Hi i currently play the alto ppt 6** which i think is amazing and have played it for 2 years. i want to purchase a 2nd ppt mp. As both for a back up and to play.
I was very impressed by the quality of the PPT 5* I received, but having played some of Ed Pillinger’s pieces this year (thanks to Aldevis) I was not surprised to receive something so well made. I have a lot of mouthpieces and I do buy quite regularly and this one stands out in the crowd as having something very special.
The PPT’s 5* tip is a tiny bit closer than I usually play; I’m used to a .073″ tip whereas the PPT is .069+, so I had to adjust a little but it likes a number 3 ZZ, my favourite alto reed of the last year or so. I found the PPT just as strong to play as my Ted Klum piece and stronger than the D’Addario I bought in the autumn. There’s something in the construction of the PPT which makes me sound a little more compact, which I really like.
The soundclip of My Ship came out very gentle and relaxed sounding, rather ’50s West Coast’ I suppose, although I have to say that it’s not a style I have given much attention to: I’ve spent most of my time over the last 20 years playing classical stuff on the sax which probably helped to give me access to that tone quality. However it’s far from the default sound of this piece, it can really cut at the other end of the scale and once the Xmas period is over I will try to post something more acerbic so that people can get a good idea of the tonal flexibility of the PPT.
Pete says that the 5* is “suitable for classical and also fine for beginners”. I’ve been playing for over 40 years and I love this piece, so it works for old pros too! It would be perfect for a beginner – how wonderful to start out with a mouthpiece that you need never change!! But, I would not personally use the PPT for classical playing; I would favour a Vandoren AL3,4 or 5 or Selmer Concept as those pieces are much easier to develop a small compact sound that blends with orchestral instruments. Although the PPT plays beautifully cleanly at low volumes, it’s tonally a bit spread for true classical playing (IMO, YMMV), but I will definitely give it a whirl in the Nyman Band because I like something a bit pokey-er in that situation.
I think this is a truly excellent mouthpiece for any standard of player, at an amazingly fair price.
– David Roach
PPT Alto 6** (David Chapman)
I’ve been playing two years now, on a variety of alto saxophones and mouthpieces and just received the Onyxite PPT Alto MP in 6** tip opening for my birthday today.
Typically, I started two years ago with the MP which came with my Jupiter 565-567, then a Yamaha 4C which was OK, then tried a Selmer C* which I didn’t get on with, nor a Runyon 22 6, and latterly a Bari Esprit II which is very good for a beginner, keeping the notes in tune with its fairly narrow tip opening.
I also tried three D’Addario MPs in 5, 6, & 7 openings recently but none of them suited me.
The Bari was replaced a few months ago with a Yamaha 6CM with 1.9mm tip opening as this gave me a jazzier sound with my favourite Rico Jazz Select 2S filed reed. This combo sounded great on my newly acquired Yamaha YAS-62 MkI “Purple Logo” (which came with the 6CM) but not quite so good on my Buffet SDA which I’d played for around a year prior (I’ve been through a good few horns on my short sax journey!).
So today I put an RJS reed on the new PPT (her name is Poppet!) and tried this combo on the 62. A little worried by its wider 2.1mm tip, I took my first breath and played… WOW!!!!! Suddenly I’m a professional!!!!!!??
I switched back to the 6CM to check… had I really been happy with its sound? Yes, I guess… but now IT HAS TO GO IN THE BIN!!!
“Blown” away by my new sound, admittedly with a few “getting used to it” squeaks here and there, I thought I’d give it a go on the Buffet, having tried and tried with other mouthpiece/reed combinations to get a jazzy sound out of what is sometimes described as a more classical instrument.
Oh WOW even more!!! This MP has transformed my SDA into a 62 Purple Logo! In fact, it is absolutely perfectly controllable on this horn without a squeak or bum note. This IS the holy grail MP for my SDA!!
And LOUD! On both horns I could blow as hard as I can and the sound kept coming.
I tried some other reeds, around a dozen different ones, but the RJS 2S filed is the best so far for me. I think the squeaks on the Yamaha horn are down to the wider tip and should come good with a few more hours. Talking about hours… my mouth aches! I’ve been playing for three hours and didn’t want to put this MP down! Don’t panic though, it’s an easy blow. I just spent too long testing it!
At £195 it’s over ten times what I paid for the Bari but for me it represents excellent value, just for the fun I’ve had today, let alone the rest of my playing life
Hello Pete,
Thank you.
First of all, the mouthpiece we got is amazing. It sounds like Charlie Parker 😉
We just ordered the other one with the discount (order # 12646). Can’t wait for it.
Thank you so much for your help and the service.
Take care & all the best.
Jennifer & Rüdiger
Hi Pete
I’ve now been playing with your PPT mouthpiece for a few weeks. I’m delighted about everything to do with it. Tone, easy blowing, flexibility. I was a little concerned initially about the tip opening. I need not have worried. I normally use a La Voz Med Hard reed but started out with medium on the PPT. After a couple of weeks or so I was back on Medium Hard.
All I need to do now is keep practising!
Many thanks for your advice.
John Lang
Hi I bought an alto ppt mp 6 from you 6-7 months ago. Took to it like a duck to water absolutely love it its my mp for life. So versatile and effortless to blow. I’m thinking of purchasing the soprano one would it be a size 7 I would need to match the 6 ??? As I believe the 6 is close to a 7 or is the 6 in sop the same as the 6 in alto. Would you recommend I keep them the same size so I Dnt hv to mess around with my umbercher. Ps let me know thanx a million stevie.
Stephen Clifford
