Saxophone Forum


by diminishedpower
(25 posts)
19 years ago

Mouthpiece problem

i was looking for a metal tenor mouthpiece. and tried some and eventually took for home for more playing. two otto links, penzol and a berg 105/0 m mouthpiece. I love the berg but i have one problem. It squeks on just my d and g. I tried it out on three horns. I didn't squek at all on a selmer 475, squeked all the time on the schools yani 991 which is beat up. And slightly on my pratially beat up yas 23. My question is, could it be partly the horns or is it the mouthpiece? the facing looks correct. Or is it i'm just not used to a metal and they will slowely go away as i practice with it?

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  1. by someguy
    (80 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Mouthpiece problem

    it may be your reed selection. my understanding is w/ a metal piece softer is better. ex. 2.5 V16 reed w/ a berg 100/ 0 m.

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  2. by diminishedpower
    (25 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Mouthpiece problem

    Yea i was going to go buy some vandoren java 2.5 because right now i'm useing 3 alaxander superials. And see if that works, i hope it does because i absolutly love the sound of this mp, i was using a meyer 5m rubber, big change

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    1. by someguy
      (80 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Mouthpiece problem

      the V16 is cool, i like them, but... I hear the vandoren zz reeds play out of the box like a broken in v16. Let me know about those superials, i almost bought some to try out.

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  3. by diminishedpower
    (25 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Mouthpiece problem

    O, i love superials i just can get them locally so if the java 2.5 dos the trick i'll just go and order some 2.5 superials and give the other tenor in my jazz band my 3's. i've playd on three of th 5 in the box and the suparials played awsome on all, some a little betterthan other but non as big of duds as ive had with java's. definiatly try them.

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  4. by sax_maniac
    (984 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Mouthpiece problem

    That's a pretty open, high baffle Berg. Mouthpieces like that are more "willing" to jump to harmonics than mouthpieces that have a low baffle and a more closed tip opening. The regulation on the horn can cause this to happen. Assuming you're talking about middle D and G, a stuffy D can encourage squeaking. Also, middle G is at the breakpoint of the octave mechanism, so the timing of the mechanism needs to be crisp to avoid unintended jumps like you describe.

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    1. by someguy
      (80 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Mouthpiece problem

      Well thats good to know, now I will try a different reed. I have an olegature on it that totally opened the berg up, or it may be that I just need to work on my chops more. In response to the middle tones its great, say G, G#, above high octive c.

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      1. by connsaxman_jim
        (2336 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Mouthpiece problem

        I have learned that Selmer mouthpieces don't work too well with anything BUT Selmer saxophones! Selmer mouthpieces SUCK anyway! Like the S-80, I bought one for my alto and I thought it played very well, and had a nice silky smooth sound, except that the intonation was off all over the place, and I couldn't get the volume and projection I can with just about anything else!.

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        1. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          My alto S80 didn't even work with my Selmer III !! I did manage to reface a tenor S80 into a really smooth jazz mpc. Having said that, I'd have to be cold, naked, and starving - living in a viaduct with no horn to play before I'd let go of my (alto) scroll shank Larry Teal.

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        2. by someguy
          (80 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          Ive got that berg, I also have the stock Kielwerth Hard rubber 6. I put an olegature on it and it was all over the place. Then ealier today I went to my junk draw of different stuff and pulled out my Meyer 6M that had a rousoe on it, put the olegature on the Meyer and the rousoe on the kielwerth and it was really cool. That stock piece is actually really clear. Surprise, Surprise.

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        3. by tenor562
          (297 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          Selmer mouthpieces don't suck. I have a LT on my 62II tenor and it works really well. The Metal Series is also really good for classical work if you can afford it. And I know that the Soloists have received really good reviews, and I know people who use it. I'm not a big fan of the S80 or S90, but the other ones are definitely worth a look. I guess it's all about preference. -tenor562

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        4. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          I'll never buy another Selmer ANYTHING! Over-rated, overpriced CRAP! I'm going to be selling my series III Soprano here soon now that I am getting used to my Keilwerth. Not sure what I'm going to do with my SBA or Mk VI tenor. Those are keep-sakes, even though I don't play either of them very often.

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        5. by diminishedpower
          (25 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          Ok i got the weaker reeds, did the trick. but now two mouthpieces sound good and i cant decide, i'm going to take them to my director and ask him which sound he likes best. its between a peter penzol m2+ or a berg 105/0

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        6. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          For the same reason Jim will never buy Selmer anything, I'll limit that to the horns. I have bunch of selmer pieces that I pull out occasionally, and all of them work great with the horns I have. Between the Conn 10M, King Super 20, Cannonball big bell bari, the Martin Bari, the martin alto, the Conn 6M, the intonation is spot on as a horn can be for me. (I have soloist in C* (Alto), D (Tenor) metal classical E in tenor, Metal Jazz E on tenor, and an S90 200 on Bari)

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        7. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          I'm sick to death of Selmer snobs and their over-priced stuffy, gay no-balls French saxophones! As I mentioned, I bought an S-80 mouthpiece. The intonation on my 6M was all over the place. The Selmer snob I bought the mouthpiece from insisted that it was my horn and that the Conns are junk! I told him I collect vintage Conns and they are NOT junk!!! He laughs and says "Why would you collect Conns? Selmers are the only horns that are really worth anything!" I wanted to grab that Selmer Baritone out of his display case and shove it right up his gay Selmer loving ASS! I'll stick to my old Conns. If I should decide to buy another new horn, it'll be a Keilwerth, a Yamaha or possibly a B&S Medusa.

