Review: Yanagisawa Classical AC140 and SC120 Alto and Soprano Mouthpieces

Welcome back, all! Today, I will be reviewing a new series of mouthpieces from Japanese saxophone make, Yanagisawa, the AC140 and SC120. Prior to this new series, Yanagisawa mouthpieces were limited to a single hard rubber line and metal line, both of which were generally regarded to be more jazz-oriented. It’s great to see more and more great manufactures jump into spaces that had previously left classical saxophonists wanting! These mouthpiece review units were graciously provided by Conn-Selmer.

If you want to learn even more about Yanagisawa Classical series:
Learn more from Conn-Selmer: http://bit.ly/yani-sixs-ligature-and-mpc

Check out my video reviews (including playing comparisons) below.

TLDW: The AC140 alto mouthpiece has a smaller more intimate sound but plays with best-of-class response and articulation across the registers. The SC120 soprano mouthpiece has a bigger rounder sound but a bit more resistance than I was expected, given the characteristics of the alto mouthpiece. Both are well-made and a good value relative to other products on the market, even if the packaging and presentation are left a bit wanting in comparison to Selmer or Vandoren.

Review: D'Addario Reserve D155 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Welcome to the second post of this blog! Today, I will be reviewing the D’Addario’s first serious entry into the classical saxophone market, the D’Addario Reserve D155! This is only one mouthpiece out of the Reserve lineup but I chose the D155 because its dimensions were most similar to my S90 190 on paper. Check out my video review (including playing comparisons) below.

TLDW: This mouthpiece plays rather dark (with enough edge to project) and with a decent amount of resistance. While the D155 may not offer what I seek for my own playing, it is an excellent addition to the market and I highly recommend you give it a try.

Review: Vandoren Profile AP3 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Hello world, welcome to my new blog! This space will be used for product reviews, pedagogy, help, and general thoughts concerning music and saxophone. To commemorate the inaugural post, I will be reviewing the brand-new Vandoren Profile AP3 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece! This mouthpiece is soon-to-be-released by Vandoren Paris and is a very promising addition to their lineup. Check out my video review (complete with playing comparisons) below.

TLDW: This is my favorite Vandoren mouthpiece, however I still prefer square-chambered mouthpieces from Selmer Paris. This will be interesting competition to the Selmer Concept.