AIZEN LS Soprano sax mouthpiece
This is way better than the old pieces I have. I shelled out about $60 apiece for five up to now, and still couldn’t get anything any good. So I reckon the Aizen’s a much better bet than an old piece that’ll cost you more. I’m thinking about getting another Aizen for backup!
Teruo GotoThe breathability feels great. It gives a real nice fat sound with a lot of punch, a nice grainy texture once you go down the register past G. You just get a great feeling off it. So, I’m practicing at home and my wife goes “Hey you’re sounding good today!” And you can keep going on the Aizen without getting tired. I’m blown away by how much better you can sound just by changing your mouthpiece. So I want to show off my new sound to the guys in my group. I just don’t want to tell them how I got it!
Shigeru KomatsuAIZEN SO Soprano sax mouthpiece
I’ve used a number of different types of mouthpiece so far, but in the main they were hard to use. The airflow was bad, or it was hard to play finely distinct notes, or the control was difficult high up. And I tried out lots of other pieces at music stores too, but there wasn’t a single one that really grabbed me. So, finally I thought to myself ‘Well, why not try out the Aizen?’ But I didn’t really expect anything special. I was like, ‘Okay, they’ve got a 30-day return policy, and I know the quality’s good.’
So I got it and I got such a surprise as well! The finishing’s beautiful as a matter of course, but the breathability! Fixed it on my sax and got this rock-steady resonance right through from the sub-tones to ff. High notes have always been a particular pain for me, but I got great sound and great control on the Aizen. I tried it out straightaway at a gig I had on the same day I got it, and was just so playable over a long stretch of time, no stress at all. And the recording sounded fantastic I was playing this big, fat, warm tone.
Anyhow, the Aizen really ‘gets out of the way’ and lets you concentrate on your playing, is the point here. I know that vintage pieces are great, but the fact is there are a lot of overpriced pieces out there that just aren’t in very good shape. You’ll spend a long time looking before you find something really good. That’s why I’m delighted to come across the Aizen. It means that I can get my hands on a good, playable piece whenever I need one, and I won’t have to pay the earth. I’d also recommend it to any classical musicians who are interested in trying out a jazz mouthpiece in a classical setting.
My mainstay piece before was a vintage Soloist, but it felt a bit stuffy on certain octaves, and it lacked just a little bit of volume on the high notes. So, when I got interested in the Aizen range I tried out an alto model first, but the whole range is good, you get great control, and you’re gonna have a good time playing any of them.
When the SSSO soprano model came out I just jumped on it, because I’d been badgering Aizen about making a soprano piece for a long time. Of course I felt really confident about ordering it because I’ve seen their other pieces in action. And if you have any problem with your piece, Aizen are very good about sorting out whatever you need, so I’d recommend just checking out a piece on trial first.
When my SSSO arrived I started playing on it right out of the box, and already it felt right. It’s a light mouthpiece, so you get nice vibrations and you get your sound punching out right away, and you get vibrato right through to the end of the decrescendo just like that. I got a No.6 you get output at a good volume,and it can sound similar to a metal piece if you want it to. When I blew into it the sound was fat to just the right degree, and I felt it hit just the right spots in terms of control.
So, say you’re new to soprano and you want to change from your usual mouthpiece? Well, I’d go with the Aizen SSSO as your best option, especially if you want to get a jazzy feel going. And it’s also good for if you want to shade things towards a more Smooth Jazz sound.
On the other hand, it’ll probably feel a bit floaty if you’re playing classical, but then again that just shows you with this piece that it’s really quite easy to try out a sound all of your own, doesn’t it?
I reckon you’ll be delighted the minute you play this piece. My old piece was getting pretty run-down, so I thought it was about time to get a new one. So, I went down to the music store and had a good look around. But I couldn’t find anything that made me go ‘Yesss! This is the one!’
Actually, I came across the Aizen SSSO on the internet. Now I’ve ordered a few of their other pieces before, so I knew I could trust their info, and I ordered it straight away.
