C Melody Saxophone Forum

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C Melody Saxophone Forum / Mouthpieces Reeds and Ligatures / What's you setup?

Next 20 Messages

Wade Walker
User ID: 7350653 Oct 23rd 2:06 PM
I use a Le Blanc Hard Rubber Mouthpiece for C-Melody (currently available for Woodwind and Brasswind as a NEW production model!) with Rovner Ligature and Fibracell Bb Tenor Reed that is Soft or Medium soft, on my Buescher True Tone. This combo works well, and stays in tune.

What works for you?

fourfortrane
User ID: 8486203 Nov 18th 1:39 PM
playing a king white & co c-mel. from 1924 in beautiful condition I prefer a conn steelay mp with la voz medium soft tenor reeds. atack and dynamic are good but not not the top of the line but sax plays very controlled, smooth and precious.
fourfortrane

Wade Walker
User ID: 7350653 Nov 20th 11:36 AM
Fourfortrane;

Is you mouthpiece a C-Melody mouthpiece, or a Bb-Tenor or Eb-Alto mouthpiece?

Mark
User ID: 8959213 Feb 6th 8:34 PM
I use a Buescher "C" Melody mouthpiece and Van Doren Bass Clarinet reeds on a Wurlitzer C Melody...I checked out the sax in the middle and upper register with a Seiko chromatic tuner and it checked out 'in tune' throughout the two octaves.

aanz
User ID: 0512724 Nov 27th 2:27 PM
I dragged my straight neck Conn out of the closet for my yearly C melody fix. Sorry purists, but I don't like the old C mpc and in trying to find my sound slapped on an old Berg Larsen HR 95/2 SMS with a 2H Rico Jazz Select and Rovner Eddie Daniels lig. Fairly in tune, +/- 10 tops on average, no notes wildly out. A jazz setup really brings ot the guts in these horns, they can whisper and cry to scream and bark, with everything in between. Such a fun horn to play!

John D.
User ID: 1188554 Nov 27th 7:32 PM
Otto Link HR #5 alto mouthpiece and a fibracell medium tenor reed. No mistake, an alto mp and a tenor reed on a straight-neck Conn C melody.

Roger Aldridge
User ID: 2644644 Nov 27th 8:33 PM
Ralph Morgan #6 (.090) c-melody mouthpiece, #2.5 Alexander Classique reeds, and Francois Louis ligature on a curved neck 1919 Conn c-melody.

Captain Beeflat
User ID: 0770504 Jan 25th 11:23 AM
1925 Buescher TT C Melody with Runyon quantum No. 8 tenor Mpc, self modified Rovner lig. with No. 2 plasticover reeds; it howls..Best wishes Bb.

Mike
User ID: 1704034 Feb 20th 9:27 AM
After about 2 months of practice with a good instructor who has corrected most of my bad habits, I am still getting very good results out of my 'El Cheapo' Rico Graftonite Bb Tenor mouthpiece in an A5 facing. I'm using Alexander Superial Reeds (I'm still using #2s until they are all gone!) and a stock ligature. I've run the microtuner all the way in and pushed the mouthpiece all the way on. Adding a Powertone baffle has resulted in very centered intonation with the ability to lip most notes either up or down as you desire. Plenty of guts in this mouthpiece and very good control for VERY little money. Certainly gets my recommendation as a 'Starter' C-Mel mouthpiece at $20 (or less) and it just may be all you ever need. I'm loving the sounds coming out of this 'Chu' era Conn and this chap little piece of black plastic.

Stacey Bowling
User ID: 0485244 Feb 20th 1:29 PM
I use a Ralph Morgan #6 (.090) C-melody mouthpiece, #2.5 Hemke tenor sax reeds, and a Rovner MK3 ligature on a 1919 Conn curved-neck C-melody. Or at least that's what I WILL be using, after it all arrives...

knighttrain
User ID: 8639383 Apr 16th 8:35 PM
I have a 1923 gold plate straight neck Conn, recently overhauled (with Reso Pads). I have two MPs - a vintage french no name and a modern Leblanc B6 to which I added a high baffle. I play both with a #3 Rico Royal Tenor reed currently (but I am still experimenting with reeds). The vintage piece has a nice mellow pure sound while the modified Leblanc is loud and cutting - almost like my tenor. The horn blows me away since the overhaul. Very fun to play. These horns are bargains.

mossite
User ID: 0805074 Apr 24th 6:26 AM
well, i habe a uverhauled holton c-melody with resopads. i have the original c-melody mpc, but this sounds stuffy and not so good. i put my ernst schreiber alto mouthpiece with rico jazz select 2,5 medium on it and its sound is incredible. it is a real fat lound warm sound. i never expected that i could sound this was.
one thing i can say about my holton. it ist realy great, eventhough a lot of people say holtons are bad, but this is just great.

WW2
User ID: 1404584 Apr 24th 11:44 AM
Mossite;

Glad the Ernst Schreiber Alto mouthpiece gives your Holton a great sound.

I am courious, how is the intonation of your saxophone with the Alto mouthpiece?

mossite
User ID: 0408214 Apr 25th 7:26 AM
The intonation is o.k. i´d say it is even better as with the c-melody mpc and it is a whole lot easier to play. with the original mpc you need a lot of presure to get a sound of this sax, with the schreiber it is no problem at all. and it realy sounds great. pls. excuse my english but i´m from germany and i don´t use it that much.

Doc Frazier
User ID: 0115944 Apr 25th 9:28 AM
I use a Brilhart Levelair #9 tenor with a 2.5 Vibrator reed on a 1919 Pan American straight C melody. It blows like dream and is more in tune than the Goldbeck metal C m/piece I was using. I haven't tried it on my curved Pan AM yet.

WW2
User ID: 1404584 Apr 25th 1:21 PM
Mossite - Thanks for the information. As for you English, I understand what you are saying so it is good enough! Welcome to the site!

WW2
User ID: 1404584 Apr 25th 1:23 PM
That should read "As for your English."

Some day I will learn to proof read my posts! 8-)

Alan Tucker (UK)
User ID: 0798784 May 14th 5:40 AM
Hello,
Despite playing Martin alto & tenor, I've finally settled on a lacquer Conn 'New Wonder' s/no 68xxx (1921?), but with the original straight neck replaced by a silver Conn (stencil) curved neck. Best of both worlds, great action and more comfortable playing position with the curved neck ! The straight neck felt like I was always pushing the horn away, plus the curved neck seems to help give a more contemporary sound, apologies to the purists !

I've adopted a 'stepped neck cork' approach, because I have a couple of mouthpieces that give good results. I use an alto HR Berg Larsen 95/1 SMS, and a tenor HR Otto Link Tone-Edge 7 for different sounds, both mouthpieces play quite acceptably well in tune throughout the range. Because the alto mpc sits 'well-out' and the tenor mpc 'well-in', I've the last inch of the cork at a suitable size for the alto mpc - with a thin layer of extra cork further in which holds the tenor Link mpc well, whilst still allowing for adjustment on each.

I switch between Rico Royal and La-Voz reeds, around medium strength, as circumstances dictate, using the standard metal ligs that came with the mpcs. I've tried leather Rovners etc., but find that whilst they are great on metal mpcs, they don't do a lot for HR (except mute the sound) - which is what I'm using here. Only small problem is the dreaded 'gurgling' on low B/Bb when using the alto mpc - I know all about the 'cork in the bell' - but as I use the alto mpc for an edgier, more focussed sound (rather than the fatter 'bluesy' tenor mpc sound, where all notes are fine) these two notes don't get used a lot. Both mouthpieces are fine for 'standard' fingerings of altissimo/harmonics as well, which is another reason for settling for the Conn with the aux front-f key, even the dreaded G3 can be coaxed out. Nice !

Taken a lot of experimentation (lucky that I have a few C-Mels, plus a load of alto & tenor mpcs from a forty years playing) to get there tho' !! Some of the C-Mels came with original mouthpieces, all very close lays, I've resisted getting them opened out because I suspect they'll still be no good for harmonics - and they are nice as they are. Regards, Alan.

