The perfect beginner mouthpiece

There is very little choice in the beginner mouthpiece category as most manufacturers tend to concentrate their efforts on the more advanced upgrade pieces. However, it is SO essential for beginners to get off to the best possible start when establishing sound and technique and there is nothing worse than being tied to the stock mouthpiece that comes with the sax! Often players don't realise that these unbranded mouthpieces are the cause of their inability to get a good sound, and naturally the student assumes that they are at fault! The mouthpiece and reed are where the sound is born and it's unfair on the player to have a decent sax but a poor quality mouthpiece. That's where the BetterSax Classic mouthpiece comes in. It's affordable and it plays great!

These mouthpieces are made using aerospace and defence department grade injection molding using the same high-quality plastic that is found in surgical equipment. They are then hand finished by experts in the JJ Babbitt factory in Elkhart Indiana. One essential component to these mouthpieces is their consistency - unlike some competitors in this category, and in fact in much higher price categories too, the Classic has perfectly even side and tip rails, resulting in a piece that performs with a smooth and even sound.

Not only with the BetterSax Classic mouthpiece set you up perfectly when learning to develop your sound in the first few weeks, but it will take you far beyond this to the point when you join your first band or ensemble. The sound is rounded and warm, allowing you to blend in the section, but equally it can project and produce a big sound, perfect for solo passages.

Features

• Material: Surgical grade plastic

• Made In: USA

• Chamber: Medium-Large

• Baffle: Slight rollover

• Ligature: Not included

• Recommended for: Beginners and Developing Students

Staff review

I personally feel very strongly about the lack of care that is afforded to beginner players when it comes to the mouthpiece. It is an area neglected by the saxophone makers, and teachers alike. The sound and response that you get from some unbranded stock mouthpieces can be so unattractive, and it's wholly unfair on the new student who literally has no idea where the fault lies. These BetterSax mouthpieces deal with all of that and make the whole business enjoyable again. The sound is super smooth, on the darker side (which is great in a beginner mouthpiece) and the response remains strong in the extreme ranges. I was particularly surprised to find that they outplayed Yamaha 4C's, so famous for their sound and consistency. In alto it was a closer contest, but in tenor I found the BetterSax to produce a much bigger and more multi-layered sound. Great job Jay in developing these pieces and I am happy to wholeheartedly recommend them to any newbie out there!

Jim Cheek

Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces