D'Addario Select Jazz Mouthpieces Review

[@bensherman1628]

what would be really cool is if you do a series of all of the great sax players setups

[@SaxSpy]

Who should be first?

[@bensherman1628]

@@SaxSpy maybe you could start with lester young or jimmy dorsey

[@aaronheckscher1231]

or dexter gordon

[@bensherman1628]

@@aaronheckscher1231 yeah

[@alexambroise111]

@@SaxSpy Johnny Griffin or Hank Mobley!

[@Stephan-Kammerer]

Hi Derek, great video! And thanks for the shout out!

[@grantkoeller8911]

I have played a Otto link 8 slant reissue tone edge Hard Rubber .110" for the last 10 years, so this is right up my alley.

[@jacobdeaven7477]

So in order to fight of COVID depression I exercised some retail therapy and bought an 8DM. I have a few thoughts to add in addition to this video. Sax Spy was didn't do much to compare to other mouthpieces in this video, but man out of the box this thing plays as well if not better than other HR pieces at twice the cost. I usually play an 8 for mouthpieces without a step baffle and an 8* or 9 for step and other high baffle pieces. I will say that the 8DM feels a little more closed than what I would usually expect. I think that is coming from the high long rollover baffle. Do I wish I had got the 9, no I think that would have been overkill, but I def think I will need to move up from my go to 2.5 BSS reeds. This thing can subtone like no other mouthpiece I have played before it is crazy. I usually have a little trouble subtoning low C/C#, but this thing takes them like a champ. It gets so dark and lush, I can't believe it. I also usually prefer large chamber tenor pieces, and was a little reluctant to get a medium chamber, but this thing is as fat and rich as most large chamber pieces I have played. My only complaint is that the altissimo wasn't as friendly as on my other go to tenor pieces. I find it is easier on my Theo Wanne Ambika 8, which has no baffle at all, then on this mouthpiece. That may be due in part to needing a harder reed and this being different than what I'm used to. But yeah this thing is a killer piece. If you were on the fence about trying this, I don't think you will be disappointed.

[@MrRTH10]

Stephan is refacing a Barone Hollywood I recently acquired. Really stoked to get it back.

[@danhitchcock124]

Great vid and lots of cool info about the history of these! Great playing as always!

[@jacobdeaven7477]

I've had one piece refaced. I had Sebastian Knox open up and add a little extra baffle to a vintage long shank soloist for my baritone. It's an amazing piece. I use it for everything from classical to big band.

[@SaxSpy]

Awesome!! Sounds like you got a real player. A session musician's dream mpc

[@lottierose8668]

the refaced piece has a bit more glittery buzz , i like

[@christophermickel7806]

They all sound great.Upon a first listening, I thought they all sounded the same. But, as I listened again, I did hear some subtle differences. I thought the black had more low end and was a bit darker. I think it might be great when using a microphone since the mic can add a lot of highs and make us brighter than we like. Both of the marbled ones were brighter but the refaced one seemed more vibrant to my ears. But, again, the differences were subtle and you sound great on all three. I've been wanting to try some of these pieces. I know what you mean about mouthpieces being loud. My main piece is a hard rubber Navarro Maestra I've been playing for years. Like you, I also have a Florida Link. I love the way it sounds but I have a lot of difficulty projecting with it. I recently had a similar experience as you when I A.B.d my Navarro and my Link on a big band gig. Regrading refacing, I have had it done to some of my mouthpieces. But i only have that done if I'm having some sort of issue. For example, my Navarro is as is it was when I bought it new and I'm happy with it. So, I wouldn't have it refaced. I've always heard that getting your main piece refaced is asking for disaster. But, I got my Link used. It was in the case of an old horn and had a few issues due to age and lack of care. So, I had it worked and it plays great.

[@wildman166]

Thank you for your review. I would like to thank Jeff Coffin for sharing the basics to this piece development. I enjoy the deep beautiful tone , and still brighter then the Vandoren V16 7T L I was playing . Clear deep colorful tone up and down the horn . For under $200.00 this is a killer piece . And if you are a pro and traveling musician and heaven forbid it was stolen or broken . You can pick one up in music stores around the country to replace it .

[@SaxSpy]

It's very high value for the money!

[@kevindeibert3369]

I recently picked up a D'Addario DM7 for my Tenor. I'd been playing a metal Link 7* (modified) for decades! They're both nice pieces but favoring the DM7 !

[@vladimirlopez7840]

I play a DM7 as well and the rest of my now useless collection collects dust.

[@JJ_Photo]

Funny, maybe I am the only one, but liked the black version better here. Darker and more full, and the intonation maybe slightly better. Again a matter of taste.

