PPT Alto

Greetings Pete, It has been a real pleasure playing my new soprano mouth piece. I found the adjustment from my selmer to the PPT an easy one. The tip size is approximately the same and the way mouth piece fits my mouth is very familiar and so it's been fun to compare the two straight across. I do like the sound of the selmer and with the PPT I feel I gained more of what In wanted without making any compromises.
The sound is warmer or darker if you like, sweeter ,slightly louder and raw sounding when you need it. I realize this is all subjective but the PPT seems more focused. Note bending seems easier but without a sloppy feel. Again a nice focused sound. I appreciate the craftsmanship.
It's a handsomely build piece. On yet another note I love how the money from the sale are being used. Like Mr. Rogers said " look for the helpers". Thanks for being a helper Pete.
Cheers Jeff Lake

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Message: Hello Pete, a little feedback re. the PPT soprano mouthpiece. The jist of it is that it has replaced the Lawton 8*B I've been playing for exactly 30 years! I remember buying it in a store on Shaftesbury Ave. after recording with Peter Gabriel (and shelling out the £200 I received for the session). Since then, I haven't found a mpc. which would give me that kind of sound, notwithstanding the difficulties in control (especially in the low reg.) and intonation (for which I've learned to compensate in time). Recently, I bought a remake made by Lawton's son, and found it very disappointing. Anyhow, playability and intonation on the PPT are superb, which frees a lot of energy for music (like, ideas for improvisation seem to come more abundantly and fluently). Also, the action on my already smooth Yamaha 875 feels even smoother.

The sound to my ears does not have the tremendous authority of the Lawton, but I'm sure a little practice in the next 30 years will make it perfect. By the way, the price is very reasonable too. So, thanks to you and Ed for the great job,

Roberto Laneri - Woodwind Professor, Florence Conservatory

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I recently purchased a size 7 soprano mouthpiece from, as you advised and I must admit, i'm absolutely thrilled with it. Both myself and my teacher, James Rawlinson have played it a lot and agree that it is incredible. Many thanks again for your advise before I purchased and I will carry on to advise your products to my friends in the future.

-Kyle Shenton

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PPT 5

From the first notes I found his mouthpiece extremely easy & friendly to play with a very clean solid tone - it just sang! Intonation was very good, even for me! As the reed (La Voz med soft) was just removed from my usual mouthpiece & looking a little sorry for itself, various others were tried - Rico 21/2 & 3 (orange box) new La voz etc all playing without effort. Upon changing back to my 'latest' best piece, a Jody Jazz DV 7* I preferred all elements of the PPT. Another few were tried, including the much spoke of Rico (which on my sops have the worst intonation ever) - all without charm. Saxes used were Elkhart curved & straight, both very similar.

I don't play soprano out (with the exception of a quartet in summer holidays & only because I get the melody!!) therefore not having the opportunity to try when concentrating on other things in a band situation - this possibly may reveal a slightly different side...

Did I want to buy another mouthpiece, especially soprano - NO.

Have I bought THIS mouthpiece, well hopefully YES as I asked Pete for first refusal, when they play like this you just have to buy it (well that is what I told the wife!).

- Geoff

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PPT 6

in the meantime I have playtested the Soprano PPT on my Yani S 981. The MPC works perfect, produces a very nice sound and what is very essential for me : It is very easy and free blowing. Alltogether it works better for me than my Selmer SS size F.

- Klaus

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PPT 6

Initial finding was that the PPT was significantly more resistant to blow. It felt a bit sort of constricted compared to the Bari, which may be partly down to it having a smaller tip opening. The tone was not as bright as the Bari, with an attractive warmth, and a sort of 'pure' tone. I rattled through a few straightforward pieces I know well - a few soul bits, Moondance, Harlem Nocturne, God Bless the Child, so I could concentrate on the mouthpiece rather than what I was playing. The more I played it the less resistant it seemed, and it had a good forceful attack, and also plenty of volume when needed. Intonation of the PPT was superb, the best of any sop mouthpiece I can remember playing. It also had a good consistent tone throughout the range, including the higher notes. On the Bari, above high C things thin out and tuning becomes a bit more tricky - much easier on the PPT.

