In 2021 SaxSeat began as a successfully funded Kickstarter that actually delivered as promised. I was a backer and very excited when the emailed notification of the delivery came. I promptly unboxed and discovered that I had received exactly what was promised. A well made and sturdy seat with a arm to support my saxophone. It’s not often a Kickstarter campaign will deliver so my hopes were high.

Overview + Pros

SaxSeat is at its core a comfortable leatherette covered drum throne with a unique arm that can be positioned to support the weight of a saxophone while you play it. The arm can be positioned to support straight and curbed instruments. the flexibility, as claimed on their website, allows the seat to accommodate nearly any person and all common saxophone family as well as some brass instruments. The seat has a firm but yielding cushion as well as a adjustable backrest. Its rubber feet seem non-marring and should not mark the stage, should you use it for performances. It’s construction is mostly of thick gauge steel and seems robust. The seating position encourages good posture adjusted correctly.

The arm of the SaxSeat is really where the difference lay. It has 2 joints which let you place the padded platform at different positions to accommodate a multitude of woodwinds and some larger lap held brass such as tubas. The clamp side of the instrument arm clamps to the seat post of the included ‘drum throne’ either at the threaded portion or at the smooth section of the seat post receiver depending where you need to place the padded platform. The clamp end grips well and did not more from it’s clamped position on the throne at any time while i was using it.

The saddle on which your instrument bell or bow will sit measures 5″ (140mm) x 7″ (180mm). This is more than enough for your instrument to have a comfortable and secure perch as long as you angle the lip of the saddle to catch your instrument from sliding. The saddle pad is leather or leatherette and quite soft. It’s certain to not damage your instrument finish.

Cons

Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room. That elephant is that this seat and arm combination is heavy. How heavy you ask? The seat with backrest and arm attached weighs in at 23lbs (10.4kg). That may not sounds like much but lets compare some weights. My Yanagisawa low-A bari in a lightweight SKB case is 28lbs (12.7kg). My dual alto/soprano case by Protec weights 22lbs (10kg) fully loaded with my 1933 Conn New wonder alto and vintage Yangsiawa soprano. Yes, this seat weighs as much as 2 vintage horns combines and nearly as much as a baritone saxophone in case. Yes, this is heavy duty equipment.

It’s this weight which makes the complete setup absolutely ridiculous to carry about. When I play big band gigs where I need to bring my doubling horns (Bari, alto, soprano, flute, clarinet) and my support equipment this seat is just too heavy and unwieldy. For example, for a Ray Anthony type gig I will bring: Baritone, Alto, Soprano, clarinet, flute, music stand, Hercules Baritone stand with alto attachment and soprano peg, Hercules Clarinet stand with Flute peg. Thanks to compact cases with wheels and d-rings as well as a large backpack I’m able to carry this load in one trip. This seat tosses that right out the window.

The seat came to me in a well designed box and padded perfectly. No damage was found and the assembly was simple. What wasn’t included when I got my backer reward was a case of any kind. Without a case this heavy piece of equipment requires at least one of your hands to carry and it has natural pinch points all over. This thing needs a case with arm strap if you want to take it with you on the go.

Currently the SaxSeat crew advertise the arm alone as a tool you take with you to attach to any chair at your disposal. I do think that most seat found on stage should accommodate the sax seat. The arm alone weighs only about 3.4lbs (1.5kg) so will fit in most gig bags if you remove the saddle. The problem with this is that the clamp on the end of the arm can mar or otherwise damage the finish of the leg of whatever it’s attached to. The seat and arm is a combination of chrome plated steel and stainless hardware. This is fine with the two surfaces are the same hardness but anything softer and you’ll find you’ve done unintended damaged to the seating on the stage. So I’d recommend if you want to use the arm just pair it with the sax seat proper the way it was intended.

The SaxSeat arm suffers from being both too adjustable and not adjustable enough for my body. The arm has adjustment holes along its length where you can move the saddle along it’s length. My primary adjustment issues came when I needed to move the saddle just 1 half hold up o get the perfect poosition. With the saddle mount being bolted through the arm bar there’s no way to get partial adjustments. I wish As such i couldn’t get the arm adjusted for use with my baritone or bass which for me are very similar in positioning. Had the SaxSeat developers used a clamping system for the saddle I think it would allow for infinite adjust ability on the saddle position and more fine tuning of the comfort position.

Lastly, the finish is too shiny. Yes, this could just be what they sent for KickStarter backers. For some it’s not an issue but for me a dark colored frame as they show on their website. The dark color will help to hide it on stage. instead it’s a shiny piece of butt jewellery dancing in the stage light. Cool but not something I want to show off.

Conclusion

This seat is somewhat niche and better suited for a life in the studio or rehearsal room. it is priced like a high-end drum throne and i think it’s retail price is good. Though it’s heft and lack of case makes it superfluous piece of equipment at a gig where seating can be reasonably expected. It does do what they say it should when adjusted properly. It will take the load off the player and place it into the seat. That’s great in a studio setting but carrying this seat to gigs just places the load of the seat back onto the player. Will I use it where i rehearse? Yes, but I won’t be lugging it along with me as I gig. I think this seat is best in a rehearsal space and should be treated like the expensive music stand but for working musicians you probably don’t want this thing weighing you down.

When you think vintage baritones what comes to mind? Most of us probably think of Conn 12m, Selmer Mark VI, Keilwerth made Couf’s, or King  Super 20’s. These are all fine and good as I’ve owned at least one of each but my ears and heart love vintage Japanese horns. Whether it’s a Yamaha made Vito horn or the Japanese made Martin stencils from the other plucky horn maker Yanagisawa, the craftsmanship is undeniably better than cottage industry stuff from China today. While I am a fan of these horns would I recommend them? In a word, YES!

*Learn more about Yanagisawa’s history*

When I saw the new Facebook alternative to Craigslist in my feed I had no idea it would lead to me finding a gem of horn just waiting for my hard earned cash. Best yet, it was priced extremely aggressively. It was my good fortune to be ready to buy within seconds of the posting.  I beat out the other purchase offers by less than 1 minute. Yes, I was fortunate. At the time the only Yanagisawa’s I’d had any experience with were altos that were new back in the late 90’s. They were fantastic horns and I suspected i’d enjoy this bari if it had as little as 10% of the tone those altos did.

http://thesax.info/piwigo/index.php?/category/193

The Feel: The first thing I noticed when I received the horn was how heavy it was. This instrument is noticibly heavier than the YBS-61 that it replaced. I have no issues wielding this horn through a 3 hour performance or rehearsal the same as I do the Yamaha but when i pick it up from the stand or from across my lap i feel like it weighs a smidge more. I don’t think this affects sound and it might be that this horn is balanced differently than a Yamaha of the same era.

The key touches are slightly closer together on the right hand but still comfortable than a Yamaha YBS-61/2. The left hand palm keys feel a bit taller but more compact as well. All things considered I believe the ergonomics of the horn lend well to large and small handed players alike. Though the right hand high-Eb/F key will still be a reach for the more petite or younger player.

Like Yamaha and Selmer the low-a is perfectly placed for a smooth transition from the thumb-rest to low A touch. The mechanism is similar to those used by other manufacturers so if you are used to a Selmer low-a or Yamaha then you will feel at home. There is a peculiarity about the bespoke low-a. The low-a pad closes heavy. I’m not sure if it’s the combined strength of the springs or that there’s slop in the mechanism but it almost slams shut. It’s seals well and my tech has worked with me to place thicker more cushioned low-A pad but when I had it done it felt too squishy. So for now I can live it  it.

Improvements: What is missing from most vintage horns but is sorely needed is the triple strap ring. While it can be added to horns it doesn’t sit right with me to harm the lacquer on horn on purpose. Like most bari’s if you have a shorter or longer than average torso then the balance of the horn might fall more away or towards you depending on your support method. With a triple ring you can alter that balance. A short torso might choose the top ring to bring the mouthpiece closer and the taller the opposite.