[@scottyjackson6665]

Refacing a mouthpiece scares the heck out of me especially if the mouthpiece was costly, still a relatively new concept for me. Watched a few Stephan Kammerer videos, very interesting. I'd be interested to know what the signs(for dummies) are for determining when a mouthpiece needs refacing. Also, how do you explain to the re-facer what you want fixed? Have a few mouthpieces that I assumed were duds or cursed. Older Dukoff and berg larsen that drove me insane for weeks, only certain mystical reeds worked on them when the moon and the stars aligned. I sometimes think that the table and rails were off and the magical reed was actually a reed that warped in such a way that it fit the imperfections of the mouthpiece for a few days.

[@chadstoner8953]

Great info. I'm on a DM7 after 6 mos on an 8. Love them both. Wasn't aware of the design process. Hoping you'll do a vid on the 10mfan Classic you showed on Instagram. Again, thanks for your great work.

[@SaxSpy]

Yep, I have The Classic recorded. Working on the Robusto and Showtime

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

All my alto mouthpieces are refaced. Plan on doing my bari. Was going to do my Berg Larsen tenor but then when I measured it the tip opening was way bigger than what it was supposed to be, and the curve was even so I opted to leave it.

[@scottquickel6462]

Guys...don't forget to spend at least 10 hrs of playing the piece before you return it or just through it in a drawer! Some of my favorite pieces took several several days if not weeks of playing to get used to them.

[@SaxSpy]

good advice!

[@jazzmorgan859]

you should do a review on the Vandoren jumbo java mouthpecies

[@SaxSpy]

that's a good idea!

[@DmitriiSergheev]

Refaced Marble sounds great!!!!!

[@SaxSpy]

thanks! SK did a great job

[@jordanelkins9801]

I have the marbled mouthpiece but I find I have to pull way out to have good intonation, like all the way out... I love the sound, I'm playing on a YTS-62

[@jonathanmorrison112]

Keep up the content man, really enjoy it. You sound good.

[@bobblues1158]

For my ears the black ebonite has a sweeter more nuanced sound, the marble is brawnier, and the the Sk sounds like some improvement in playability over the marble, but not necessarily an æsthetic improvement. I tried the black ebonite but i could not play it in tune easily and I have a friend who experienced the same problem but just decided to deal with it. She´s got it down but i know she´s on it all the time-but she sounds great. If I was in a section though I would chose something easier for me personally to play in tune.

[@hughsmithau33]

Great video Derek! It was very interesting!

[@SaxSpy]

thanks!

[@danielryanmusic]

Yeah ! Great stuff . I literally feel like playing hard rubber again .

[@SaxSpy]

I was on metal for years and this is the piece that brought me back to HR

[@danielryanmusic]

Sax Spy ❤️😎 nice ! I heard the difference in the refaced model and it’s amazing . Thanks again for sharing.

[@sydneywinbush4535]

this is really cool!

[@SaxSpy]

thanks!

[@isaiahd9947]

I have the D6M paired with the Vandoren Java Red 3 and I like the setup (is a little bright for me but I darkened it up slightly with a rovner versa X) but it feels like the low notes are tough. The mpc in general is very resistant compared to others I've played.

[@kylegeee]

Honored to be mentioned in the “contributions” those marble pieces were nothing a year ago compared to what you’ve done with them!

[@danielclermont2680]

Great video, but I was hoping to get some opinion and commentary on any perceived differences between the black HR and the marbled. I have one of each being shipped to me to try out, but I wondered what your experience was. Thanks.

[@SaxSpy]

only real difference was the shank internal diamrter. otherwise identical

[@danielclermont2680]

@@SaxSpy so give or take your reed strengths for each... they sound the same in your ears / on your equipment? They respond the same?

[@SaxSpy]

@@danielclermont2680 yep! The marble, as I explain in the video, is just an added part of dye during one of the production phases. The CNC path is the same for both

[@danielclermont2680]

@@SaxSpy awesome! I can’t wait to try each this weekend!

[@DallasCrane]

Marble refaced for sure

[@LCohenSax]

Very minor differences between the refaced and the other ones. The Original marble sounded brighter The black rubber. Take the they all sound too bright.

[@milesberrysax1212]

Nice!!

[@SaxSpy]

thanks!

[@FredTru63]

How do I get my mouthpiece refaced?

[@SaxSpy]

send it in to a refacer. SK Mouthpieces, James Bunte, Occiuto Woodwinds, etc

[@ghawk78]

Sound the same to me.

[@SaxSpy]

Check out SK Mouthpieces' video- he demonstrates some really straightforward technical adjustments while keeping the tone the same

[@anquaviousshahab1678]

HOW ABOUT ALTO

[@monkeyxx]

the SK reface had more of an annoying high frequency ringing overtone to it than the other two

[@grantkoeller8911]

To my ears, they sound the same. There is not enough difference to mention. how ever the last one (refaced) did sound slightly different.

[@SaxSpy]

in theory, the refaced is the only difference

[@LCohenSax]

Very good mouthpieces but way too bright. Take the baffle way down.

[@Zxx459]

Terreble play testing. No difference in tone