Theo Wanne's Latest Tenor Mouthpieces Compared

[@ganderson2797]

That Shiva was electrifying!

[@gregevans2885]

I've played on a dukoff D9 for over 20 years. But I got curious and wanted to see what the hype was and trialed the Durga IV and Shiva V. After some serious time with a handful of sizes I fell in love with the Shiva V 8*. I can get a colorful dark sound down low, beautiful harmonics all over, and bark whenever I push. Its a FUN and brilliant paint peeler that I didn't expect to love as much as I do. It's my go to now for rock, funk, and pop.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

The backing tracks are even more revealing about what these mouthpieces do. Great video!

[@jimcheek304]

Many thanks!

[@txsphere]

Great to hear Jim play with the backing track. He is definitely the real thing.

[@jimcheek304]

Very kind of you!

[@GearZenChannel]

I like bright and brassy. Shiva for me!

[@waynebayes182]

I think you're absolutely right about how the other frequencies of playing with other instruments factors in. I play on a Shiva 2, and It lets me cut through on solos with a big band and dispersed acoustics. I also think I personally fall in that category where I can bring a more mellow tone to a piece like the Shiva. I play "darker" more naturally. Great video, as always!

[@jimcheek304]

Good to hear that you share my opinion re the frequency balance!

[@frankzona5459]

Great demo. Wondering, where does the Gaia 4 sit within this spectrum?

[@marcosax5555]

This video confirms that I'm definitely a Shiva fan, thank you! But what's the name of the backing track?

[@jimcheek304]

I'm not sure - Jamie gets them from an online subscription service!

[@mitchpaliga4851]

Brahma for the win.

[@ajdugan8142]

Is it just me or did anyone else think the blurred mouthpiece from the thumbnail would be a cool looking mouthpiece design with the hex pattern all over

[@olafkrebs5139]

Shiva is great

[@patam-patam]

I want an AMBIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Thanks a lot for this demo, best regards from France )

[@jimcheek304]

Nice!

[@bryanskrantz]

I have the Shiva 2 Blue. I'm surprised he didn't continue that material

[@alexwillats]

Always wanted that blue piece just because it looked so cool! Is it a durable material like resin?

[@bryanskrantz]

@@alexwillats It's extremely durable. almost like Hard Rubber but it isn't.

[@sweetdeemusak]

Playing them in the mix is an amazingly great idea...Shiva would be the choice in a group like that...my personal sound is the Brahma, which I hear working very well with the backing track.Thanks for another enlightening video!

[@jimcheek304]

Thanks for your feedback! Brahma is a nice middle ground.

[@thierryroullier8401]

Terrific video. I need to visit your store one day. It would have been great to see the "stadium chamber" more in detail in the video. Would love to get an Ambika but the price is steep.

[@jimcheek304]

Please come on down!

[@olivierherment1188]

I like the brahma.

[@beckyn9338]

Great comparison. Thank you. I lean toward the flexibility of the Brahma myself.

[@billducker7404]

Why does Theo give them strange names. They sound occultic. ! Selmer usually give “normal” names! Best wishes. Bill. UK

[@stefandekeyser]

Nice review. I own these 3 mouthpieces, Ambika for Jazz, Brahma for funk, Shiva for pop :-) what else

[@shanenapoleon6725]

Awesome review. Playing the mouthpieces in the mix gives us a better picture.

[@jimcheek304]

Thank you!

[@MARKLINMAN1]

Does the Hard Rubber BRAHMA come with a LIG? Thanks in advance.

[@willholton]

AMBIKA!! Love your sound for many years now Jim. Music is in your heart and it comes out of the instrument . Where can I get the BG strap?

[@apistosig4173]

These all sounded (to me) dark-ish until pushed - thanks Jim, fab demo. Personally - I'd take 10Mfan or Stephan Kammerer pieces over Wanne's

[@dougjsax]

10mfan, yes! IYKYK

[@jimcheek304]

That's the thing - I think almost any mouthpiece can sound dark, until pushed. THEN it shows its true colours.

[@Zephoshyrule]

Yea I liked the darker one the best during the demo with just sax, but suddenly when you added a backing track, the last one felt like it wanted to be heard more than the others. It just had an X factor to how it sounded. Now I wonder if my take might change based on the genre of the backing track... I admit that the track sounded quite funky and modern as far as saxophone music is concerned. Perhaps on a jazz backing track or a more laid back ensemble, I would still prefer the ambika the best. In a perfect world, everybody else would just play quietly enough for everyone to be able to appreciate the beauty of a dark tenor saxophone sound. But alas, I can't expect that to happen. Lol

[@pimeye]

Another great vid. What tenor were you playing?

[@jimcheek304]

My own Andy Sheppard Autograph model

[@pimeye]

@@jimcheek304 I thought so but I couldn’t see most of the horn. It/you sound(s) great.

[@HayKay_]

Excellent video as always. ❤ my Shiva III on Tenor KW SX90R NS 🔥

[@aleasb]

Hi what neck strap are you using in this video?

[@llamafirst]

Great job! I loved hearing them either the backing track!

[@MrSatoshiKon]

Jim, which sax are you playing here ?

[@BryanVanceInBC]

"What has Theo called it now?" HAHA.

[@javilalima]

Thanks for the great video! I personally liked the Ambika best, but your backing track is more suitable for the other two models, so it doesn't do the Ambike due justice. Can you please explain what reeds you're using in the video? Also, I own a Lakshmi 7*? How would you describe the difference between it and the Bhrama?

[@jimcheek304]

I hear what you're saying re the track style. I haven't directly compared the Lakshmi with the Brahma (but I will!). I would say off the top of my head from my previous encounters with the Lakshmi that it's more traditional sounding compared to the Brahma, which pushes more on the brightness scale. The Lakshmi feels more like a finely tuned Link, whereas the Brahma pushes more in the contemporary direction.

[@joshua_prince]

Great video. I wonder where my Durga would fix in the mix. Personally I loved the brighter sounding Shiva 🎷

[@jimcheek304]

A little below the Shiva, and with more 'bottom'.

[@tomaszszlapanski5988]

Very nice comparison! I m the lucky play Shiva 4 and for me is best sound I ever wanted to play 👍🎷

[@jimcheek304]

Excellent!

[@seandennis3148]

A delight to hear you playing well. Jim, in the Shiva with the backing track, you were starting to go off, but at 10:48 the audio level was being brought down, at the same time. It would have been a treat to hear the end of that phrase, at the same level. Your Guardala studio piece is quite bright too. Seemed like you got along rather well with the Shiva.

[@jimcheek304]

Ah yes - the fade out! Funnily enough the Shiva came out slightly tamer than I expected. It sounded SO loud in the room, and it sounded more cutting in the room also - but when mixed down it sounds right in that style. (Jim)

[@israelvelasquez6773]

Durga?

[@entysax]

Nice demo Jim. What sling are you using too please?

[@jimcheek304]

This is a BG Zen Extender strap. Very cool!

[@entysax]

@@jimcheek304 Thanks for replying Jim, but I just checked on your website and it looks more like a BG Yoke (or a BG Yoke with braces) - can you double check and confirm please? I did try an Extender once and didn't;t like it but the padding looks different on this one. Thanks.

[@bobblues1158]

I would want all three!

[@jimcheek304]

Ha ha!