Tip opening/baffle on Ebonite, good indication to picking a Guardala?

[Dazza]

As I await the arrival of my new MBII I have mixed emotions. I just dont know what to expect. Even though it is in the upper echelon on MP’s (maybe the best?) Certainly won’t produce the sound that I expect immediately. That I am sure from what I have read in this post and others will be a work in progress for years to come. I am trying to be realistic as it may in fact be difficult to play and buyers remorse may set in. It is half the price I paid for my Yani Tenor so it is a big step that quite a few others have taken also I believe. In a couple of weeks when they hit our mail boxes it will be interesting to hear comments from those who took the leap of faith. Ive been playing my 7 with a stiffer reed in the hope it will continue to build my chops so when I step down a size with the MB It might feel easier.

[Bill Mecca]

Kevin, J&D Hite make some quality mouthpieces. I am at the point where the mpc doesn’t make that much difference, as long as they are designed in the same basic style. I sound like me. Sure my HR Berg might be a tad brighter than my Custom Link, but it’s still me. these days I am more concerned, as I said, with mouth feel. I prefer a smaller feel. I played Jumbo javas and they were fine, but a big bite and it wore out my chops, I found myself slipping toward the tip as my chops tired on a gig. the Link is very comfortable. My SS Berg is as well, though a bit slimmer, and its only a .90 which is too small, I prefer .110.

My advice is to work with the Hite, do the mpc and reed alone, you should blow a concert G on tenor, that will help you with embochure pressure and reed strength. When you get to a point that the mouthpiece doesn’t do it for you anymore, that you have gotten everything out of it you can, then you can go trying new ones with a clearer vision of what you want/need.

Ralph Morgan was a bright guy, if you can find old issues of Saxophone Journal they are worth reading. he was all about MEDIUM, nothing too extreme, that way the mouthpiece was flexible in the players hands. I play mostly cover and R&R stuff, and my horn has a dark, rich sound that responds well to brighter mouthpieces, it balances it out. Put a bright mouthpiece on a bright sounding horn and you can peel paint. LOL

most of all, have fun with it.

[Author]

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