P.S. I have a few C-Mels (Martin, Conn, Buescher, York - incl. stencils) in varying states of repair, half of them reasonably playable, so I expect you'll see the odd working one on UK ebay from time to time, just so I can get part of my house back........ (this is not an advert :))

Roger Aldridge
User ID: 0735934 May 14th 6:50 AM
Alan,

Aha!!! Perhaps you can help me with a question that I've had for quite some time. In a way that's similar to you, I play Buescher alto and soprano; however, circumstances led me to an early model Conn c-melody (55,xxx). I really love this horn! But, I've been curious about the Buescher c-melody. Since you have a collection of different c-melodies, could you please give me your impressions of them -- in particular, between Buescher and Conn -- and the reasons why you settled on the 68xxx Conn?

That's really interesting that you're using a curved neck on your 68xxx Conn. So, you do hear a difference in your sound between a curved and straight neck?

It's been great to hear about your experiments with the c-melody!

Lewis Pelham
User ID: 0770504 May 14th 11:18 AM
Alan. Interesting that you feel that you are always "pushing away with your straight necked Conn". I always feel that I am pushing away with C Mels. in general & have always associated this with the positioning of the strap ring; it is too high up the horn, at least, it is on my Buescher & King C Melodies; I do not have experience of other makes. In the case of Altos & Bb Tenors they lie at about 45 degrees across your body if you let them just hang around your neck. With my C Mels. however they rear up, when released, risking a slam in the teeth from the mouthpiece. I have found that, due to this configeration, I am always forcing the horn away from me with my left thumb, which, after a time, begins to ache. Consequently I have unsoldered the strap ring & relocated it half an inch down on the Buescher & I find this far more comfortable. A modification to achieve the same result was easier with the King as it is the "Dolly Parton" model (double G cups) with the G sharp tone hole around the back of the horn; in this case I simply clip my strap hook onto the G sharp wire key guard which is, fortuitously, in exactly the right position. Does no-one else have this problem?...Regards to all...Lewis.

