Saxophone Forum


by SaxMan88
(318 posts)
19 years ago

Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

I've used two models on tenor and are quite fond of them. They are very versatile, giving me a nice jazz sound yet with enough control for a classical setting. What do ya all think of them? They're economical to boot, might be as good as a $80 Selmer S80?

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  1. by jamterry
    (573 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

    rico is junk!!!! their reeds are ok for elementary level. rico is king of the thin sound. i recommend otto link and selmer mouthpieces. the biggest thrill of my life is when my teacher said that i outgrew rico reeds. if their mouthpieces are anything like their reeds, it is a scary thought :(

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    1. by SaxMan88
      (318 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

      Oh but I don't think the mouthpieces are equivelant to the reeds. I agree; the reeds are $hit. But I'm liking my Selmer S80 better anyway.

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      1. by jamterry
        (573 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

        SaxMan88 see if you can get a hold of a paris C star. it might work well in your wind ensemble

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        1. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Well I'm really not looking to use it for a strict classical setting. The setup I have now (Conn Precision [yes, I know aka junk], Rovner Dark and Vandoren ZZ 3's) is giving me quite an edgy jazz sound; believe it or not. What other options would I look at as far chamberings? I might also look at Meyer for a hard rubber piece.

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        2. by sax_maniac
          (984 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Your Conn Precision mouthpiece is hardly junk. They're not worth a ton of dough, but they have a VERY nice classic jazz sound to them with that long rolling baffle (assuming yours is similar to one I've got in the shoebox...). If you like your current sound but want more of it, look into an open Brilhart Ebolin. They are not expensive and have a similar design. The Precision and Brilharts blow very easily with their design. I find the Rico Royal pieces to play ok, but a little too resistant for my tastes. That pit right behind the tip rail sort of slams on the brakes, in my opinion.

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        3. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Those Conn precision mouthpieces are actually pretty good; at least the older ones are. Those pieces were designed by J.J. Babbitt. The same Babbitt that started Meyer and Otto Link! I use Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces all the time. I especially like these pieces for tenor and baritone. Have you actually tried one, or are you just assuming that they are junk because they're cheap? Try one! I'll tell you what. If you gave me a Selmer S 80 and a Rico Royal Graftonite and told me the Graftonite was $140 and the Selmer was only $20, I'd STILL take the Graftonite! Don't underestimate this piece because they are cheap! I've heard more people piss and moan about Rico reeds, but I have yet to have near the problems with Rico that I have had with Vandoren!

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        4. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          I think I might get some pics of my Precision for you guys to look at. Then you can tell me if it's trash or treasure. Uh oh, let's not get Jim going on the Vandorens! *haha*

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        5. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Jim: JJ Babbitt did NOT start otto link and meyer, they started as their own entities. They did however buy them out, and start mass production of the pieces, and beghan to let quality control slip... lots...

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        6. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Thanks for pointing that out Definition. Doh! I don't know what I was thinking there. Too much Bacardi I think! I said started....but what I meant was that JJ Babbitt owns Otto Link and Meyer along with a couple others. Jesse Babbitt worked for CG Conn at one time, I know. Just like anything, I don't think the quality today is as good as the quality or years ago for the most part. People find ways of making things cheaper and cheaper. I think the new Links and Meyers are still pretty good mouthpieces though.

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        7. by jamterry
          (573 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          when i got my my first tenor, a conn 16m my teacher requested a selmer C star mouthpiece to go with it. i don't know the s 80, as i bought mt horns before most of you people were born. i was able to buy a brand new c star for only $126 a few years ago. i will try the rico if i get a chance. it is funny because i said that i would never try any of the new horns, but i played a ref 54. i slapped my new york tone master 7 on it and it played nice. i had a 3 1/2 vandoren on there and it getting nice. i cannot for the life of me imagine that a rico reed could not sound tinny. that is why i prejudged the mouthpiece. sorry for that!!!! if anyone wants to learn how to pick reeds , let me know.if you buy reeds by chance, you will get three good ones in a box at best.

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        8. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          $126?!?! You can get one now for around $90 off of wwbw...wow...ya need to shop around man. Thankfully that's the piece that came with my tenor...so I got one for free *grins*

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        9. by jamterry
          (573 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          i'm talking about the original selmer C star; not the 80

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        10. by definition
          (963 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          the origional C* would be an airflow piece from the begininng of the century. The most commonly called "origional" C* are selmr soloists. There is no piece that is simply just a "C*"!! that is just a facing size!!!! Just a major pet peeve of mine

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        11. by jamterry
          (573 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          in 1966 we called it a c star. i still play through one. i guess that i am dumb!!! sorry :(

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        12. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Oh so maybe your "C Star" is a modern day Selmer Soloist. I don't think remember the price of one of them, but I don't think they're as high priced as $126. *confused stare*

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        13. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          A new Selmer Soloist (regardless of facing) is around $100 off of wwbw. Might wanna pick one up?

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        14. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          The soloist mouthpiece like Terry is referring to is no longer available Joel. The new S 80's don't begin to compare to the old soloist pieces that were standard with the Mark VI.

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        15. by SaxMan88
          (318 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          You mean the old Soloist's don't compare to the new Soloist's? I dunno why you mentioned the S-80; that's just a general joe mouthpiece. It's good...but it doesn't have a personality. It's just...blah...general purpose mouthpiece I suppose.

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        16. by connsaxman_jim
          (2336 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          Most likely it's a Selmer Soloist C* Terry. I have one that came with my Selmer alto. It sounds pretty good on my old Selmer SBA. I prefer the sound of the Otto Link Tone Edge though on alto.

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        17. by jamterry
          (573 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          I'm going to go for an Otto Link Tone Edge Jim. I'm going way out to the valley where thay will have it in stock. Being that I am buying a mouthpiece, I can mess with a few new altos in the store. I want a soprano, but I have to shop around.

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      2. by definition
        (963 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

        I think they're awesome, and underatted mouthpieces. I'm sure consaxman_jim will chime in here and give us aonter good opinion on it, I believe he plays it on his bari? Anyway I have one for alto that I like.

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        1. by blackfrancis
          (396 posts)

          19 years ago

          Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

          A great affordable piece! I got one for my alto and, while not too pretty to look at, it indeed gives good boogie. And unlike the other lower priced mouthpieces out there, you have a choice of chamber and tip opening. Soon to be getting one for my tenor!

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          1. by SaxMan88
            (318 posts)

            19 years ago

            Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

            I failed to mention I would be getting one of these with my alto. Prolly gonna get a metal soon, so I would either be using this not to blast out my jazz band or in my Wind Ensemble, where a metal would be like giving the pope the finger (that's pretty bad, isn't it?) *laughs*. So I guess they aren't so bad. Sweet. Talk to ya'll later!

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            1. by definition
              (963 posts)

              19 years ago

              Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

              Why not use a metal piece in a concert setting? I used one all the way through college on alto, it was a Selmer metal classic D. Darker than many "Classical" rubber pieces

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          2. by connsaxman_jim
            (2336 posts)

            19 years ago

            Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

            Actually, I use Rico Royal graftonites on everything; probably more for tenor than anything else actually. They're great! One of the best mouthpieces I've used regardless of price. I really like them, and the Otto Link Tone Edge for alto.

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            1. by SaxMan88
              (318 posts)

              19 years ago

              Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

              Well, I think I'll get me one of these for my alto. Definition, from what I know about metal mouthpieces, don't they project more? Even if the sound is darker, I still might be overpowering other members in the band. Don't wanna do that. Besides, I need the control of a rubber in a classical setting anyway. But yea..thanx for the help fellas!

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              1. by connsaxman_jim
                (2336 posts)

                19 years ago

                Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

                I used to sneak an Otto Link Super Tone Master in my pocket whenever my high-school band would have concerts and competitions. The first concert, I don't think the director really noticed. The second time, he told me not to bring it again. Then, he caught me using it at a competition and had a fit, until the judges gave us a perfect score! 1's all across the board! Still, he begged me not to use it again. But, I never listen!

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              2. by definition
                (963 posts)

                19 years ago

                Re: Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpieces

                You answered your question yourself, its all about how you control it

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