I tried on the Buescher next. Tuning still great, tone a bit brighter than on the BW. However, as the ergonomics of the Buescher are so poor compared to the BW, I went back to that. I think I prefer the tone of the BW anyway.

As a final test I stuck the Bari back on. In comparison, it was much brighter, and easier to blow in the lower notes. Higher up, the Bari was much thinner and less stable.

So, in conclusion, I was very, very impressed. Although I've played soprano for a long time, I don't play it much, and I don't think I'm much cop as a soprano player, but the PPT helped me play the thing more in tune over more of the range with less effort than my normal mouthpiece. It was a bit of an effort to blow at first, but nothing that I couldn't adjust to after a few minutes. I liked it, a lot, and I think I may be buying one when they are on sale.

- Jon F

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I've had a proper play on the PPT 6 using my Yanagisawa SC991 and Rico Jazz Select 3H reeds with Vandoren Optimum lig. Here are my thoughts.

The PPT looks great and unusual - like its tenor and bari siblings. The body is a little slimmer than my favourite soprano mouthpieces which are a Berg Larsen and a Selmer HR, but the Vandoren Optimum still fits and holds the reed well. The PPT is comfortable in the mouth, with a fairly conventional beak shape, unlike the Berg which is more like a clarinet. Once you get used to the Berg it is quite nice and it opens up the mouth.

The sound of the PPT is very much in the area that I like for soprano - which is quite sweet and singing and not nasal (like an oboe or that Selmer metal Soloist sound). The intonation is good, once it is in the right place on the cork, which is nearly all the way down. That seems to be common for many mouthpieces on this SC991.

It's got a bit more resistance than either my Berg (65/2) or my Soloist (refaced to 0.065" also), but it is good resistance that gives something to push against. It seems pretty even from to to bottom of the horn and loud enough, sounding a bit louder, from the player's perspective, than the Berg, but not quite as loud as the Selmer.

Overall I would be very happy to have it as my main piece, but I've got too many already so it's got to go back !

- Rhys

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The mouthpiece has arrived - and in short, it's everything I hoped for. It's got all the character and body of my Otto Link Tone Edge (something I would have missed) and all the ease and precision in the uppermost regions my Rico B5 has. It was never easier to reach the highest notes AND make them sound worthwhile. I'll pass on the Rico (someone wants to buy one of my sopranos, he'll get it) and keep the Tone Edge - but I'll play my new PPT from now on (on a Bauhaus Walstein soprano for the time being...). The ligature is my trusted GF-System III, the reeds are Alexander Superial 2.0. In my opinion, it's hard to beat the mouthpiece - at the price as well as the purpose.

Another great experience - thanks a lot!
Yours sincerely M.

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.

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Soundfile & Review (David Roach)

https://soundcloud.com/davidroach/my-ship-ppt-alto-5-zz-30-gf-lig/s-WrGOb

 

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Hi Pete,

I liked to write a review.
It’s an incredibly good mouthpiece and day after day it shows more and more of what it can do.
Great Fun and very versatile!

yesterday morning I picked up the PPT Onyxite 9 * and in the afternoon I went to the rehearsal room to try it in peace and in all volumes with different reeds.

Honestly I am thrilled and fascinated at the same time. I've never played such an incredibly flexible and enjoyable mouthpiece.

You will find my first feedback on your website (and copy down here).
If you like to post it further feel free to do it!

Cheers,
Leo

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Hi Pete, Just to let you know thanks for letting me try out your mouthpiece. I have it as essential part of my saxophone set up. It really works for me is capable of doing anything ....any style. I used this on Roger Daltreys last album. One track with Pete Townsend , there was inter play with sax and Guitar. You're flippin terrific Pete Thomases mouthpiece was gripping to the tarmac like crazy. From down the bottom of the horn to harmonics I never even realised I could manage. Unfortunately I didn’t have his mouthpiece on my baritone. That was a Berg Larsen. Happy blowing where ever you are.

Big Mart Winning.