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        8. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          Yeah, I'll stick with my vintage non-selmer horns too, but the mouthpieces, I dont have any problems with them and intonation.

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        9. by mcorrea
          (25 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          whoa Jim, easy bro! Go listen to Kind Of Blue or something. LOL!! But you're right, there are a lot of people in the sax world who, due to their A.) Ignorance and B.) desire to sound "in the know" (a common problem amongst the ignorant), will say that Selmers are the only brand. Bullcrap. if he thinks they're the only saxes worth anything as far as how well they play, maybe that's because he doesn't have the airstream to play a 10m or a SX90R (my absolute favorite horn). If he thinks they're the only saxes worth collecting as far as their monetary value, then he's never sold a Silversonic Super 20 or mint 10m in silver plate or any of the other truly great and highly desirable horns. I have a Buescher Big B alto that I probably couldn't get more than $600 for, due to the dings and heavy lacquer loss, that plays so beautifully I can't tell you. perfect intonation (and I'm only an alto doubler). This is not to say that Selmers aren't great horns, because look at all the great horn music that's been played on Selmers. but for considerably less money one could still get a great playing, "no-excuses" sax. I don't know about the modern Selmers, the quality control from the factory seems to be so very bad. When i was audtioning tenors before I bought my Keilwerth, i tried a bunch of series 3's and reference horns, and they played horribly, but they were setup SO BADLY, I mean corks falling off and all that, I wonder if one got a really thorough setup from a really competent tech, if they might not roar. But I didn't want or need to take that chance, as there are so many more options than that. if I ever were to buy a Selmer though (let's say I hit the lottery) it would definitely be a super balanced action. I tried one of those and it felt like quite possibly the most perfect sax I've ever had in my hands. but i'm in no rush, my JK does the job.

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        10. by johnsonfromwisconsin
          (767 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem

          Never had much issue with Selmer mouthpieces, at least after some work, and I don't own a selmer or even a french saxophone. I have a mojo-refaced Selmer metal classic in E on Tenor, an s80 C* with a good facing and a Soloist F on alto. jim et al are correct. There are certainly more saxophones out there worth playing than just Selmers.

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        11. by someguy
          (80 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem/ selmer problem

          Ive beenplaying a good while now 20+ and I am no pro not even close but, what is the stink over the selmers? Why do the owners of them feel sooooo loyal? I never owened one, never cared to, grew up playing on a tenor out of italy a long time ago. Magestic was the brand a student model, but the sound was cool, now JKs what I play and dang, they sound good.I dont mean to offend any one, just an observation. Good Day

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        12. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem/ selmer problem

          See, I've never refaced a mouthpiece or had any alterations made whatsoever. I take it out of the box and put it on my horn. If it sounds good and plays in tune and I like it, I keep it, if it doesn't, I'll either take it back or trade it for something else. I've tried a couple Selmer pieces. The first one was a while ago, back in Jr. High School. My director, a typical Selmer snob, didn't want me to play my 10M in band. He wanted me to play the schools beat up Bundy tenor, and I said NO THANKS! My dad went up to the school to talk to him and he decided that I could play my 10M if I used a certain Selmer mouthpiece. We're talking 1985 here, lol and I don't remember what piece it was. I know that I HATED it! It made my horn sound like a Bundy! Dad just said to deal with it for a couple years until I could play in the high school jazz band. I got rid of the piece later. I've tried one other tenor mouthpiece, and decided that the chamber size was too small, and my intonation was all over the place. Then, the last piece was the alto S80 I mentioned above. When you pay $3600 for a new Soprano saxophone you expect it to hold together right? Well, I really wanted a nice soprano. The music store near me doesn't sell Keilwerth. I went in to look at a few horns and tried a Series III soprano about a year ago. I had just gotten some student loan money, and my income tax return. I bought it on impulse. I didn't even have it a month and it started falling apart! I had pieces of cork falling off, one of the pearls fell out, and one of the pads came out! They did fix it once for free, but I had more problems with the pearls falling out, and corks comming off. The case is junk, and the overall quality and construction for $3600 is SHIT! Sure, the old Mark VI's and SBA's were great horns, but there were other horns that in my opinion, were a much better horn for the money. The Selmers today only share the same name as their ancestors. They don't even begin to compare in terms of quality. Macmillan ruined the good name of Conn, but Selmer desecrated Buescher!

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        13. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Mouthpiece problem/ selmer problem

          "Macmillan ruined the good name of Conn, but Selmer desecrated Buescher!" Amen!! Actually IMO most modern instruments(and not just saxes) are for the most part going downhill, as companies buy out eacother, and try to cut corners so they can get more instruments produced cheaper, and make more money. Its a shame really, I guess I will continue to love my favorite vintage horns, especially my Super 20 Silversonic Tenor!!!

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