Next 20 Messages

Wade Walker User ID: 7350653	Oct 23rd 2:06 PM I use a Le Blanc Hard Rubber Mouthpiece for C-Melody (currently available for Woodwind and Brasswind as a NEW production model!) with Rovner Ligature and Fibracell Bb Tenor Reed that is Soft or Medium soft, on my Buescher True Tone. This combo works well, and stays in tune. What works for you?
fourfortrane User ID: 8486203	Nov 18th 1:39 PM playing a king white & co c-mel. from 1924 in beautiful condition I prefer a conn steelay mp with la voz medium soft tenor reeds. atack and dynamic are good but not not the top of the line but sax plays very controlled, smooth and precious. fourfortrane
Wade Walker User ID: 7350653	Nov 20th 11:36 AM Fourfortrane; Is you mouthpiece a C-Melody mouthpiece, or a Bb-Tenor or Eb-Alto mouthpiece?
Mark User ID: 8959213	Feb 6th 8:34 PM I use a Buescher "C" Melody mouthpiece and Van Doren Bass Clarinet reeds on a Wurlitzer C Melody...I checked out the sax in the middle and upper register with a Seiko chromatic tuner and it checked out 'in tune' throughout the two octaves.
aanz User ID: 0512724	Nov 27th 2:27 PM I dragged my straight neck Conn out of the closet for my yearly C melody fix. Sorry purists, but I don't like the old C mpc and in trying to find my sound slapped on an old Berg Larsen HR 95/2 SMS with a 2H Rico Jazz Select and Rovner Eddie Daniels lig. Fairly in tune, +/- 10 tops on average, no notes wildly out. A jazz setup really brings ot the guts in these horns, they can whisper and cry to scream and bark, with everything in between. Such a fun horn to play!
John D. User ID: 1188554	Nov 27th 7:32 PM Otto Link HR #5 alto mouthpiece and a fibracell medium tenor reed. No mistake, an alto mp and a tenor reed on a straight-neck Conn C melody.
Roger Aldridge User ID: 2644644	Nov 27th 8:33 PM Ralph Morgan #6 (.090) c-melody mouthpiece, #2.5 Alexander Classique reeds, and Francois Louis ligature on a curved neck 1919 Conn c-melody.
Captain Beeflat User ID: 0770504	Jan 25th 11:23 AM 1925 Buescher TT C Melody with Runyon quantum No. 8 tenor Mpc, self modified Rovner lig. with No. 2 plasticover reeds; it howls..Best wishes Bb.
Mike User ID: 1704034	Feb 20th 9:27 AM After about 2 months of practice with a good instructor who has corrected most of my bad habits, I am still getting very good results out of my 'El Cheapo' Rico Graftonite Bb Tenor mouthpiece in an A5 facing. I'm using Alexander Superial Reeds (I'm still using #2s until they are all gone!) and a stock ligature. I've run the microtuner all the way in and pushed the mouthpiece all the way on. Adding a Powertone baffle has resulted in very centered intonation with the ability to lip most notes either up or down as you desire. Plenty of guts in this mouthpiece and very good control for VERY little money. Certainly gets my recommendation as a 'Starter' C-Mel mouthpiece at $20 (or less) and it just may be all you ever need. I'm loving the sounds coming out of this 'Chu' era Conn and this chap little piece of black plastic.
Stacey Bowling User ID: 0485244	Feb 20th 1:29 PM I use a Ralph Morgan #6 (.090) C-melody mouthpiece, #2.5 Hemke tenor sax reeds, and a Rovner MK3 ligature on a 1919 Conn curved-neck C-melody. Or at least that's what I WILL be using, after it all arrives...
knighttrain User ID: 8639383	Apr 16th 8:35 PM I have a 1923 gold plate straight neck Conn, recently overhauled (with Reso Pads). I have two MPs - a vintage french no name and a modern Leblanc B6 to which I added a high baffle. I play both with a #3 Rico Royal Tenor reed currently (but I am still experimenting with reeds). The vintage piece has a nice mellow pure sound while the modified Leblanc is loud and cutting - almost like my tenor. The horn blows me away since the overhaul. Very fun to play. These horns are bargains.
mossite User ID: 0805074	Apr 24th 6:26 AM well, i habe a uverhauled holton c-melody with resopads. i have the original c-melody mpc, but this sounds stuffy and not so good. i put my ernst schreiber alto mouthpiece with rico jazz select 2,5 medium on it and its sound is incredible. it is a real fat lound warm sound. i never expected that i could sound this was. one thing i can say about my holton. it ist realy great, eventhough a lot of people say holtons are bad, but this is just great.
WW2 User ID: 1404584	Apr 24th 11:44 AM Mossite; Glad the Ernst Schreiber Alto mouthpiece gives your Holton a great sound. I am courious, how is the intonation of your saxophone with the Alto mouthpiece?
mossite User ID: 0408214	Apr 25th 7:26 AM The intonation is o.k. i´d say it is even better as with the c-melody mpc and it is a whole lot easier to play. with the original mpc you need a lot of presure to get a sound of this sax, with the schreiber it is no problem at all. and it realy sounds great. pls. excuse my english but i´m from germany and i don´t use it that much.