(Van Morrison Band. John Martyn . Nick Lowe. Lee Scratch Perry. Dennis Brown Ray Charles . Tanita Tikaram. Hillbilly Moon Explosion. Chris Farlowe . Roger Daltrey) 

https://youtu.be/VfBX4fybK44

https://youtu.be/WJlKH47-XrM

"First impressions. I love the way the mouthpiece looks, and it is beautifully finished for a prototype. Fortunately had an old 2 screw Lig that fit. Spent about half an hour going back and forth between my 10MFan Boss and the Hooligan. Tried a 2 1/2 Bass Clarinet and 3 and 3 1/2 Tenor Sax Legere Signature Reeds.

Facing curve works well on all 3 no quackiness or other oddities. As expected the 3 is easier at this stage to go quietly down low but was a little more fussy on altissimo. A few hours of get to know are in order.

Sound wise my first impressions are its not quite as raspy as my Boss can be but offers a wider palette in the more civilized range of sax noises. I use a 10MFan Robusto for section work which is a great section mouthpiece.

Mid point of the soundscape of the PPT is between the two others. Time will tell, but I think the altissimo on Pete's piece is capable of being a little fuller if not overblown. Both Boss and PPT can shriek up there if pushed.

Again first impressions but I think the PPT Hooligan has the widest sound palette of any mpce I have played so far. Intonation on my SML Gold Medal 1 requires a wee bit less correction on the PPT than the Boss which indicates to me that the mpce and SML are a great match. Big bore horn and big open mpce.

Nicely free blowing which Suits my style. A few hours of long tones at the bottom and altissimo ends will tell the tale.

Oops forgot to add, it's nicely balanced across the range of the horn."

Jazzaferri (PPT Tenor Hooligan prototype)

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Hi Pete
This is just a feedback. Just received this morning a tenor onyxite #9. At first when I placed my reed on the mouthpiece and saw the gap at the tip, I said to myself, "I'll never be able to get a decent sound out of my sax !" Then my first reaction was : If possible, I'll exchange it for a #8.

Just finished playing with the #9 for 1 hour 1/2. At first, as planned, nothing decent came out. But after fiddling around with different reeds and ligatures, the sound just blew out ! Then the next level I experienced was not being able to control the sound to my liking ! But hey... I 'm getting there. The sound is still not as I want it to be but it's looking good and I think it holds lots of possibilities. So I'll keep my #9.

And a big thumbs up for all the work you've been doing for many years. I've been coming to your site for severals years now.

All the best

Pierre

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From the Cafesaxophone Forum:

By email:

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Very thanks for mouthpiece... It's Great !!

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Hi Pete,
I received the mouthpiece yesterday and just love it. My teacher also said that he thought the tone on my SX90R was very good with the PPT. The piece is very easy to play and I cannot put my sax down, Thanks again. Best Regards, Hermann

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Just got the mouthpiece plays incredibly! thank you so much. Not only for a great cause but I now get this wonderful rich smokey jazz tone on my tenor, Just incredibly responsive to my embouchure and I can't stop raving about it. - Mark Lesser

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Mr. Thomas,
Just wanted to let you know that I finally got the mouthpiece in the mail today. i was getting a little worried seeing that im in Afghanistan right now and it had to go all the way back to the states then over here. It took me a couple tries to find the right set up, but once i did i instantly fell in love with it. I cant wait to play on it for my next dixieland jazz gig over here.
Thanks again, Matt

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Pete,
After a few scales to warm it up, I played a couple favorite pieces and liked the sound. Smooth when you want it that way and will bark when you ask it to.
Brian Kidwell

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Hello Pete,
Just to let you know: I collected the two mpc's from the postoffice and finished testplaying them. They are fabolous! My grilfriend liked the new onyxite even better than the one I was borrowing from Ruud de Vries, but we both are absolutely enthousiastich about the bronzite! It seems to give me just that litlle extra 'bite' I was hoping for! Yesterday I did a gig with a 1930's swingorchestra (in which I play the lower tenor parts and a couple of solo's). I used the borrowed onyxite and I got the impression, judiging by the reactions of the band and the audience, that I came close to my idea of a "bigger than life" sound. We played acoustically and I had no trouble at all in either blending in the section or 'competing' with the full orchestra - and this all with a nice 'vintage' sound. Thanks a lot for your beautiful work!I intend to use the bronzite also in a more modern project. It may very well be that thanks to your mpc's I finally found the sound I was looking for.
Best wishes, Kurt Schwab

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Hallo Pete,
this is Klaus from Bonn. I just playtested the PPT Bronzite 7* for about one hour. Here is my first impression.I am enthusiasticated about the MPC. It is very freeblowing from the first minute and the sound is very much variabel. I played it soft in a Ballad and hard and loud in a Rock'n Roll tune. The PPT works perfect form low to high. You can produce a soft tone or even an edgy sound. And it is not necessary to use too much power. I tried it with two types of reeds. First with my standard reed Vandoren V 16 , 3.0. Here the MPC works superb. Then I tried the Vandoren new red Java 3.0 which I use also on my JJ Hard Rubber 7*. This reed is not the best one for the PPT. I also tried my standard Vandoren Optimum Ligature. It fits perfectly and works excellent with the PPT. So far my first comment. I will play the PPT on a gig in the next days and will give you a report again afterwards. All over I can say in the moment : The PPT Bronzite 7 * topped my expectations.
I hope, I found the right words. It is not so easy for me to do it in english. Thank you.
Klaus

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Dear Pete,
I have received your mouthpiece, thank you! It really shows craftmanship. I am an Otto Link player for 20 years, therefore I have to get used to the PPT and blow it for a longer period to see if it's for me or not. The mouthpiece is much smaller in the mouth so I get tired in the muscles soon. So: to early to really say something about it right now. I let you know later how it worked out!
Thanks again,
With kind regards, Ruud de Vries

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Hi Pete,
the ppt mpc. arrived today. Initially I wasnt convinced, I thought the bottom end was nice but the top was shrill, but after half an hour or so I began to warm to it and now I love it.Its as warm and as fat as my berg but the top has more projection and the overall sound has more focus. It works and fits great with an alto francois louis lig. Will give it a good blast at a couple of gigs over the weekend. Aside from the sound, it looks fantastic!!!
regards, Declan Whitston

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Pete, The mouthpiece arrived in the mail today and all I can say is -WOW- I didn't think it would be THIS GOOD! I'd hoped but I've tried many a mouthpiece that were pretty good but they lacked something. This mouthpiece has it all! As soon as I started to play it it started singing from top to bottom and man, what a bottom! It is so easy to play and every note is clear and full. I had trouble putting it down in order to write this. Finally I have the sound coming out of the horn I've wanted to produce for years. Oh happy day! Thank-you and Ed so much for producing one awesome mouthpiece! Alan Theberge (A Train on SOTW)

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Hi Pete - Thanks for the mouthpiece I love it. I was playing a 130/2 Berg so I ordered the 9* PPT. When it arrived I tried it out and thought "Oh no - this is not for me". I then tried different reeds on it and moved down from a 3.5 plasticover to a medium Fibracell and it made all the difference. I have now been playing it solidly and driving the neighbours mad and it does exactly what you said it would do. I can get the low notes easily and (although not fluent yet) get as far up as high altissimo 'D'. I am also using your altissimo fingerings which are now starting to pay off.

Many thanks for posting out the PPT Tenor 9* mouthpiece...my first session on it was superb..its the nearest sound on an ebonite piece that duplicates a metal piece but without the screech and wildness...I will update you once I have played it on a gig... Kindest regards David Cole

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OK, no rush
I own a PPT 8 already and it's my main piece now.
It's so good that I am trying to sell my more expensive pieces like a Parvati and some LAWs and others.
Great job
Keep swinging
Klaus

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Hi Pete,
first of all I wish you a happy 2010. Today I got my new Tenor PPT Onyxite 8 * and I don't hesitate to say : It is fantastic !!!! The sound which I produce on my Selmer Ref 54 is even better as with the PPT 7* Bronzite. I am going to play it with Vandoren V16 or Hemke reeds 2,5 and Vandoren Optimum or Rovner EVO and I will continue to play the PPT 7 * Bronzite with reeds of strength 3,0.

As you know, my schoolenglish is not sufficient to describe the sound, but that would be difficult anyway. But for you it is surely essential to know, that I am very happy with the PPTs. Please give my compliments to Ed Pillinger. He is really a great MPC producer.
Klaus from Bonn

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Pete,
I received the mouthpiece last week.
It took a little while to get used to the sweetspot as it seems to require a lot less mpc in the mouth than my metal link. But once I found the correct mouth placement and reed (Vandoren Traditional 2) it's a huge improvement. It was definately worth the wait just to see the look on my teacher's face at my lesson on Wednesday - he was very impressed and a little jealous. The only thing that I need to work on with it is not overblowing as I'm used to really having to force air through the link. Thanks a lot - money well spent.
regards, Kristian

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Hi Pete, The mpc arrived today and I couldn't resist trying it straight away... This beauty plays on a shoestring, litteraly since I couldn't find a lig that fit in my drawer. First notes and it sings like my Tone Edge or screams like my STM. Many many thanks to Ed and you 😉 Tomorrow I'll try and find a suitable lig to really push it, but I already know this one is a keeper and stated so on our French saxofan forum.
StephenD

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Hi Pete,
I played the Bari at the big band today. Everyone noticed the amazing quality, intonation and edge that I played today. No fooling. You have a winner. I will tell my friend Mike Brignola about it. He might be interested. Now he is using a Lawton 7BB
Regards, Wally

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Hi Pete,
I received the mouthpiece yesterday and just love it. My teacher also said that he thought the tone on my SX90R was very good with the PPT. The piece is very easy to play and I cannot put my sax down, Thanks again.
Best Regards, Hermann

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Hi Pete,
Thank you for the PPT 9* tenor mouthpiece (which I received early July) ! I have been playing this mouthpiece for nearly two weeks, and I have to say, this mouthpiece is amazing - even better than the 8* you supplied; very easy to play, great tone and free-blowing. Absolutely brilliant !
Thanks one again !
All the best, Eric

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Pete,
Mouthpiece arrived today. I unpacked and gave it a test as quickly as possible. I haven't the time for extensive testing yet, but the initial test was excellent. I used a Brancher lig that also arrived today (ordered it just for this mouthpiece) and a previously played 2 1/2 Java reed. After a few scales to warm it up, I played a couple favorite pieces and liked the sound. Smooth when you want it that way and will bark when you ask it to.
I will send a sound sample later when I have some time.
Brian

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Just got the mouthpiece plays incredibly! thank you so much. Not only for a great cause but I now get this wonderful rich smokey jazz tone on my tenor, Just incredibly responsive to my embouchure and I can't stop raving about it.

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Hi Pete
This morning the PPT it's arrived. It is very exact and versatile. It is very more differentiated than the O. Link 9*.
Thank you very much!
Hansueli Marti

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Hi Pete
I received the mouthpiece yesterday, many thanks for the excellent service. Thought I'd provide a bit of initial feedback.

I usually use an Otto Link Tone Edge 7 with Rico Jazz Select reeds strength 2M. My tone on this is fine and blows fairly easily. I also have an Otto Link TE 7* and this blows a bit easier and louder although I find soft playing not quite as controlled.

Before ordering I tried this dark coloured PPT I mentioned elsewhere, and it was the sound of it that made me decide to purchase one.

The one you sent me sounds the same so that's great 🙂

In comparison I find the Otto Link very stuffy and dull compared to the PPT, when I play the PPT it's like someone turned the volume up. Instead of now having to really blow to make it sing I can be gentle and it comes out the same volume. Not only that but when I do push the sound really comes out. The sound from the PPT is very pure and clear. The PPT is not at all stuffy, beautifully free blowing. I notice a similarity in the sound produced by the PPT vs Otto Link in that it's still warm and smokey albeit a bit brighter, but nothing like some other mouthpieces I've tried where they are really edgy.

Today I had a lesson with my tutor, James Rawlinson, and played the Otto Link 7* and then the PPT. He was amazed again how clear the PPT is and told me to definitely stick with it, and over time I'll learn all the differences between the Otto Link and PPT and adjust my playing accordingly. In fact in the lesson he got out the PPT had been lent and played on it the whole lesson too.