So it arrived just as the leaves were starting to fall, and I couldn’t help going ‘Yesss!’ when I saw the autumn maple leaf design carved on the piece. Anyway, when I actually tried it out I was just…Wow! I’ve never and I mean ever had a mouthpiece that just sets you up and lets you play like this, so naturally.
The sound you get on soprano is fresh and clear, it’s multi-toned how will I put it? It’s like you’ve got a landscape of sound in your head, and with the Aizen you can paint this image in sound, as clear as day. So I was like, wow! This is really something…a piece that just puts the player’s ideas straight into sound. I’ve never come across anything quite like it. I couldn’t put my sax down.
Anyway, when I say this piece will put the player’s ideas straight into sound, I think that goes for any genre if you’re playing soprano, whether classical or jazz. It’ll match any style. The is the only mouthpiece I know that’s going to leave you as free as bird, flying around in a landscape of sound, able to go in whatever direction you want. I’d say try out the Aizen SSSO if you’re a musician and you want to express yourself.
I reckon you’ll be delighted the minute you play this mouthpiece. And if it doesn’t really click for you, you can send it right back, so there’s no risk in trying it. But I’ll tell you, it really clicked for me. And I reckon the Aizen SSSO will do the same thing for sax players all over the world. I’m really sure of it.
I’ve played Aizen pieces for real, and I’m satisfied for real.
With the Aizen NY Alto sax mouthpieces, you get the most fantastic sub-tones.
With the Aizen LS Tenor sax mouthpiece, you get the most fantastic everything.
The beautiful carving and the careful finish just take my breath away every time. These pieces have exceptional stability right through the octaves from high to low, and they really are so playable. I knew what I was getting when I ordered from Aizen, and they certainly didn’t let me down.
But just like I’d imagined would be the case with the SO, these Aizen pieces were something altogether different from my regular mouthpieces (Bari, Selmer Super Session). With them, I got just the opposite sound from what I was looking for the sound was way too bright, the calibration felt fussy across the entire range, and I had real problems with the lack of fatness and vibe on the low notes. So the Aizen range gives me a whole range of new melodic choices.
Aizen put a lot of work into getting their pieces just right. There aren’t many pieces like these pieces you know are going to work out well from the word go. It’s a great feeling to able to tell yourself ‘Well done I’ve got my hands on a great piece here’.
AIZEN NY Alto sax mouthpiece
My problem with mouthpieces was that I could never make up my mind about which one to use. I was always switching around, using whatever pieces I had on hand. Then there was the complicated business of choosing reeds. And the painful business of paying for them. Not to mention the ever-rising cost of vintage mouthpiece ligatures.
At first I was taken aback by the lightness of the Aizen mouthpiece, but I could see right away how well-made it was. I was ready for a change from my old favorite (a vintage Martin). I’d used it long enough. When I tried out the Aizen, I was just astonished by how it felt. My breath got totally converted into vibrations. The response felt so fast, the harmonics so rich. And the balance felt just right, along with the control, which was excellent. I don’t think I’ve ever had an experience quite like it, and that includes both the modern vintage pieces I’ve used.
I would expect that any player who can manage a decent embouchure will instantly see what I mean if you try the Aizen out. You don’t even need to change the reed or ligatures; just play the piece as is. So, if I had to sum it up one comment I’d say: “Take all the vintage pieces you’ve bought up to now Meyers, Links, Brilharts. Sell them. Then get an Aizen. It combines all the best features of the vintage mouthpieces. Try it once, and you’ll see what I mean.”
Fantastic! I just tried out Aizen’s NY Meyer replica, and the Aizen has way better quality. I’ve never used a vintage Meyer, so I can’t compare it with that but who cares? The Aizen’s just perfect on its own terms. The sound quality’s great, it’s really responsive, and it’s got a real solid core to the sound, kind of dark. It’s just unputdownable. And it’s great knowing that I can always order another Aizen whenever I need one.
It’s very different in character from my previous MB model. It’s amazing to see how Aizen’s reached such a level of precision in such a short time. And how many models they’ve already got in their lineup. Hats off, guys!