Doc Frazier User ID: 0115944	Apr 25th 9:28 AM I use a Brilhart Levelair #9 tenor with a 2.5 Vibrator reed on a 1919 Pan American straight C melody. It blows like dream and is more in tune than the Goldbeck metal C m/piece I was using. I haven't tried it on my curved Pan AM yet.
WW2 User ID: 1404584	Apr 25th 1:21 PM Mossite - Thanks for the information. As for you English, I understand what you are saying so it is good enough! Welcome to the site!
WW2 User ID: 1404584	Apr 25th 1:23 PM That should read "As for your English." Some day I will learn to proof read my posts! 8-)
Alan Tucker (UK) User ID: 0798784	May 14th 5:40 AM Hello, Despite playing Martin alto & tenor, I've finally settled on a lacquer Conn 'New Wonder' s/no 68xxx (1921?), but with the original straight neck replaced by a silver Conn (stencil) curved neck. Best of both worlds, great action and more comfortable playing position with the curved neck ! The straight neck felt like I was always pushing the horn away, plus the curved neck seems to help give a more contemporary sound, apologies to the purists ! I've adopted a 'stepped neck cork' approach, because I have a couple of mouthpieces that give good results. I use an alto HR Berg Larsen 95/1 SMS, and a tenor HR Otto Link Tone-Edge 7 for different sounds, both mouthpieces play quite acceptably well in tune throughout the range. Because the alto mpc sits 'well-out' and the tenor mpc 'well-in', I've the last inch of the cork at a suitable size for the alto mpc - with a thin layer of extra cork further in which holds the tenor Link mpc well, whilst still allowing for adjustment on each. I switch between Rico Royal and La-Voz reeds, around medium strength, as circumstances dictate, using the standard metal ligs that came with the mpcs. I've tried leather Rovners etc., but find that whilst they are great on metal mpcs, they don't do a lot for HR (except mute the sound) - which is what I'm using here. Only small problem is the dreaded 'gurgling' on low B/Bb when using the alto mpc - I know all about the 'cork in the bell' - but as I use the alto mpc for an edgier, more focussed sound (rather than the fatter 'bluesy' tenor mpc sound, where all notes are fine) these two notes don't get used a lot. Both mouthpieces are fine for 'standard' fingerings of altissimo/harmonics as well, which is another reason for settling for the Conn with the aux front-f key, even the dreaded G3 can be coaxed out. Nice ! Taken a lot of experimentation (lucky that I have a few C-Mels, plus a load of alto & tenor mpcs from a forty years playing) to get there tho' !! Some of the C-Mels came with original mouthpieces, all very close lays, I've resisted getting them opened out because I suspect they'll still be no good for harmonics - and they are nice as they are. Regards, Alan. P.S. I have a few C-Mels (Martin, Conn, Buescher, York - incl. stencils) in varying states of repair, half of them reasonably playable, so I expect you'll see the odd working one on UK ebay from time to time, just so I can get part of my house back........ (this is not an advert :))
Roger Aldridge User ID: 0735934	May 14th 6:50 AM Alan, Aha!!! Perhaps you can help me with a question that I've had for quite some time. In a way that's similar to you, I play Buescher alto and soprano; however, circumstances led me to an early model Conn c-melody (55,xxx). I really love this horn! But, I've been curious about the Buescher c-melody. Since you have a collection of different c-melodies, could you please give me your impressions of them -- in particular, between Buescher and Conn -- and the reasons why you settled on the 68xxx Conn? That's really interesting that you're using a curved neck on your 68xxx Conn. So, you do hear a difference in your sound between a curved and straight neck? It's been great to hear about your experiments with the c-melody!
Lewis Pelham User ID: 0770504	May 14th 11:18 AM Alan. Interesting that you feel that you are always "pushing away with your straight necked Conn". I always feel that I am pushing away with C Mels. in general & have always associated this with the positioning of the strap ring; it is too high up the horn, at least, it is on my Buescher & King C Melodies; I do not have experience of other makes. In the case of Altos & Bb Tenors they lie at about 45 degrees across your body if you let them just hang around your neck. With my C Mels. however they rear up, when released, risking a slam in the teeth from the mouthpiece. I have found that, due to this configeration, I am always forcing the horn away from me with my left thumb, which, after a time, begins to ache. Consequently I have unsoldered the strap ring & relocated it half an inch down on the Buescher & I find this far more comfortable. A modification to achieve the same result was easier with the King as it is the "Dolly Parton" model (double G cups) with the G sharp tone hole around the back of the horn; in this case I simply clip my strap hook onto the G sharp wire key guard which is, fortuitously, in exactly the right position. Does no-one else have this problem?...Regards to all...Lewis.