Vandoren SM811S+ V16 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece; A5S+

Mouthpiece is easy blowing. Sound is bright.

I read a lot about this model of mouthpiece and I was thinking of getting A5 s+ or A6. I went with A5s+ and I can only say go for it! Such an amazing mouthpiece, great and fast response and it’s so easy to play. I have vintage Conn Naked Lady sax, I play mostly Jazz, Big Band, Funk, Hip Hop music. Highly recommend this mouthpiece. I would definitely buy one for my tenor, just don’t know which one, any recommendations?

After buying my first sax (an Antigua Pro One alto) and doing a bit of research, I realized I would need to upgrade the mouthpiece, since the mouthpiece is a critical component of playability and tone. I went to a few shops and asked around, in addition to reading online. This is a highly recommended mouthpiece to start with. The Vandoren V16 is well respected and seen as a great starting point for people wanting to explore quality mouthpieces. Hard rubber is recommended for beginners as metal can be harder to control. I was told a 6 or 6* is generally a good place to start in terms of size. Upon getting my mouthpiece, I found that the sax was easier to play, I had far better control of the low notes, and also a richer, fatter tone overall. You need to pair your reed to your mouthpiece. In this case, with this mouthpiece, a Vandoren 3 works well for me. I also got the leather Vandoren ligature, which fits really nicely on this mouthpiece and is easy to use and also looks great. If you can't try out a lot of mouthpieces (which is hard to do), this would be a good bet.

I have been playing a New York Meyer on my alto for the last 45 years. It is such a fantastic mouthpiece that I cringe at the thought of damaging or losing it. It is irreplaceable - or so I thought. I have been checking out Baptiste Herbin who is promoting Vandoren. His sound is very similar to mine but clearly has a better altissimo. I therefore ordered the V16 alto SM811S+ A5S+ and the SM812S+ A6S+ to check it out for myself. Although Baptiste plays the A5S+, I found the A6S+ to play better for me coming off a Meyer. Over the years I’ve tried many mouthpieces. I even had the honor of playing Cannonball Adderley’s Meyer that he played for most of his career - which by the way has a terrible altissimo. This is the very first time that I have fallen in love with a different mouthpiece and have actually switched - mouthpiece infidelity! The SM812S+ A6S+ has a wider dynamic range than my Meyer, but I can still subtone low notes. The best characteristic is the improvement in my altissimo which I have only experienced with metal mouthpieces in the past. Overall the altissimo notes are easier to play, but my range has increased despite playing a soft JAVA red 2 1/2 reed. It plays up to altissimo E whereas my Meyer topped out at D and struggled to reach an Eb. With the V16 I can force out even higher notes, but I hit them inconsistently. I’m okay with E being my every day range limit, but perhaps my range will increase over time - I’ll let you know. In summary, the SM812S+ A6S+ V16 alto mouthpiece plays better than my New York Meyer 5 medium chamber made in the 1950’s that I played for the last 45 years. It is more responsive than my Meyer. The altissimo speaks easier despite a soft reed and my range is increased without having the undesirable characteristics of a metal mouthpiece or a harder reed.

Good quality as expected

My daughter plays the alto. She is in her 3rd year. Plays in band and in the Jazz band. Practices about 1-1.5 hours daily. Pros: Smooth sound Easier to play than the Yamaha 4c, that mouth piece is around 40.00 on amazon. Overall not as raspy. Adapted to new mouth piece with in days HIGHLY recommend for the player that is intermediate or on the verge of becoming intermediate. Price at 100.00 for a mouth piece it has helped her sound more professional, instantly. Cons: None at this time will update later.

I matched it with the leather ligature, great looking and plays better than me!

Amazing mouthpiece, great tone, versatility. Is the same of the Dadario but best price