The control you get is just exceptionally good, and the airflow’s smooth and dependable. I think beginners especially will find their playing coming along really quick if they use an Aizen piece, and they’ll get through to their own style a lot faster.
When you pick up an Aizen mouthpiece, you can really tell it’s a hand-crafted piece of work. Some pieces have a sort of cheap shiny look, but there was none of that with this piece. Of course the carved engraving said a lot.
Now, to talk about how it felt to play, I first have to explain that I suffer from I don’t know, shall we call it High Note Traumatic Stress Syndrome? What I mean is, once I hit the high notes I start getting all self-conscious, and the sound starts getting stuffed up. But with this Aizen NY piece, when I hit some high notes I got this silky, rich tone instead of a series of squeaks and squeals. I found myself hopping about with joy.
So, from my point of view, if you’re interested in mouthpieces, Aizen is really the one to watch. They’ve been really adventurous, coming out with model after model, each one with its own different feel. In one way, I’m scared just thinking about what they’re going to do next! Don’t keep shocking us! Only joking…
Anyway, I have three different Aizen models, and I love them all. These days, when I have trouble playing my best I never blame the mouthpiece. I just concentrate on improving my playing technique or getting back into better physical shape. I kind of get the feeling that you won’t find me fooling around with any other mouthpiece from now on…anyway, the Aizen. Check it out.
I used a Yamaha mouthpiece when I first started playing sax, then moved on to a Selmer Soloist, and then on to a Meyer. Then I stuck with the Meyer, but after a while I started feeling some difficulty getting low notes out. I thought to myself, ‘Well, maybe this is just because I haven’t got the breathing right yet’. But I really wasn’t convinced.
So, next up came Aizen. With its nice handcrafted feel, really something special. You could feel the warmth of the craftsman’s hand in it, you could feel that this is something given shape by human hand and human heart. And, wow! The low notes! I could really hit them. It left my Meyer just biting the dust. Aizen hits the high notes real easy too & it’s overall easy to play.
So, if you’re unhappy with the Meyers on the market these days nay! If you’re looking for a true jazz sound from your sax, then let me recommend Aizen without asking their say-so in the matter. The time has come when we will choose our sax to fit the mouthpiece! I am delighted that I came across Aizen. The God of Music led me to you, and for that I’m truly grateful.
I’ve gone through a lot of pieces in my time. I’ve bought vintage ones and new ones, thinking ‘This is The One!’ every time. But after a while, I found I couldn’t get the sound I wanted anymore, so I let it go and moved on yet again. There’s a real art to choosing the right mouthpiece. (And the cost! God, when I think of how much I’ve spent!)
I just went What! the first time I tried out an Aizen. Incredible! The craftsmanship! I was just blown away from the moment I opened the box. I could even feel it emanating this kind of mystical blast-from-the-past Japanese craft energy. Wonderful craftsmanship, with rich melodics, tone, resonance you’ll be absolutely captivated the first time you try it out. You can really feel it bringing the instrument to life. It’s a vintage sound.
You can also have fun changing the reeds and varying the tone. You can get good control of overtones, subtones and the soft flageolet sound, I think. Anyway, it plays well, and you really ought to give it a try. (And it’s such a beautiful piece you probably won’t even want to play it at first! You’ll want to keep it as an ornament.)
There I was like so many other players going from piece to piece, losing interest in it and moving on. You get hungry when you’re chasing a sound of your own, and fickle. It’s always thank you very next! And you’re sure this piece will finally be The One. And on it goes. You run through a lot of cash that way! It’s just a vicious cycle, spinning round and round. But in fact, you just need one Aizen piece, and you’re good to go. You’ll find that playing sax is now somewhere between twice and three times the pleasure. And I think you’ll find gigging a breeze. I don’t think I’m ever going to touch another mouthpiece again.
