James Bunte was refacing some mouthpieces for me and in our conversations the Lyric came up. The next package he sent me returning mouthpieces included one to try (despite USPS’s best efforts).
While most mouthpieces seem to be a variation of something familiar (either in the style of Selmer or Vandoren, in the very least their playing style if not sound), but then every so often you find something different, the SaxQuest Lyric is just that. It has a sound and feel that is fairly unique. My closest analogy might be the darkest and biggest sounding Selmer Concept I could imagine, but even that isn’t quite right. The floor is lower, the chamber slightly larger, I need to push it a bit further on my cork, it tunes a bit differently without the tendencies towards sharpness, and the chamber is in fact oval, not “round.” The sound of the mouthpiece has a fullness to it that isn’t present in the Concept, but also has a different color. Perhaps if you took all of the qualities you like in an AL3, but without the limitations felt on most, and without going to an AL5 for increased dynamic range, you’d start getting close between those 3 descriptions, though again, darker than them all. Though it accomplishes this with a manageable and comfortable tip opening of 1.52mm (0.060”).
The mouthpiece plays incredibly well with a nice resistance while still being very responsive. The color is incredibly even from low Bb through altissimo. Altissimo response is also very good and has an ease of response and stability across the break. I would say it does not have the immediacy of response like the Yany’s or Vandoren Profile series; there is still great response, but I think because of the slightly larger interior and perhaps the color there is a certain amount of resistance built in, but ultimately probably feels a bit more like an S90 in that regard. As I was writing this review, James wrote me that when I got the chance that he’d love for me to send the mouthpiece back to him since he found a way to further improve response, without making it brighter, and when this happens, I’ll gladly update the review, though even with a bit of increased brightness this would still be a dark mouthpiece.
The Lyric doesn’t have the flexibility of sound like some mouthpieces (like the AP3 or A28) which can, if desired, have a wonderfully un-beautiful sound. This mouthpiece has flexibility and one can change the color, and after weeks of playing it and bringing it back out to play it again as I reread my draft and all of my notes, I continue to find more flexibility in the mouthpiece. The darker color does not seem to affect the projection, at least as far as I can tell from recording myself and my sense of the sound in the room. There is a fluidity to the response, sound, and the way it accepts air that makes it feel imminently comfortable.
This mouthpiece is REALLY easy to play, those pitch adjustments I was talking about, once you have the mouthpiece on a bit further, and play a bit it feels very automatic, which I didn’t quite expect the first moment I put it on. It is really a beautiful sound with nice response, with no tendencies towards being edgy or gritty, even with a reed that is a tad soft. It is a wonderful mouthpiece to play, especially at home where sometimes I find myself preferring a slightly less bright sound, however the size of the sound and projection of this mouthpiece I think will transfer well to the stage. I am sure this will also find fans in those that don’t play classical saxophone often, but would like a mouthpiece with a dark and robust sound that is easy to obtain.
If you’ve wanted a mouthpiece that has size and warmth to it, this could be exactly what you’re looking for. I think it is a bit too dark for my personal sound preference, but it plays so well I am drawn back to it, even after I finished playing it for a while, months after my notes were already written for this review. Where the AP3 comes out on occasion, especially as I demonstrate, or for certain sax quartet situations, this one has ended up being a close second but it is the opposite color direction from those mouthpieces and my normal S90 170. The cost of this mouthpiece is quite reasonably priced for a hand finished mouthpiece at $249, sitting in between a Selmer Concept and the new Claude Delangle (though much closer to the Concept).
I know this piece won’t be for everyone, but I think it will prove to be the perfect piece for quite a few people, and am grateful I was able to try it, and can recommend it to students and people who are looking for what it has to offer.