The sound: This horn has a somewhat neutral over all tone when paired with a Yanagisawa mouthpiece. I like to keep a period correct mouthpiece by the manufacturer for each horn that I own. I feel it gives me the ability to sound s like the instrument maker intended. In this case a Yanagisawa hard rubber piece with this horn is a cool almost Lars Gullin or Mulligan’esq type tone. Overall an excellent combo. With that in mind the bari’s low overall inherent coloration really lets the player and mouthpiece develop a tone that is unique.

Intonation quirks: For the first time I’m happy to say there aren’t any significant intonation issues with this horn. A good tech can fix nearly all the funny quirks of intonation any horn has but to my surprise this horn plays evenly across all the registers. Yes, even the palm keys speak cleanly and with solid intonation.

Nits to Pick: The water key/spit valve just seems in the wrong place for a complete clearing of the moisture from the upper part of the horn. I’ve had my tech clean the orifice inside and out but when you try to clear the moisture there’s still a lot more than I expected remaining. I’ve taken to popping the neck off and pouring the moisture out.

The thumb-rest is a weak spot. I’ve gone though the original and now a replacement Yanagisawa plastic thumb-rest. Not sure why that is as on my Yamaha the first plastic thumb-rest lasted 25 years. The solution is a metal rest and maybe a wide one like the Sax Gourmet thumb-rest.

My Yamaha YBS-61 was my reliable workhorse which never left stranded and played well even when it leaked like a sieve. It has recorded hours of playing and always exemplified the fine Japanese craftsmanship we’ve all come to expect though it had design issues. The worse of which was the single upper octave vent that meant that the high G and A were always stuffy and flat. The solution which I’ve mentioned on this blog is to move the upper vent and cobble a new linkage. Thank fully this horn seems not to have venting or any significant design flaws.

Take Away: This is a well made, robust, and fantastic sounding horn that I would still enjoy even had I spent twice the amount of it. Actually my tech still doesn’t believe i paid what I did and said he’d normally charge 3 times what I paid for it from the shop. I expect to keep this horn for years to come.

The site has had low output for the past few months as I recovered from some oral surgery. This left me unable to play the most lucrative gigs of the year for me but it had to be done when it was instead of the new year. Insurance deductibles, am I right?! Now that I’m back playing again I wanted to find a mouthpiece that was a bit smaller in tip opening so that my transition back into playing and rebuilding my embouchure would go well. For the rebuild process I choose a Yanagisawa hard rubber mouthpiece in a close 5 tip opening.

Design: This mouthpiece has all the hallmarks of Japanese manufacturing philosophy. The table, rails and all the milling is clean, crisp, and meticulous. They poured the efforts into making a mouthpiece that feels well manufactured even though it’s mass manufactured. The body is larger than a S-80 or S-90 mouthpiece but smaller than a vintage pickle barrel piece.  So if you have a ligature that you prefer that fits a s-80/90 then you may need to hunt a larger one. The beak is medium tall, not as slim as duck bills but not as thick as vintage pieces. It sits well in the mouth and you may not want to use a thick mouthpiece patch. The chamber is large with a round throat  and the piece has a slight roll-over baffle.

Tone: As you might expect from a medium sized chamber and round throat the tone is reasonably dark but can be pushed to develop edge as you shrink our oral cavity. I’ve been told it has a Gale styled chamber but I can’t be certain. You choice of reed strength and type will make a large difference in the tone. With a Harry Hartman Fiberreed Carbon at Medium Hard strength I can summon a lot of bite. It’s not the edge you get with a high baffle but a buzz you add to get additional definition from a warm piece. I’ve found that I get the best tone for my big band playing from a Forestone Hard reed.

Reed Friendliness: I’ve found that once the appropriate reed strength has been found this mouthpiece will play well with any reed. Frederick Hemke #4 reeds gave me a more classical tinge while Legere and Forestone‘s gave me a bright buzz but with depth of tone. If you can get the Yanagisawa single screw ligature which matches this mouthpiece I highly recommend it. It fits perfectly and the synthetic reeds I play seem to play a bit better with it.

Value: This piece is a good value if you need to upgrade from a stock or other cheap plastic mouthpiece but if you already have a piece that fills the same niche as this piece then no it’s not a good value. For example if you already have a S-80/90 or Rousseau and need something for a small combo or big band then I would invest 1/10th as much as this piece and get a Rico Metalite.

Final Thoughts: While some might be surprised to hear a player going smaller I suggest that many people have tip openings much bigger than needed. A #5 may be small for some players I think it’s perfect more intermediate to advanced students. I believe this piece to be superior in every way to the Yamaha line of mouthpieces and equal to Vandoren mouthpieces and more consistent that Selmer pieces.

I’ve been wanting to give my Yamaha YBS-61 a break and get a full overhaul but due to playing a lot of gigs and endless rehearsals I couldn’t be without a horn for a few weeks as it is done. My tech has a couple loaner horns but they are all vintage, one of them a vintage Mark VI low Bb. i love 60’s and older horns but my larger hands prefer a more modern key layout. With that in mind I waited and watched out for deals on used modern horns that weren’t Chinese made. Not that I have an issues with Chinese made horns I just wouldn’t spend more than $500 for one.  Thanks to a Facebook alert a seller in the sax forum offed this horn for sale at fire-sale pricing. I had to jump immediately. and I’m glad I did.

More on this horn as I spend more time with it.

[huge_it_gallery id=”4″]

Yanagisawa Serial number chart from http://www.bandm.co.uk

SERIAL NUMBERS

1972 – 12729030
1973 – 12731254
1974 – 12745400
1975 – 12753382
1976 – 12764553
1977 – 12775790
1978 – 12781317
1979 – 12791801
1980 – 00102143
1981 – 00106981
1982 – 00111892
1983 – 00117142
1984 – 00122663
1985 – 00128485
1986 – 00134903
1987 – 00141658
1988 – 00148774
1989 – 00156006
1990 – 00162968
1991 – 00170073
1992 – 00177116
1993 – 00184318
1994 – 00189050
1995 – 00197400
1996 – 00205400
1997 – 00213000
1998 – 00219500
1999 – 00228250
2000 – 00235000

If you play a lot of baritone you may eventually find yourself cursing the weight of the horn. Whether it is a low-Bb or low-A horn the weight is still something you are reminded of every time you hang the horn from your neck. For some the weight can cause stooping or improper posture of back aches. I’ve even heard it questioned as to whether kids in middle-school should be allowed to play the hefty beast for fear of affecting their rapidly growing bodies.  After playing nearly all of the commercially available harnesses I’ve finally spent the big bucks and decided to try a semi-rigid option.

First lets start with the materials. This harness is a combination or 4 different materials: plastic, leather(?), silicone, foam, and nylon. The rear support sliders are a strong and flxible plastic. At the base of the support the nylon webbing waist strap is attached.  The shoulder hooks, at the top of the back support sliders, are made of jointed plastic with firm foam to cushion the shoulders. From the hooks a nylon cord runs through a plastic “V” to the hook which attaches to the horn. A short elastic string is included that attaches the hook to waist belt to keep the hook from moving out of position when you unhook your horn.

The build quality of this strap is fantastic. It is the quality you may have come to expect from Vandoren products. The monochrome black finish is perfect for disappearing into clothing.The horn hook is the twisty wire type  and works well. The size I purchased has a waist band that is adjustable and should fit wastes down to child size and up to a 34″ but with the included extension you can fit up to a 38″ waist.  The harness comes in handy neoprene bag and should fit in the bell of most tenor and baritone saxophones. This piece of hardware is well thought out and the finish is excellent. There are no sharp edges, misaligned joints or loose hinges. For the expense you should expect nothing less and they delivered.