I live in Tokyo, so I’ve always been able to make the rounds of the music stores, looking for old mouthpieces and trying them out. But to tell the truth I never found one that impressed me all that much, especially when you think about how much they cost. So I kept just one single piece, took good care of it and played it for ten years and more. Well, as you can imagine, by that point the end was near for that particular piece. I had it refaced a couple of times but the old sound was gone. These days of course, there are a lot of new mouthpiece brands on sale, but I was really hooked on the vintage sound, so I didn’t really know what to do. The whole mouthpiece thing was becoming a lot of trouble.
The first time I picked up an Aizen, I handled it like a delicate treasure or a piece of cut glass. It was a bit smaller than I’d expected, but I was really impressed at how beautiful the material felt in my hand. And when I tried it out, it was just like oh! Fantastic. Great balance from high notes to low, and I felt these clear-as-a-bell vibrations running through the whole instrument up to my fingertips and mouth.
Now, no matter how good the mouthpiece is I normally spend a lot of time fiddling around with the reed and the ligatures to balance it just right. But with the Aizen, I didn’t feel the need to do that at all. It was fine just as it was. I was amazed. I’m still wondering what other tricks this piece has got hidden up its sleeve. To be quite frank, the Aizen is a piece I’d like to keep all to myself but I’m so pleased with it I know I’m going to end up bragging about it, going “Hey! I came across this great piece! Just shut up and give it a blow, go on…” That’s how I’m going to give the game away.
The first time I picked it up, I thought “This is such a beautiful mouthpiece.” And first off, easy to play when I tried it out. It was so smooth all the way from high notes to low that for a minute I thought my playing had suddenly gotten better. The Aizen’s completely different from any other mouthpiece I’ve ever bought, it makes playing the sax such a joy. And music ain’t music if it ain’t amusin’, right? With the Aizen, it’s a lot of fun, and I can tell you that from my own experience.
Junichi IoroiJust as good as I expected the Aizen’s got that vintage sound, and you feel like the mouthpiece and sax are singing right along together, throwing out your voice just the way you’re breathing it. At any rate, this is a piece that lets you concentrate on the business of playing.
I’m also gonna make it my business to tell every sax player I know that now you can your hands on a true vintage mouthpiece sound for $300 give or take.
I played the Aizen piece right out of the box, and I thought “This is wonderful.” The low notes come out easy. And the high notes don’t feel stuffy (unlike a certain popular brand beginning with M). I could hit the overtones and flageolet sounds just right, as well. I had a bit of resistance when blowing hard on the Aizen MB, but I didn’t get that at all from the Aizen NY, and this piece had a lot of power. First time playing on it, but there was no stress! So the gig felt great. I’m really looking forward to playing on this piece when I’ve got it properly broken in.
I’d recommend the Aizen NY to anybody. Beginners should really give it a go because it’s so easy to play. It’s a very versatile piece, so I’d especially recommend it to players who want to try every kind of style and aren’t happy with the piece they’ve got.
Minoru Kubota, the guy who started Aizen, knows pretty much all there is to know about vintage mouthpieces, and he’s really done his homework when designing his own pieces. That’s the reason I chose an Aizen.
First of all, the material they use. It’s got a pleasing firmness to it, totally different from the rubbery mouthpieces you get nowadays. It really is something. I just picked it up and thought ‘This is gonna sing!’ Of course, then I started playing on it and it sang like a bird. Out of this world.
My comment on the Aizen? Get yourself one! It’s a steal at the price. $300 or thereabouts. It’s easy to use, the pitch is steady, and it’s a pure natural for playing dark jazz. Good flageolet tones too.
Finally! A mouthpiece I’m satisfied with. When I saw their brochure I thought ‘Why don’t they just drop the fancy hand-carved engraving and put this piece out cheaper?’ But when I got the real thing in my hand, it was such a classy piece of work that I felt proud to own it. So I attached the reed and gave it a go and I got this high, high note coming out so easy and at such volume, my face just broke into this beaming grin.
After that, I tried out some different combinations of reed and ligature, and found that the Aizen’s such a quality piece that you do pretty much whatever you want in that department. The playability, the sound quality, the ease of control I was satisfied with every single aspect of my mouthpiece. Finally.
