Mouthpiece Comparisons

Lullaby of Birdland

For this comparison video, you have to put up with my playing. Sorry. I am most satisfied with the alto sax mouthpiece by Vandoren. I purchased the V16 A9, a small chamber mouthpiece. I think it gives me a wide-open, big sound on alto. It sounds pure and clean and perfect for jazz.

I’m having a bit more trouble deciding which mouthpiece to use on tenor sax. I have had a metal mouthpiece by Dave Guardala for a little over 20 years. However, I didn’t have a tenor sax for nearly 10 years. It does not feel the same as when I was playing all the time. Maybe it didn’t sound as good as I thought it did. But I have to admit the more I play the better I sound on it.

That being said, I also bought Vandoren’s V16 T9, and right now I’m getting a great sound from it without as much work as I am having to put into the Guradala. There is a lot of mid-range coming through with the Guardala. I have to have the perfect reed to get the sound I know it can give me. I know eventually, I will be able to get that sound more consistently. But for now, I really like and enjoy the sound produced by the Vandoren. Check out the video comparison and let me know what you think.