JodyJazz Hand-Hammered - Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Simply Sensational - the World's first Hand Hammered mouthpiece!

Introducing the heaviest mouthpiece in the world; built to the proportions of a hard rubber piece, but made of brass, hence its notable mass!  The first time you pick up this mouthpiece you will be surprised at the weight you feel in your hand.

But the real head turning aspect of this mouthpiece is the fact that it is hand hammered.  Up until this point, this has never been done in the world of saxophone mouthpieces - however, it is a widely recognised technique in cymbal making, where the act of hand hammering changes the molecular structure of the metal and the resulting tone is one of more depth, density and shimmering overtones.  Jody found that applying these same techniques to a metal sax mouthpiece yielded similar results.

Jody's concept here was to produce a piece that sits perfectly in the middle-ground, not too dark and not too bright, therefore suiting the majority of players.  Even though it has a high price tag, in large part due to the specialist hammering techniques that are applied to each piece by master cymbal craftsman Paul Francis, you are rewarded by owning a mouthpiece that simply excels in every aspect of performance.

Previously this piece was made for a limited run of only 300 pieces, but specifically in a rose gold-plated finish, therefore appealing to collectors.  But the decision has now been made to open up the production on a permanent basis, only this time the pieces are being gold plated in order to distinguish themselves from their limited-edition counterparts.

It is also seriously worth considering pairing this incredibly beautiful mouthpiece with Jody's equally mass-orientated ligatures, the Power Ring - he has specifically designed a hand hammered version to perfectly partner with this mouthpiece; these Power Rings have been proven to add further weight and density to the sound, not to mention their incredible aesthetics.

Features

• Material: Hand Hammered Brass, Gold Plated

• Made In: USA

• Chamber: Medium

• Baffle: Rollover

• Ligature: Not included

• Recommended for: Ballads, Jazz, Pop, Soul, R&B, Funk etc

Staff review

First up, this is a remarkable looking mouthpiece - before you even play it you are struck by its beauty and in some ways it seems more akin to a piece of jewellery than a mouthpiece.  But when you forget about all that and get on with playing it (and you must pair it up with his Power Ring for maximum effect) you are immediately drawn into this world of joy and beauty.  The sound is seriously sumptuous - creamy and resonant; heavyweight at the bottom; full and striding as you ascend through the range of the horn.  It's not stuffy - there's a perfect clarity and richness.  When you really push it, the sound is bold and full, not with the same snap and pop as the DV, but enough to push through in most situations.  As Jody describes it himself, this is a great all-rounder.

Jim Cheek