Let’s say you’re a fan of the Meyer sound and you somehow get tricked into buying an Aizen. I reckon you’re not going to have any complaints once you play it. They’ve got a money-back return policy too, but I don’t think you’ll use it.
This is a piece I want beginners to get, and the more beginner they are the more I want them to get it. The Aizen is a piece you can use while learning all the playing techniques jazz has to offer, and it’ll get you playing easy and clear as well. You’ll get your technique down faster with the Aizen. You certainly won’t regret buying it.
Saxes themselves are very expensive, and so when you’re starting out you naturally want to try out different mouthpieces, reeds and what not as your level gradually gets better and better. The thing is, then the accessories become an issue, and you start getting focused on them and worried about them, and messing up with them. Now, messing up is okay in itself, but you pay for it in lost time and money. I’d just go with the Aizen from the start.
Another thing is, you can mail order the Aizen or get it over the net. A lot of people live out of town, and they can’t access a well-stocked music store. So, Aizen’s really gonna help those people out. And I don’t think $300 is expensive at all for a piece of this quality.
AIZEN SO Alto sax mouthpiece
I’ve been playing for twenty-five years, but I’ve always had trouble getting high tones out. I reckoned I just never took breathing practice seriously enough, so it was a problem of my technique as far as I was concerned. Then I got an Aizen.
I was just so taken aback. My first impression was ‘Hang on how come it’s so easy to get this sound out?’ Then I got out my collection of other pieces, and picked out my favorite one, which I’d always been satisfied with (not knowing better, I’d say now) and I tried playing that. With the Aizen, I could hit those problem high notes better than before!
The thing that surprised me most was that after a while using the Aizen, I really couldn’t get a decent sound out of my other, old mouthpieces. So, I won’t say I’m not going back to my old ones; I’d sooner say that there’s no going back to my old ones. It’s a bit scary when you think about it, but that’s what the Aizen piece does.
Another thing the Aizen does is clearly show you how different reeds and ligatures work. It’s an honest-to-goodness piece that does exactly what it’s told, you could say.
Just a word here about the difference between their SO and NY models though, no actually, I don’t think that’s even necessary. Why don’t you just compare the Aizen with whatever piece you’ve got right now. Compare them for tone. I know a lot depends on the reed and the ligature, but I’m still absolutely sure you’ll find that the Aizen sounds better.
As a sax player, I’ve always been worried about one thing: I’ve never found a mouthpiece that just lets me concentrate on my expressing my music a mouthpiece with good breathability, volume and tone control.
I was pretty excited when I heard about the Aizen. ‘If it’s really that good’ I thought to myself, ‘I certainly want to try it out. And who knows I might get closer to the sound I’m looking for’.
Then I took the Aizen out of its high-quality packaging. It felt like top-grade silk. And I thought the beautiful engraving made it look like a work of art. Also, I was surprised at how light the thing was. When I attached it to my sax and started to play, I found it had great breathability and easy control. I felt that finally I could start getting the full potential out of my saxophone. The tone was warm, but it felt velvety at the same time. I should be able to start getting a deeper tone as I keep on using it. I suppose you could say it’s a process of gradually moving forward towards my own sound. I’m really glad I came across Aizen.
I think it’d be such a waste if you’re a sax player and don’t try out an Aizen piece. I could go on at length here, but the only real way to experience how good this piece is to try it out for yourself sometime. It’s no exaggeration to say that if you start using an Aizen piece, your musical horizons are going to expand. I’m grateful that I’ve discovered Aizen.
My problem was that I couldn’t project well when playing sax. Ever since I started taking lessons, I did all I could to improve my projection working on my embouchure, breath control etc. etc. I listened to lots of advice, I read up on technique. And I switched mouthpieces often.
The thing that drew me to Aizen was the reasonable price they were charging for a handmade mouthpiece. And they’re made in Japan. There are world-famous Japanese saxophone brands like Yamaha and Yanagisawa, but unfortunately there aren’t any Japanese mouthpiece makers in that league yet. So, it was a pleasant surprise to come across Aizen. It turns out that players in a lot of countries know about Aizen, and there I was Japanese myself, and I’d never heard of them. I could have kicked myself.
Everything about the Aizen is different, starting with the packaging. You might think it contained jewelry or something. When I opened the lid, there was a tiny, tiny pouch wrapped up in fine, delicate paper. I touched it, and undid the cord holding the pouch closed.
The instant I laid the mouthpiece on my hand, I felt the warmth and dedication of the craft workers who’d made it. I was sure I wasn’t the only person to feel that way, either. And when I first used it well, I’m still just a beginner, but even I could discern the delicate distinctions of tone that were opening up for me. I’m afraid I can’t really describe how I felt in so many words pat. I’ll just say that the sound emerged so smoothly from my sax that that I let out a little huh? of surprise. I’ve mastered getting the low notes out already, so I had to remind myself just how easily they were flowing with this mouthpiece, and I was at a loss for words again.
That was when I found myself thinking the phrase ‘stress-free’. I’m so glad I bought my Aizen. I intend to take very good care of it.
I often listened to my favorite players, or watched recordings of them, and I always wondered just how do they manage to get such a big, rich sound without even seeming to try? I could get pretty close to the sound I wanted using the mouthpiece I had, but the problem was it was hard to play. I checked out what pro players had to say in a couple of saxophone magazines, and they all commented that they used a number of different pieces but that they were all much of a muchness.
When I gave the Aizen a try, the first thing that hit me was the breathability. I was really happy about the way I could hit a powerful sound with just a light blow. And then there was the softness on the low notes just like the Selmer Soloist I’d always longed for. So I’d recommend the Aizen for easy playability, good control, and good tone. It’s an easy piece to control, so I’d encourage beginners as well to give this mouthpiece a go.
My first impression of the Aizen was that it’s a really solid piece of work. I was using a Vandoren No. 3 in the blue box, but this was something else, and different from any mouthpiece I’d used before. The Aizen had both strength and sex appeal. The tone was just what I like, a really classical tone, but taking it to an even more nuanced level.
It’s an extremely playable piece, and the breath flow feels really smooth. When we play we do classical in the first half and pop in the second. When we changed over after the interval, the Aizen didn’t put up any resistance even though the setting had changed from classical. It’s really that good. I was surprised as anything.
Well, first off, I was surprised at how well-made the Aizen is. I’ve had a few handmade pieces before, but this one was the best-made I’d ever seen. Picking it up, I could easily imagine getting a good sound from it.
When I first played it for real, my breath just flowed right through it as smooth as a breeze. It felt really playable, and gave me none of my usual problems stuffy breath flow, sudden falls in pitch when blowing hard and so forth. In fact, I only got it two days before a gig, but it felt so good in rehearsal that I tried it out on the night.
I listened to the recording later, and it wasn’t like I was blowing hard or anything like that, but my sax stood out clear as a bell. I thought this is a piece built for projection, even on pianissimo. The tone is soft, and it stays good and playable right through the gig.
AIZEN JazzMaster Alto sax mouthpiece
I’ve tried out this piece, and I can tell you the resonance is fantastic on the middle and low notes. You can really feel the sound resonating through your whole body. And the control’s exceptionally good from pianissimo to fortissimo. I especially wowed by the control I got playing pianissimo.
As well as that, the ASJM has a real stand-out sound. It’s a bit more resistant than the Aizen SO, but I think that’s actually a good thing. Finally, this time round I was looking for a mellower sound than the Aizen SO, and I’m really satisfied with the ASJM in that respect. I’m thinking about using them both, the SO for more peppy songs, and the Jazz Master for mellower compositions.
The tone’s a bit brighter than I expected, with a bit more vim to it. I’m looking forward to trying out various settings and getting different moods going. I bought Rovner ligatures along with the Aizen piece, and I can press the leather and metal parts with the reed, change things around like that. And now I can easily get out a fuzzy tone, which used to give me no end of problems. I can try out lots of different techniques from now on. It’s really exciting.