So from what I can see so far the description of what the mouthpiece can do matches what I can see, and that's great! Soft and smokey when you want it to be, and powerful and direct at other times. Amazing projection.

I have also tried a RJ Select 2H and it plays fine too, I'll have to experiment a bit more the strength of reed I should be using.

Anyway many thanks, love the mouthpiece 🙂

Andy

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I got my ppt yesterday. Thank you so much. It plays beautifully
-Jacobus

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From: Simon Geschwindt
Message:
Hi Pete, I bought one of your mpcs quite some time ago - an 8. I nearly gave up on it. I'd been playing on a Dukoff D8, and the tip opening of your mpc seemed too daunting. However, I decided to keep at it, and many months later it's gone into overdrive. High and low notes are much easier than with the D8, and the range of tone is so much wider - from rich subtone to a very rocky edge. I use a YTS-62 with Vandoren Java 3s. Joburg winters are extremely dry, and 3s last a lot longer than softer reeds. I'm writing to you because if any customers get dispirited about how long it takes for the embouchure to adjust, tell them to persevere, even if it takes half a year or more. This is an amazing MPC, and the effort is well worth it. Best wishes

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Hi Pete, sure you can quote me. If you want to clean it up a bit, or cut it, feel free. I'd be delighted. I'm absolutely thrilled with the way the MPC has developed. I play mainly outside gigs (see www.simongeschwindt.com), but for lessons inside, the richness and variation of tone colour is an inspiration for students. (They all want one!) And despite the wide tip opening, a hard reed works well if you want a clean sound, especially for solos on tenor of works originally done on soprano, for example,Branford Marsalis on Sting's Little Wing.
All the best, Simon

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The mouthpiece has arrived - and in short, it's everything I hoped for. It's got all the character and body of my Otto Link Tone Edge (something I would have missed) and all the ease and precision in the uppermost regions my Rico B5 has. It was never easier to reach the highest notes AND make them sound worthwhile. I'll pass on the Rico (someone wants to buy one of my sopranos, he'll get it) and keep the Tone Edge - but I'll play my new PPT from now on (on a Bauhaus Walstein soprano for the time being...). The ligature is my trusted GF-System III, the reeds are Alexander Superial 2.0. In my opinion, it's hard to beat the mouthpiece - at the price as well as the purpose.
Another great experience - thanks a lot!
Yours sincerely M.

(Hooligan 8*) First off I found it very customisable in the sense that I could try different reed cuts and strengths to change its tone colour.
Every reed I tried on it worked and must commend it's reed friendliness.
For me it seemed to work better when I "darkened" it with a Rovner style leather ligature and a classic double cut style reed. I usually use an unfilled reed ( Rico Jazz select or Alexander NY ) but these were too aggressive for me on this piece.
It enabled me to whizz up and down the horn very easily and I suddenly felt like a saxophone genius with the speed I was able to play, what I missed though was a centred core sound and the usual control, especially on the attack.
My usual "loud" aggressive mouthpiece is a Geoff Lawton 7*B (0.120) which I found the Hooligan to be quite similar to ( though with a little less core sound but much more "customisable".)
The best analogy I can offer for this mouthpiece is that someone has just given me the keys to an F1 car to drive around the neighbourhood, a lot of very naughty fun but I fear I may have run over the neighbour's cat...(all sounds inclusive!)

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Hi Pete. You may remember that late last year I bought a baritone mouthpiece from you, tried it for a few weeks, struggled, took band-leader advice then asked if I could return it?
Part of the advice was to buy a Yamaha 5C mouthpiece and no.2 reeds to give myself an easier time. This worked - the Bauhaus bari suddenly reached the low notes and could whisper.
I thought that was that, nearly sent your mouthpiece back but tried it again with a No 2 reed and suddenly there was a big smile! A combination of an easy reed, better embouchure has made your mouthpiece sing! It has much better body, tone, and richness compared to the Yamaha and I can also make it whisper - vital for an amateur and sole bari in the band!!
So apologies and thanks. This was operator error. I'm delighted with the mouthpiece now and just wanted to pass that on with gratitude!
One happy customer!!
Kind regards
John Watt
Edinburgh

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Hi Pete,

I've had a couple of days to blow on the PPT with the Martin bari (and RSJ 3M reeds).
I put a review up at cafesaxophone.

https://cafesaxophone.com/threads/my-new-bari-ppt-sig-on-a-the-martin-bari-doxy.20091/

 

I'll put one up on SOTW at some point in the
next few days.

