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Model: Jazz
Sax: tenor
Material: brass, silver
Chamber: large
Baffle: low
Description: The Jazz was designed using an Otto Link NY Super Tone Master (STM) as a model for the mold and features a large chamber (the largest of all Barone mouthpieces) and a low baffle(the lowest of all Barone mouthpieces). It is the darkest of all Barone mouthpieces and one of the darkest metal mouthpieces in general. The sound is rich and fat/lush, similar to a Link NY, but more complex. The mouthpiece is often described as a “perfect Link” or a Link NY “with manners” as it is more freely-blowing, is less stuffy and has a larger dynamic range. Slight design changes were made to the inside after ~2003 which led to a smaller resistance and a more freely blowing mouthpiece. The Barone Jazz is played by jazz legend Charles Lloyd (see below).
Phil Barone
Most Phil Barone mouthpieces are CNC machined from blocks of brass, solid sterling silver or hard rubber, and are hand finished in his shop outside of New York City. Phil Barone has been producing and customizing mouthpieces (and other products) for about 20 years at a rate of 6-7 mouthpieces per month.
Phil Barone in his shop.
Model: Fusion
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: medium small
Baffle: high
Description: The Fusion is the most ‘penetrating’ of all Barone mouthpieces with high power, ideally suited for Rock and Fusion. The image shows an early model with the black bite plate.
Model: Hollywood
Sax: tenor, soprano
Material: brass, silver
Chamber: large
Baffle: low and long
Description: The Hollywood is also based on an Otto Link NY STM design, but is a louder alternative to the Jazz or New York models due to its baffle design. It has a larger chamber than the New York model. A Barone Hollywood mouthpiece was used - among many others - by Stanley Turrentine (#8) during the last six months of his life, Lou ‘Blue Lou’ Marinni (#8, below left), Rob Sheppard (below middle), Mike Stern (below right), and the Chick Corea Sextet. A soprano Hollywood is shown on the left.
Model: New York
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: medium small
Baffle: medium
Description: The New York is one of the three Barone mouthpiece that is based on an early Otto Link STM design and was specifically designed for modern jazz and post-bop players. It has medium roll-over baffle and a large round chamber (slightly smaller than the Jazz and the Hollywood). The tone is fat and lush, but clear and loud, in line with a ‘traditional jazz’ sound. It produced great subtones with an abundance of overtones. The saxophonist Steve Grossman uses one of the first 30 hand finished NY models (#8, pictured here).
Model: Traditional/Contemporary
Sax: tenor, soprano
Material: brass
Chamber: small
Baffle: medium-low
Description: The Traditional/Contemporary produces a centered, bright, unstuffy sound that becomes increasingly brighter when being pushed. It is also easy to control and even across all registers, suited for acoustic jazz, funk, and R&B. On the left is a current-production tenor model. Note that later models (starting around 2006) do not have the “Made with pride” and “date” stamped on the side. “New York, NY” is also missing at the top and the “USA” stamp is missing on the side of the mouthpiece. Lou ‘Blue Lou’ Marini uses this mouthpiece (tip opening #8) on his alto saxophone and Ernie Watts on soprano (#8) saxophone.
Left: Tenor Traditional/Contemporary
Left: Alto Traditional/Contemporary
Model: Vintage
Sax: tenor, soprano
Material: hard rubber
Chamber: medium large
Baffle: low
Description: The Vintage is crafted using traditional mouthpieces as a guideline. It is a very versatile mouthpiece that is particularly popular among soprano players. On the left is a Vintage tenor mouthpiece with a patch (most hard rubber mouthpiece do not come with a bite plate).
On the left is an older tenor model with a dark bite plate.
Model: Contemporary
Sax: tenor, alto
Material: brass
Chamber: medium
Baffle: high
Description: The Contemporary has a narrow, stream-lined body with a medium chamber and high baffle, creating a high volume and a centered, bright tone. A Contemporary #8 alto mouthpiece is used by Jackie McLean (pictured above) and Ernie Watts.
Model: Mainstream
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: large
Baffle: medium
Description: This is an ‘all-purpose’ mouthpiece that can adapt to various playing conditions.
Model: Soundmaster
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: large
Baffle: medium
Description: Created in 2007, this is an imported CNC machined mouthpiece that is hand finished, but not by Phil Barone himself. It features a large, round chamber with more baffle than a Link and a screw-on ligature (similar to Otto Link or Lawton metal mouthpieces).
Model: Classic
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: medium
Baffle: roll-over
Description: The Classic has a dark, centered and clear tone and features a roll-over baffle, suited for a variety of different situation where large amounts of volume are needed.
On the left is a Hollywood for tenor with a pink replacement biteplate that was refaced by Eric Greiffenhagen.
Model: Standard
Sax: tenor
Material: brass
Chamber: medium
Baffle: roll-over
Description: The Classic has a dark, centered and clear tone and features a roll-over baffle, suited for a variety of different situation where large amounts of volume are needed.
On the left is a rare ebony NY 7* tenor mouthpiece, made in 2003, that has never been played. Only a few ebony NY mouthpieces were made by Phil Barone.