JJ Babbit Co./  Meyer  /  Otto Link 
 

* Peter Ponzol II-V-I, M2 (tenor) and "Traditional" HR now available! *

* Vandoren mouthpieces now available by special order *
 

Dustome.Customized, new Meyer mouthpieces by Johannes Gerber

Select  custom mouthpieces:

$165

Exceptionally good player with full, powerful voice.  Roughly average controllability for a Lakey - great for the right player, a challenge for a player who needs a more controllable piece.  Can make some horns sound good, though, that other pieces don't seem to match.

Cosmetically very good-excellent. Ligature incl.

$75

This example is in good condition, but does have a small nick at the upper left corner of the table (please see photos).  I have playtested this piece, though, and it does not seem to show any signs of wanting to chirp as a consequence.

These are surpringly nice playing stock pieces, with some edge and volume to them.  The opening is medium.

$45 

These mouthpieces actually play well, but they are bright.

New/Like-new condition.

$39 

This is a screamer.  One of Johannes's trademark, souped-up Dukoffs, this is piece is loud, accurate, and powerful.  If you're looking for one of these, you already know what it is, this is it, and you will not be disappointed.  If not, it's a piece with a fairly large opening, high baffle, that can take everything you can give it, with unique cut, edge, core and projection.  It is NOT a "6" sizing, it's considerably larger, somewhere between an 8* and a 9, I believe.

sold - thank you, K!

This custom piece has a large, round chamber, and the opening feels like at least a .078 -- it's a piece for a player with some chops, seeking a Meyer with a big bottom end, that really feels like hardrubber both physically and sonically -- without that buzziness (bad kind of buzziness) of modern Meyers -- and who can put some air in the horn.  It's still controlled and even with less air, but it doesn't become the ringing, loud, full-bodied piece it wants to be until it's pressured.  This is a considerably more powerful, louder piece than modern Meyers, yet even and controlled, round and dark, thanks to the piece's design and Johannes's fine tuning of the tip rail and side rails.

"Meyer Limited Edition" stock cap, Meyer ligature, and original box included.

sold

Vintage (real) hardrubber Brilhart, cleaned up and refaced by Johannes Gerber.  Nice and even, throughout the range, quick and even altissimo response, subtones readily.  Very nice vintage Brilhart with Jo's excellent work.

sold - thank you, J!

Tip opening unmeasured, but this is a piece for someone seeking something larger than a .075-.078, and some resistance.  It's round, dark, even, and very accurate intonationally, an exceptional piece for a technical player, but definitely not ideal for a student or any one who likes a "soft" set-up; it's a piece that is probably best suited to a professional playing mostly "legit" with strong chops.  For some reason, this piece plays exceptionally well and in perfect tune with Martin Handcraft altos, horns that are often difficult to match to mouthpieces.  It is very, very good on vintage American altos in general.  I have been keeping this piece for myself for several years, in case I should find a Martin Handcraft I just couldn't sell, and just never found that Handcraft.  It was purchased new in 2001 or 2002 in a group purchase of Bay pieces from a professional saxophonist who was a friend of Bay's.  It is mouthpiece of exceptionally fine quality.  Bright and edgy - no; controlled, round and dark - yes.

$245 - on eBay now

Horseshoe chamber.  Very clean.  Outstanding piece after JVW's old revamped Soloists.  On most saxophones -- not all, but most -- this is the best mouthpiece in the house for jazz saxophonists.

sold - thank you, DRP!

This Broadus piece was refaced to a medium, professional tip opening, about .068-.072 (unmeasured), and has been in temperature controlled storage for a few years.  I asked Jo to reface this piece to retain its original qualities, and it's a mellow, dark, lyrical piece with great control.  It is probably best suited to acoustic settings and section work, much more in the Paul Desmond vein, somewhere between a vintage Link and a vintage Brilhard Ebolin (minus the Brilhart edge).  This piece is about finesse, and fineness and evenness of response.  The facing has a couple of light nicks in its surface, but neither of them traverse the entire rail, and the piece does not chirp.

sold - thank you, T.P.!

I had the shaft of this piece shortened, to make it compatible with vintage Conn altos, and the microtuner (normally the shaft prevents the chamber from being pushed far enough on to the microtuner barrel to play properly in tune on "Chu" era and most 6M altos.  The shortened shaft, of course does not affect the tuning on normal necks, as that part of the shaft is not part of the mouthpiece chamber.

Refaced by Johannes Gerber in 2005 or 2006, I have been holding onto this piece in case just the right "Chu" alto should come along, making me wish I had it back.  The facing is nice & clean, and roughly a .077.

$245

It's been years since I had a chance to play this piece, and before rescuing it from safe storage.  Refaced by Will Grizzle, I remember it as having a medium opening (.075 or thereabouts).

Grizzle is a much sought after saxophone and mouthpiece specialist in Georgia.

I'll update this listing when I have a chance to play this piece again.

sold

The Meyer "G" is a larger chambered off-the-shelf piece brought out by Meyer to answer players' interest in vintage mouthpieces.  Johannes Gerber customized this to give it a true rollover baffle, and to make it play evenly up and down the range of the instrument, with the trademark ease of subtone and speech in the bottom end, and evenness in the high notes.

This piece is dark, round, and sweet, in the vein of vintage Links, something like a Steve Broadus with more volume and power.

sold - thank you, DRP!

I have had this piece for 4 or 5 years, dating back to when I carried Morgan pieces for sale with alto purchases because I felt they were the best of the off-the-shelf pieces -- dependable, well made, about as good as it could get in 2004 for less than 250.  Appreciated as such at the end of Morgan's career, appreciation for these pieces has only grown since his passing.  Unlike most modern off-the-shelf pieces, these will likely continue to appreciate in value over time, much like Links and Meyers of the pre-modern era.

Of the dozen odd pieces of his I carried from 2001-2005, this is the one I held onto.

It has not been played much, but (in safe storage) it has inherited a bit of a shadow from the toothguard.  The pictures tell the story.  It is a typical Morgan "Jazz" piece for alto, just a little better than the others that came through my shop.

sold - thank you, A!

This is an older ("new, old stock") Ponzol piece, and a great, professional quality mouthpiece, especially at the price.  It's been in storage a few years, in a climate controlled storage locker.  Response and intonation are very even, and it plays like a cross between a good Link and a good Meyer.  It's difficult, if not impossible, to find off-the-shelf pieces in this price range that play as well, or as evenly.  Power-wise, it's about the same as a good, vintage Brilhart Eboline.  Opening .075.

$95

Like new condition.

$35

Very nice example of these out-of-production pieces, in excellent condition.  Some light tooth scratching in two spots on the beak (please see photos), but otherwise very nice cosmetically.  Plays extremely well.  Fans of the good Selmer scroll shank pieces for alto will likely find this piece to their taste.

this piece
temporarily lost in space....
possibly sold

Loud & powerful, older Lakey.  Good condition, with flaw in the front area of bite plate - not sure if it's a manufacturing flaw or from use.  This piece plays well, and loudly.  It was previously partnered to an goldplated SML, and was previously owned by a professional player and instructor.  Obtained in purchase of the SML.

sold - thank you, CH!

These are pieces from a more Linklike template than Morgan's usual more Meyer-like designs.  They have a lower baffle than the Jazz or Excalibur line, and a very large, round chamber.  They will play nicely in tune on older American altos, and can lend bottom end and body - darkness - to French and modern makes.

This piece is new, and has not yet been playtested.

sold

$40