In short - what a fantastic mouthpiece. Great tone, easy to play, takes a lot of air
without giving up: I'm really looking forward to using it in anger because the link
has tended to run out of steam and maybe even chirp if I get over enthusiastic.

The only criticism, and it's a minor niggle: it's only about 1.5 cm on the neck cork to
tune on the Martin - an extra 0.5-1cm of shank would be a really helpful option for
some vintage baris.

Thanks

Sean

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Hi Pete I have received with great satisfaction the mouthpiece .Is fantastic and adapts very well my The Martin without a doubt a great mouthpiece very flexible and great intonation in all registration .Thank you for everything and until the next

Joan Rigol Fernandez

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Hi Pete,
Just want to tell you know how pleased I am with the PPT baritone mpc. It has all the attributes you aimed for, plus some extra magic! A complete joy to play, with just the tone I've been looking for on bari. Looking forward to trying the PPT tenor mpc soon. Any plans for a PPT alto mpc? Cheers! David

Sorry for not responding earlier - I thought I'd rather take my time with the mouthpiece first before reacting. It arrived here last thursday - with a hefty customs tag added, but I don't mind that (you'll see why in an instant).

I'm happy to say that I'm very pleased with the PPT baritone mouthpiece; it sort of ends my indecision - I was stuck between two mouthpieces, my trusted Brancher L27 (ebony) and my newly acquired (old series) Rico Metalite M7. I love the precision, clearness and brightness of the Brancher (because it's bright, but neither sharp nor edgy), but am also fond of the eruptive power and strong low end of the Rico (I've used it on stage more often lately than the Brancher). Now the PPT gives me both - and it's also easier to play in a pleasant mellow tone than both of the others, which means that I can also do away with the Meyer M8M I've use for section work sometimes (I've also used the Brancher for this, but it's easier with the Meyer). I'm really enthusiastic - and all that comes at a very reasonable price, too! 🙂 One interesting observation is that the basic baffle/chamber design of the Brancher and the PPT are very similar (with the PPT offering a slightly bigger chamber, but the same type of smooth baffle); it seems that this is what I've been looking for all along. But newer Brancher pieces aren't offering this design any more.

I had some issues at first, though: it's not really easy to find a ligature that fits it fully (I don't like two screw ligatures - for convenience reasons) - I went with a Rovner Versa for bass clarinet that works reasonably well with the Alexander Superial reeds I use the most, but not quite so well with Hemke reeds (since they're slimmer). I'll also try a GF-System Maxima (I want to try one anyway, and the size I'm after will fit since it can be adapted) - I'll let you know how it works out (you can prevent me from doing so by telling me not to, of course ;)). The reason why I'm talking about ligatures at lengths is that this mouthpiece really needs a good fit - it's what I call "reed-conscious", i.e. it needs a good reed in perfect position to work at its best. While this may seem obvious, none of my other mouthpieces (with the possible exception of the S90 I have to play with the wind orchestra) is as sensitive to reed quality and placement as the PPT. At the beginning, I got some squeaks from a group of brighter reeds and some dullness from some less responsive ones - experimenting with placement brought both kinds nicely in line, which means that I'll be able to play more reeds for all purposes. That's more than a simple added bonus, that's a real feat!

Of course you may quote my comments! As I said, at the price you ask, this is a steal, so I'm absolutely comfortable with recommending the mouthpiece.

Thank you very much for this fine mouthpiece - now I'll have to adapt my setup post on SOTW 🙂

Kind regards Matthias G.

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Pete
I'm very much enjoying the wide dynamic range and the tonal variety that comes naturally to the 'piece.

Sadly there have been complaints from the rest of the family due to the increased volume. Hopefully they'll learn to live with wearing ear plugs!

I'm no mouthpiece expert and have only being playing Bari for a year, but it seems to me that you and Ed have created an excellent piece.

Best regards
Alex