Sure, it is pretty to look at but how does it work in practice? This is not the type of strap you toss on in a hurry and get playing as quickly as possible. This harness requires several steps before you can hang the horn off your body. Unfolding and preparing the harness takes about a minute to  get ready. The steps I take are straight forward but take more time. steps for me are as follows:

1. Remove the harness from bag
2. Flip multi-segment shoulder hooks over from resting place on support bars
3. Unclasp the waist belt
4. Insure the limiting cords on the back supports are not caught in the any other parts
5. Spread shoulder hooks open and drop over head
6. Pull back support arms down to waist level and connect waist strap
7. Attach elastic chord from waist strap to horn hook to keep hook in place as you attach the horn
8. play horn

Once you are attached and playing you adjust with the large “V” shaped adjuster. The Adjuster is asymmetrical, theoretically to keep alignment when a player play the horn while seated. Because they styled the adjuster after themselves some people may not like it.

The Pros:

If it works for you then it’s a magical experience of near zero gravity baritone saxophone playing.

THE CONS:

This thing takes time to hook up. Prior to this i used Neotech harnesses and straps and they were 10 seconds on and 10 seconds off. Very simple even if not as robust as this bit sax kit as Neotech’s tend to stretch over time. Next issues is that it is sometimes hard to slide the “V” adjuster up and down the chords. The friction is good but sometimes it’s a bit too  much. The shoulder hooks present the next issue. The front portion of the shoulder hooks are a neoprene like material with canvas webbing but the back half is hinged plastic with a dense foam rubber pad.  Here the sides of the back half of the hook frequently dig into my shoulders. I have meaty shoulders so that might be part of the problem.

The waste band also has an issue. If you wear a belt then the positioning the lower strap below your belt at waist level is easy and it will stay in position fairly well. If you don’t wear a belt then you might find the lower strap climbs up waist thus limiting the benefits of the device. This especially bad while seated. I tried threading the waist band through my trouser belt loops but that became uncomfortable as the back supports wanted to pull the rear of my pants open giving me a “plumber’s crack” and as you might expect the trombone players didn’t appreciate the view.  Lastly, the expense of the thing is a con. I paid full retail at $150 for it and i I honestly think it’s more of a $80 premium piece.

TAKE AWAY: Sadly I just couldn’t get it adjusted to fit my unique 2 arms, 1 head, and 1 waist anatomy.  If possible go to a local shop and try it on before buying it.

When several feet of beautifully braided wire are wrapped several times around a form and secured you have the makings of a unique and interesting handmade ligature. How does it work? How secure is the reed to mouthpiece fit? Can it be adjusted easily and repeatably? Can it withstand the rigors of the bandstand? These are the questions that I ask of any ligature I get. Now, that I’ve had one for the past several weeks I have the answers to these questions.

Before I begin I have to reassert that I do not feel that ligatures make much of a difference in the sound of a saxophone short of the placebo effect. That said, they do make a difference in how a player interacts with the instrument. How a mouthpiece is to play and how hard the player has to work to get their desired tone can also be effected by a poor fitting or poorly designed ligature. Ultimately the ligature just has to stay in place and keep the reed positioned securely.

The ligature came in a small pouch within the retail box. This pouch while being a good storage option for some I found it to be not enough protection for the medium soft ligature. I prefer to keep formed ligatures like this on a mouthpiece with a cap. This way they will keep their shape and will not get crushed in a bari case or underfoot. Thing to note, the ligature did not come with a cap.  I recommend the generic flexible plastic cap that you can get cheaply from your local music store or online retailer. The best cap is one with a relief cut to allow for maximum compatibility. See the image below.

For test purposes I placed the ligature on a Rico Graftonite and Metalite mouthpieces. Because the material these mouthpieces are made of is durable I can discover rather quickly if the ligature will scratch a hard rubber mouthpiece. The reed I used for this test was a synthetic Bari brand baritone reed. This combo has a tendency to move around a lot with just about any ligature that is not made of leather.

Using the ligature could not be easier. The ligature has a top knot where the wires making up the ligature are brought to a knot and soldered together. With the knot on the top you slip on the ligature, which is tapered like the mouthpiece,  then slide the reed underneath it. Then cinch down the ligature by pushing it towards the bottom of the mouthpiece. It is best to do the procedure with the mouthpiece off of the horn as you will almost certainly push the mouthpiece down further on to the cork of the neck if you do it with the mouthpiece on the horn.

