for, and with the tip only available in 110 I was limited on options. The Delrin Quantum was much closer but again the tone was just kind of lacking something. Now to back track a bit my first high baffle mpc sound I remember really like was my 1st college sax teacher. He played a 218,000 Mark 6 with a Berg scoopbill 110/2 M. He could blow out windows with his setup with such a magnificent tone that was very focused bright but not really brash sounding. I started combing for a Berg but they were always poorly faced, very expensive, or beat up. When "He Who Must Not Be Named" announced he was launching some new mouthpieces, I was again skeptical. When the pieces were put up for sale I emailed him and was kind enough to reply to me with a phonecall. We talked at great length about the pieces and I decided to purchase both of them in 120 tip openings. They arrived 3 days after i purchased them. They cam packaged in very nice looking blue and gold velvet pouches, mouthpiece cap with the Saxgourmet logo, The ligatures are different, the Fat Boy has a traditional 2 screw ligature while the Florida is a single screw Link style. The mouthpieces both look similar to each other which means Steve is using the same blank with slight alterations as the beak areas are slightly different, but the bodies themselves seem to be close in proportions. I tested these with a Vandoren ZZ 3 reed, and used the standard 2 screw ligature. I opted to use this ligature to have consistancy between trying both mouthpieces, and the personal fact that the single screw lig just didnt give the reed as much security as the standard lig did (Steve can I trade the single screw lig for a standard 2 screw lig?)
To start off both mouthpieces are defnitely handfinished. The reed tables had some slight traces of end mill marks from being roughed in on a milling machine. the bulk of it has sanding marks from the facing being handfinished. the inside baffle and chamber work looks to be hand finished as well. Its the tips and crescent rollover are beautifully done and accurately proportioned, and balanced. the baffles themselves seem to be hand done as there are some subtle cosmetic imperfections but still look to be accurately shaped, and balanced. The bite plates are done OK but couldve probably been done better, I think if anything that was probably the worst thing I found with the mouthpiece, but is irrelevant to me as a bite plate just doesnt have a huge impact on a pieces playability. They are unplated brass which I have some apprehensions about playing unplated bras mouthpieces because of the hype of brass poisoning, but this is somehting that is easily treatable with a brushplater.
The mouthpieces are definitely bright sounding pieces. I decided to play the Fat Boy 1st as I was the most interested in this mouthpiece. I have to say this is by far the best out of box experience with a "Berg" I have ever had (Dont know if calling it a Berg is a compliment or insult!!) The sound was powerful, fouced, and resonant, but there is alot of room to play this mouthpiece dark and more subdue. It is freeblowing with just enough resistance to allow to push againist to deliver as much sound and power as you would need. I had some slight troubles popping the 1st finger front F-side B altissimo G initially but as I am getting used to the mouthpiece, I find takin a slightly larger amount of mouthpiece in my mouth and adjusting the front F mchanism to vent less when activated helped immensely. I am very pleased with this mouthpiece, and plan to use it as my regular bright playing mouthpiece.
The Florida mouthpiece is excellent but has different nuances in the sound and response. The facing might be a little shorter on this one because the tip opening didnt feel as open as the Fat Boy. Again though, this is a very powerful mouthpiece. I find tonally there is more dominance of upper partials in the overtones, whereas the Berg is more lower partial dominant. My impression with the Florida is that itll be more of a specific condition mouthpiece depending on venue, and music style played.
I can defnitely reccomend these mouthpieces, on account they are finished to play out of the box, priced very accordingly as opposed to alot of other mass produced mouthpieces in this price range that are very below the playability ,and workmanship of these. Any player seeking a Berg Larsen scoopbill that plays and isnt over $180.00. Anyone needing a solid high baffle piece thats budgeted.
I do plan to try and review the Low Blow Baritone piece, and the Blues Blaster/Florida Link copy when they are available to me.
If anyone has any questions, or is near the south chicago burbs or central illinois area that may be interested in trying my mouthpieces, Please do not hesitate to let me know by emailing me at [email protected]
Best Regards,
Chad
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