Description
I’m very excited to present GetASax.com’s very own mouthpiece project: GS Mouthpieces (main page)
The big idea here is to let you experience the magic of the best mouthpieces I have ever played, for a price that makes them widely accessible for the first time.
This mouthpiece is a very precise copy of one of my personal Otto Link Reso Chamber tenor mouthpieces, which was faced by the great Freddie Gregory to a perfect 7*. It’s medium dark, but not too dark, with moderate focus, and gets punchy without thinning out when pushed. Balanced and responsive, it’s one of the best all-around tenor mouthpieces I’ve played. Even if you normally play brighter pieces, the GS Reso is worth having in your arsenal. It’s ideal for jazz, beautiful on ballads, and can handle burning bebop tenor lines like a champ. The facing is just right. Subtone is effortless, response is quick. Altissimo pops right out. It’s very free blowing and takes air extremely comfortably. The 7* .105″ tip opening is very comfortable. Newer players can easily manage it with a 2.5 reed. And for pros, it slots right in with a Rigotti 3 light to 3.5 medium. (I like the Rigotti 3 light personally.)
The computer model we developed for the Reso is accurate down to .001” compared to my original Otto Link Reso Chamber. Each mouthpiece gets carefully hand faced, precisely measured, and tested, so that it really is totally right! Bottom line: You get the equivalent of a $1500+ vintage mouthpiece for only $199. People keep saying we should charge more, but the whole idea from the start has been to make the best mouthpieces widely accessible, not to maximize profits. A lot of people have never played a really good mouthpiece. It’s time to change that.
Using cutting-edge tech, we went through over 50 prototypes so that now every one of these sounds like the original.
NOTE ON FACINGS: When you select your facing in the drop down menu, you will see various options. The FG SPECIAL 7* facing is the one that is an exact copy of my Freddie Gregory refaced Reso Chamber. Believe it or not, this project actually required us to scan my TWO best Reso Chamber tenor mouthpieces in order to give you the ability to select your own tip opening. We didn’t want to cut any corners, so we scanned my best original 5 tip Reso Chamber mouthpiece as well as the Freddie refaced Reso Chamber, and we modeled both of them.
When you select any tip opening other than the FG SPECIAL 7*, then you will be getting a Reso Chamber built from my original facing Reso Chamber. The reason for this is pretty easy to explain: Otto Link manufactured mouthpiece ‘blanks’ with a zero tip opening. Then they opened them up from a closed tip to whatever tip opening they wanted. In order to give you different tip openings authentically, we needed to do it the same way. So we started with a smaller tip Reso Chamber, and then we used Otto Link facing curves to carefully model ‘opening’ the 5 tip to whatever facing you want, just like if it were done on a facing machine. We also move the baffle work to the appropriate position like on a hand finished piece. This Reso Chamber mouthpiece is unbelievably good. It is just as rich and complex as the FG SPECIAL RESO, but it plays just a little brighter, and the mouthpiece itself is also a little longer (Otto Link used a couple of different molds to make the Reso Chamber model.) It’s the one that Steve Neff reviews here. So if you normally have to pull out a lot to tune, or you want just a little more punch than the FG SPECIAL RESO while remaining basically dark and rich, that’s what you get!
If you want an exact copy of the Reso Chamber Joe Allard Facing that we scanned, including the J.A. stamp on the table and the more rounded tip profile, then select the 5 JA facing. It measures .081″ or so and takes air nicely. The smaller tip GS RESO mouthpieces are perfect for concert band or ensemble tenor settings. If you’re coming from a Yamaha 4C or Vandoren and want something richer, warmer, and more interesting, consider one of the smaller tip GS RESO models. They are excellent all-purpose tenor mouthpieces.
Material:
GS Mouthpieces are made of a premium biocompatible dental resin, and printed at an especially high resolution. You don’t see messy print lines everywhere, because the print is so high quality! This dental resin is designed to be in your mouth, so it’s ideal for a mouthpiece.
The density and the hardness are almost identical to vintage hard rubber! So GS Mouthpieces vibrate like hard rubber and feel familiar and comfortable to play.
Finishing:
Each GS RESO gets carefully hand faced and finished before coming to you. This is super important. The magic of a mouthpiece is in the facing. If you buy a generic, mass-produced mouthpiece, chances are the table is not flat and the facing is uneven between the side rails. As a result, the reed vibrates unevenly. It feels stuffy and dead, resistant, and all-around disappointing to play. SO many people have this problem, whether they know it or not. I don’t know how many players I’ve helped to get their first actually good mouthpiece, and all of a sudden playing is fun!
Since we flatten the table, you get an easy reed seal. There are no print lines or marks messing up the facing. It’s smooth and perfect like a boutique mouthpiece. The facing is also finished by hand, which is a BIG plus. I’m really picky about this, so I learned to do it myself so I could be sure these pieces were actually the same as my Freddie Gregory-faced Reso Chamber. Each facing is measured at ten points to make sure that it is even and consistent throughout.
Mouthpiece facings are unforgiving. Small problems can make a big difference in playability. Unlike any other mouthpiece of its kind or anywhere near its price, each one of these GS mouthpieces goes out the door only when it is faced just right. Every one is as good as the best mouthpieces I have played.
I have been collecting mouthpieces seriously for over ten years now, and I have been saving the very best ones over that time. I currently have about 750 pieces, and of those there are about 20 that I think are in that Holy Grail category. Those are the mouthpieces that will be coming out in the GS Mouthpieces line. Keep an eye on this, if you want to put together a collection of the best playing saxophone mouthpieces ever, while keeping costs to a minimum. Each one has a magic of its own, and each one gives you a unique and beautiful tone and response that makes it a joy to play!
Ligatures:
No ligature or cap is included, in order to keep costs to a minimum on these mouthpieces.
Wally West (verified owner) –
Brian,
The GS RESO Freddie Gregory 7* Facing Mouthpiece arrived, and I was excited to open the package and get down to business with it!
It’s great that you’ve chosen to share your very rare and special mouthpiece (through CNC copying), and as you state on your website, that folks like me can obtain the equivalent of a $1500+ vintage mouthpiece for a fraction of the price. Although I don’t own a Freddie Gregory mouthpiece (or a mouthpiece that he refaced), I have had the opportunity to play one. I was always blown away with the ease of playing, the ergonomics of the beak, and the evenness from bottom to top. Freddie’s work was second to none.
I had high expectations of the GS RESO, simply due to the Freddie refacing. I’m happy to say that the GS RESO doesn’t disappoint in any way! There’s a certain comfort to this mouthpiece that few pieces have, both with ergonomics and resistance. Free blowing mouthpieces are great, as long as there’s something to keep you in check, and the GS RESO has that magical level of resistance that’s on point. The beak angle also keeps you in check with your embouchure. It would be difficult to play this mouthpiece incorrectly.
As promised, the GS RESO provides a full, robust, dark sound that can be pushed to punch through. What’s fun is the versatility it exudes – you choose the timbre you want that’s correct for the music you play, from Lester Young to Michael Brecker, just by utilizing the personal nuances you use to emulate their sounds.
There’s no doubt that Mr. Otto Link had the skills to create the best playing tenor sax mouthpieces in his time – just look at the number of manufacturers who offer their versions of his acclaimed holy grail mouthpieces. With the GS RESO, I feel like I am actually playing an Otto Link Reso Chamber that was refaced by Freddie Gregory. Yes, it’s *that* good.
Thanks for making your prized possession mouthpiece available to the saxophone community at a reasonable price.
Thomas Feldmann (verified owner) –
Brian
The mpc is awesome. It doesn’t feel like a 7* at all. I play a 2,5 reed and it seems like the perfect match.
I have a vintage Ponzol 110 which Freddie refaced some years ago before he past away. I think I can feel his work. Same good playability up and down the entire registers.
Cant wait for the next model you will have in your vintage series.
Thx Thomas
Bill Pfeifer (verified owner) –
Hi Brian,
I just wanted to let you know that my mouthpiece arrived a couple of days ago.
Firstly, thanks for such a quick turnaround. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive it so quickly – given how slow our postal service has been this year.
The mouthpiece is great. I am an intermediate level player and have been using a Theo Wanne Gaia 7* for the last few years. The GS Reso has a different feel and tone, but it is just as well made as the Gaia. It produces a lovely full sound across the entire range of the horn and is very easy to play – especially at low volume. In short, it does everything you said it would. I am really looking forward to getting to know it better!
Thanks for producing such a great mouthpiece, and at a bargain price!
Regards,
Bill Pfeifer
José Pessoa –
A good vintage mouthpiece costs so much money that you just stop looking for them, give up and be happy with whatever suits you. Don’t take me wrong. There is available a wide choice of refined mouthpieces coming from many skilled producers (Wanne, Klum, Lamberson, Drake, …).
It is not every day you can play a “real copy” of a great mouthpiece fine-tuned by the great Freddie Gregory without having to break the bank. Thanks Brian and the team for creating this opportunity at $199.
This was the reason why I was so excited with the possibility of playing this mouthpiece (7*). I received it a week ago. The mouthpiece, table, rails and chamber look soft and well made. The mouthpiece seals perfectly. When you try the mouthpiece with the neck the overtones pop up easily and clean.
I tried with several reeds and was very happy with a Rigotti 2,5.
It is free blowing but offers a comfortable resistance that allows you to feel in control over all registers of the saxophone. The tone is medium dark and never feels thin. It is amazing how homogeneous is the tone and texture as you move up or down.
The sound is even and the intonation very good. Subtone is easy. Overtones are clean and jump promptly. It’s a very controlled piece.
Bebop jazz and ballads look like its territory. I bet you have no problems playing it louder with a Rigotti 3 or similar, but you can not peel paint from the wall with them.
I played the mouthpiece with a Conn 10M and a SML Gold Medal. Even if the mouthpiece worked perfectly with both I was happier when using it with the SML.
The mouthpiece tuned too close to the beginning of the neck with the Conn. I would prefer the mouthpiece to have a longer shank (like Drake or Lamberson).
In summary I felt the piece delivered as promised.
I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Brian. For my part I would like to try other legendary mouthpieces (at a reasonable price)!
Thanks!
José
John Weber (verified owner) –
Got my GS Reso today. Wow! I’ve tried other Reso copies and your blows them away hands down. I was a little skeptical but for $199 figured why not. It’s a spectacular mouthpiece. Every bit as good as you said and for less than half the cost of other copies. Congrats on a job well done. A tremendous mouthpiece as well as a tremendous value! thanks for making this available! John
Austin S. (verified owner) –
I’m an intermediate sax player who was looking for a unique mouthpiece with warmth, great intonation, and a guarantee to play well out of the box without breaking the bank. My 6* GS Reso ticks all of these boxes and more.
After hearing about the GS Reso on YouTube and intrigued by a handpicked vintage Otto Link model that would be printed but given the attention of a hand facing, I messaged Brian with my setup, and he suggested I try the 6* GS Reso (not the 7* Freddie Gregory facing). Here are my impressions so far:
This is a comfortable and easy-blowing mouthpiece. The way it fits in my mouth and the amount of resistance it offers are just right. Another reviewer says “it would be difficult to play this mouthpiece incorrectly”, and I agree. The table is perfectly flat, and it’s very reed friendly. It came with a clear D’Addario Reserve mouthpiece patch, and even that feels just right (which I say as someone who typically prefers thicker patches). I did remove the patch to try a thicker one, and in the process I lightly scratched the top of the mouthpiece with a fingernail. This surprised me at first, however it’s just the thin surface print lines that scratch, and they can be removed with super fine sandpaper. Underneath is sturdy resin, which Brian confirms can be sanded and polished as much as you like. The mouthpiece fits snuggly at the halfway point on the cork of my sax neck.
What I’m most impressed by is how consistent the tone is across the range of the horn. It’s warm and focused, slightly dark-leaning, and the intonation is spot on. If you push, it gets louder while only somewhat brighter. It’s not the loudest mouthpiece, but it has enough carrying power for most situations. I found the difference between subtone and core sound to be less pronounced than on my other mouthpieces, which might be a testament to its sweet timbre. Overall, this is a fantastic mouthpiece. With a smaller tip I could easily imagine it bridging classical and jazz, and with the right reed you could jump into many genres of music. I’m looking forward to future GS mouthpiece offerings!
Moritz Haas (verified owner) –
Hi, got mine today (7*) and I am blown away. Takes more air than I was used to before (Yamaha 5 and STM 7*) but I can play down to Bb with big tone and getting intonation right even feels easier. Speaks very well. Looking forward to many happy hours! MPC choice is very personal, however I can easily recommend it. Thanks! Best, Moritz
Eddie Pertuz –
Just solved my hunting for the right MP -Love everything about it.
Clive Astle (verified owner) –
I have both the Freddie Gregory Special 7* and the Joe Allard 5. They are different designs but very similar vintage sounds, perfect for the ballads I mainly play. The FG Special is the easiest mouthpiece I have ever played. Low notes are especially easy.
The JA 5 is perfect for a dining setting – the classic photo of Dexter Gordon wandering among the tables of diners – because it is able to be whisper quiet including subtone. My wife loves being serenaded by this romantic mouthpiece!
Bill Newton –
Wow, Brian, I am absolutely loving the Slant 7* — nice job! I’m a longtime Link player (metal and HR), and it just speaks so articulately and melodiously. It also is reed friendly — sounds great with Jazz Select 3M, Java 3, and Superial DC 2.5 for whisperin’. I love that bit of crackle at the edge — like Delbert’s voice. I cannot WAIT to take it on a gig. Thank you.
Jay –
Absolutely outstanding on my Yanagisawa T-901, by far my favorite mouthpiece I’ve tried on it. If they offer alto mouthpieces in the future, I’m buying.
Walter (verified owner) –
Truly an excellent mouthpiece. Every serious Otto Link affectionato, or the curious, as was I, owes it to themselves to try these mouthpieces. Patient, understanding and quick reply Customer Service made my experiences worth highly recommending. I have the RESO FG 7* and RESO 5 JA, I enjoy them both, and they are the only two I use since getting them, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon, unless … I buy the GS FL Link lol Thanks to Mr. Curry for his true professionalism and love for his Craft.
Petri Santavuori (verified owner) –
Fedex visited today! After 3 hours playing I can say this one (GS RESO FG 7*) is great for me. I am playing it with MkVI and Francois Louis ligature. Vandoren red box 2,5, Rico Jazz Select 2M, Legere American Cut 2,25 and 2,5 are good. Vandoren red box 2 was too soft. This mouthpiece is a great gear in my Gig Bag. Other Mouthpieces I use to play are Retro Revival UK Special, Link STM 7 and Vandoren Jumbo Java T55. The GS RESO gives me the dark and warm sound I was looking for.
NoExcusesShow.com (verified owner) –
This MP is awesome… By far I can use it on all my Saxophones. Yani, SML, Conn Naked Lady, The Martin… and what top it all off, I have a very well sax that was mouthpiece snob..lol It plays great now All my saxophones play better than my JJ both DV NY & CHI
Ving13 (verified owner) –
I just received my GS RESO 5 JA mouthpiece and I love it. Even though it has a relatively small tip opening, it projects very well. It is easy to play and has fantastic intonation–it is easy to hit both low and high notes and they sound clean and powerful. I look forward to spending many hours exploring the range of sounds that I’ll be able to get from this excellent MPC. Huge shout out to Brian for taking the time to email me about different MPC options and for using expedited shipping to get the MPC in my hands within a week of my order. His customer service is second to none.
Eric Jeffery (verified owner) –
The construction of this mouthpiece is gorgeous, from the thin tip, to the thin rails, to the baffle, you can tell this is a masterful mouthpiece. I have always wanted a GS RESO FG 7*, but I didn’t have a tenor of my own. As soon as I bought my own tenor, I ordered this mouthpiece. The sound this mouthpiece makes just screams vintage. Easy blower from top to bottom. Also easier altissimo, feels like I don’t even have to try. If you’re even contemplating getting this mouthpiece, get it. This is one of the only places you’re gonna get this good of a mouthpiece for such a low price.
Tim (verified owner) –
The GS RESO FG 7* is the first modern mouthpiece I’ve ever found that gives me the response, tone, and tuning I’m looking for on my 30s Bueschers and 20s Conns. Everything else I’ve tried, including a lot of extremely good mouthpieces, only have two of those three at best. I’m so convinced by it that I’m selling the rest of my mouthpieces, buying two more, and calling it a day with searching for tenor pieces.
Ron Hendon (verified owner) –
FG SPECIAL 7*
Best MP I’ve ever played
I’m 58 and have played tenor since I was 13. I was a music performance major in college and have played semi pro on and off over the years. I think I’ve played most major brands of Mouthpieces out there as I play many varied styles of music. I currently was playing an Otto link FL 6 and a Jody Jazz DV 7 and since I’ve received the FG SPECIAL 7* my other mouthpieces will be taking a back seat . This is truly the most amazing MP I’ve ever played when it arrived I couldn’t put it down and actually played until my lip bled😂 it is that good !
Thanks for the best MP ever and an amazing price ! Much appreciate .
Adam (verified owner) –
I was so devastated when I dropped and broke my GS RESO FG 7* that I *immediately* logged into my computer and ordered a replacement.
My current setup is a 1929 Conn NW2 tenor, this mouthpiece, a GS EchoMaster ligature and strength S BSS reeds, and the mouthpiece is really the star of the show. I can growl and play smoky ballads like Ben Webster, run away like Lester Young, or push the ‘piece and sound like Illinois Jacquet or the early R&B sax players like Red Prysock. This mouthpiece delivers exactly what I need from it, and does so without any complaints, or difficulties.
I keep trying to think of things that describe how good this mouthpiece is, and coming up short. The fact of the matter is that it’s *so* good that I completely forget that I’m playing it. It just sounds *right*, and lets me get on with the job of playing music, and sounding exactly like I want to.
This will likely be the last tenor mouthpiece I ever buy (and I’m only 30!), unless I drop it again!
Timothy Smith (verified owner) –
I just received my GS Reso 7* . The hand work in the tip facing is perfect . This is the best mouthpiece I have ever played , hands down . It’s all they say about the warm tone , and when pushed there’s a lil sparkle . Thank you for selling these amazing 3D copies of these classic vintage pieces at this cost . I look forward to doing more business with Get a Sax in my future .
Jon James (verified owner) –
Just got the Reso and what a great MP. Big warm dark sound and blows so easy. So much fun to play on my “71 MK VI.
Got this and the Super Sonic and love them both. Will let the Grandson give them a try. Think he’ll be amazed.