How well does this ligature do it’s primary function of keeping the reed secure to the mouthpiece? Surprisingly well when cinched down. The ligature can conform to the reed and mouthpiece slightly creating an interface that is secure without applying too much clamping force. Even when secured you can still adjust the left and right alignment of the reed on the mouthpiece.

I decided to run a utility test of how long it would take to remove and install a reed on this ligature while in a playing situation. When playing long gig I usually have to change my synthetic reed every so often. Armed with a stopwatch I asked a friend to time the procedure going from a playing state to a playing state after a reed swap. The results were not surprising. It took on average 14.5 seconds to remove the reed from the mouthpiece and to realign, cinch, and be ready to play with the EGR ligature. Compared to a Rovner Dark at 10 seconds, and a traditional 2 screw ligature at 13 seconds it was perfectly within a 24 to 32 bar break that I often find myself in on some big band charts. I will say that I am very familiar with both the Rovner and 2-screw ligatures so my time with them is based on years of practice. It is quite possible that I would see speed increases with the EGR if I spent more time with it.

Repeatability on this ligature was okay, better than the Rovner but not as repeatable as the 2 screw. Getting the ligature to the exact same spot after a reed swap was easiest with a 2-screw but hardest with the Rovner as I tended to unscrew them a lot more than necessary when removing them. The EGR ligature will only go so far onto the mouthpiece. After a few cinching down the ligature with naturally land at or near the same position depending on the reed. If the old and new reeds have the same thickness and profile then the ligature will land in almost the same spot every time.

With no moving parts this ligature will provide years of maintenance free operation. The only caveat is that if you intend to use this ligature that you should be careful using it on mouthpiece with soft finishes like gold. The wire is aluminum but if your mouthpiece is gold plated then it could put fine abrasions in it. This is purely speculation but I feel I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t raise concerns. As of yet I have not seen any abrasions on my non-metal mouthpiece yet.

TAKE AWAY: This ligature is equal parts saxophone jewelry and functional accessory. It clamps with just enough pressure to secure the reed without strangling it. I have just two negatives though. The first is the lack of a cap. If a cap were included I think it would have really made this an even better buy. Secondly, I’d love to have a way to tighten the clamping force beyond the normal amount when desired as some reeds respond better to more force. I say try one and see if it meets your needs.

EGR Facebook Page

Luxurious black leather accented with gold plated hardware and the second cheapest hook & loop fasteners you can find at your local craft store. This Vandoren ligature is an exercise in cost savings in odd places that I don’t think anyone really asked for. But despite the questionable design choices does it do the job it was intended to do?

For some players the idea of using a soft ligature is blasphemous. They tout the opinion that soft ligatures deaden the sound or removes higher harmonics from the tone. I’m not one to agree with this kind of thing considering the science behind saxophone tone production suggests that only a physical change to the bore, tone hole dimension and position, mouthpiece internal dimensions, and the individuals players anatomy have any discernible effect on the tone. With this said I do think the placebo effect is powerful and valid as any other possibility.  The construction of this ligature is likely enough to give anyone the perception of enhanced abilities.

Vandoren seemed to spare no expense when choosing the leather. It is thick, medium firmness, and luxurious feeling. The stitching is even as beautiful on the interior as the exterior. The craftsmanship is truly top-notch on this ligature. Where the evidence of account intrusion is visible is the means by which you attach the pressure plates. Vandoren chose to use hook-and-loop fastener as the interface between them. While this isn’t my personal favorite I was really disappointed that they didn’t use the industrial version. I question how long the loops will last and

Their attention to detail comes to a head at the adjustment screw. The thumbscrew is affixed to a threaded rod which is   reverse threaded on each end. When you turn the thumb knob the brass bars come together to pull the ligature against the body of the mouthpiece. The thumbscrew stays in the same position during the entire operation.  The Rovner and BG ligatures and the myriad of Chinese copies use a fixed threaded  adjustment  rod attached to one of the brass bars. When you turn the thumb knob is spins down the length of the threaded rod and pushes the non-threaded bar into the threaded one. The difference is that there is very little risk of your reed shifting as you tighten the ligature. Vandoren has a better system.

Where this ligature really proves its worth is when you compare it to Rovner and BG ligatures. The included pressure plates give the effect of have 3 different soft ligatures in on box. The leather pressure plate is most like a Rovner MKIII ($43) which according to Rovner is best for classical music. The rubber pressure plate is most like a BG standard ($45) which BG says is good fro anything. Lastly the metal plate is most akin to the BG Revelation ($35). So if we add it all up the Vandoren Leather ligature ($69) is not a bad deal if you would otherwise have purchased the 3 previous ligatures for a combined total of $123 not including individual shipping.

TAKE AWAY: It’s a ligature and it’s only job is to anchor the reed to the mouthpiece firmly but allow the reed to operate unencumbered. This piece does this but the gimmick of swappable plates isn’t worth the additional expense over a Rovner MKIII or the BG Revelation. Also ,the plastic cap is utilitarian at best, the leather cap is really the nicer option.

[gallery_bank type=”images” format=”thumbnail” title=”false” desc=”false” responsive=”true” display=”all” sort_by=”random” special_effect=”” animation_effect=”” album_title=”true” album_id=”2″]

Now i wouldn’t be surprised at all if you didn’t first think of Warburton when you came to this site. In fact Warburton hadn’t crossed my radar until a few years ago when a few brass friends mentioned in passing that they make a woodwind mouthpiece in addition to their brasswind pieces.  Curious about this development I went to their website to view their saxophone offerings. To my dismay at the time they had baritone mouthpiece in development but not ready. Rather than invest in a tenor piece I decided to wait. After a few years I forgot about Warburton until an offer I couldn’t refuse crossed my email box and then I had my very own J-Series piece at the .110 tip opening that I prefer.

DISCLAIMER/REMINDER: As a general rule, the sound you get from any mouthpiece is dependent on a number of factors. These include the players physiology, the horn, the reed chosen, the mouthpiece and most importantly the players sound concept. The sound concept is the internal tone each player hears in their head. If you prefer a darker tone then no matter what your body will find a way to darken the tone. Consider how Don Menza can sound like Webster, Coltrane, and Hawkins just by hearing the sound in his head. His well practiced body then makes changes to give him the desired tone.

Construction: The material is a traditional hard rubber with a gentle sloping baffle and slight rollover. The sidewalls are straight and the tip and side rails are thin. I’m not certain of the chamber size but I do find that I have to pull the mouthpiece out off of the cork more than any other mouthpiece i own. that suggests that the chamber may be more medium than large.

Mouth feel: The piece has a traditional hard rubber baritone mouthpiece feel. The beak is slim so it would work well for any size mouth. Personally I prefer a bit larger a mouth feel as I feel like it opens my airways a bit more.

Reed friendliness: Reed friendliness  is normally a function of how evenly and precisely the facign curve is and whether there is damage, even slight, to any portion of the facing. The facing of this piece was almost perfect when I dropped a .0015 feeler on it. Because of this and the layout of the curve it played well with most reeds I had. Though, I did have to move down a half strength from the RPC Rollover I had been playing prior (more on that later).

Sound: This piece has is marketed as “designed for the contemporary player that wants maximum flexibility and a traditional hard rubber feel.” Without defining contemporary this leaves a lot of room for interpretation. In my opinion contemporary players sound much brighter than those of yesteryear. They tend to value the brightness and edge of modern pieces. If this is the measure that you use as well then this mouthpiece is not “contemporary”. It can be brighter if pushed but I wouldn’t call it bright at all but it’s not tubby either. It has a great blend of core tone and edge that when pushed can blend with almost any non-amplified group.

Warburton J-Series Sound Experience Chart

TAKE AWAY: This piece can be found for around $200 new. This is a steal for what I now consider a good do almost anything mouthpiece. You can anchor the sax section in the big band or blow a few ballads in a small jazz combo. This piece will fit the bill. It’s easier to play and has more core tone than a Link and intonation is more spot on than you’d get from a high baffle Berg.