The breath flow is really smooth and you get the sound out just like that. The main thing is the playability. I think this Aizen can let you try out lots of different techniques, so why don’t you give it a shot? I’m gonna treasure mine.
I was really under the impression that the Aizen sounds like my Super 20, but to my surprise the tone’s about as dark as the NY model. The bass comes out big, and it’s a fat, cool tone. Somehow, the Aizen seems to fit this sax best, and the breath flow’s so smooth around mid D (which used to get really stuffy). It’s a brilliant feeling.
The NY model’s not hugely different from a contemporary Meyer I think (I don’t need to tell you how hard it is to get your hands on a vintage Meyer), but the Jazz Master sounds just like the vintage pieces you hear on CD and stuff. This is a sound you can’t get out of a modern Meyer. So if you’re looking for a vintage Meyer sound, I strongly recommend the Jazz Master.
At first I was like “C’mon, I’m not gonna waste money on some fancy handmade piece…” But then after a fair bit of hemming and hawing I gave in to myself and ordered a NY. The brochure looked just too good. Next time round, I had no hesitation ordering the Jazz Master. The beauty of the engraving! I decided I’m never going to use metal ligatures on this one. I’m 100% satisfied with the tone and its gig performance. You have a sound in your head, and with the Jazz Master it comes out just like you want it. If you’re a sax player who’s not happy with today’s Meyers and Selmers, you should check out the Aizen. This is the first mouthpiece I’d recommend if you’re playing jazz.
Susumu YakusiziThis is a light piece, but doesn’t look like a lightweight. The fine-grained matt design gives the Jazz Master a heavyweight, classy look. Anyway, I buy it. I start blowing some scales as usual and boom! Out comes this great big fat resonant sound…with an edge so cool I wanna go brrrrr…Maybe I was getting a bit carried away with my new sound. But with this piece you could just keep playing on and on. It was a lot of fun.
Anyhow, the Jazz Master’s three main sales points, from my point of view: the price is totally fair. It’s handmade, so the quality’s very good. It’s a really dependable piece, whether you’re practicing or gigging. And I think a dependable mouthpiece helps you get your level up.
This is a classy-looking piece, with its fine-grained matt finish and especially the beautiful engraving. My heart was beating faster as I attached the reed and fixed the Jazz Master to my well-beloved saxophone, and blew. I got struck by this incredible bass sound floating out of the sax. Incredible.
There were more surprises in store. I played up and down the keys a few times to test the sound, and I really blown away with the sound’s core strength. The sax started made my gums and entire skull start vibrating when I got down to the lowest Bb or thereabouts.
So then, just to check things a bit more, I changed back to my normal mouthpiece. (I’ve had it for four years. It’s pretty much the standard piece if you play jazz sax, you’ve definitely got one.) So I started blowing, and I’m like ‘Hang on? Do I normally sound this flimsy?’ I’d say if you’re looking for a hearty, fat sound with a lot of punch, the Jazz Master will get you there.
AIZEN LS Tenor sax mouthpiece
The Aizen TSLS is a hard rubber mouthpiece, so some players might worry they’ll feel short-changed if they switch over from a metal piece. Let me say that you have absolutely nothing to worry about. And there are some players, I’m sure, who prefer to switch over to a mouthpiece that gives a punchier sound when they’re playing in a big band setting, but with this piece you don’t need to. Wind instrumentalists always worry about breath control, but the Aizen covers all the bases. And you don’t get a ‘sax’ sound. What you get is the sound of a saxophone. This piece is perfect for players who want to get expressive with their playing. Players who switch over to the clarinet will be liberated from the problem of mismatched reeds. This Aizen piece is good for any reed and all ligatures. Oh, and they have a guaranteed money-back return policy. The thing is, you’ll forget all about that once you’re playing it. Or is that just me?
Nobuyuki IsonoI was blown away by the Aizen TSLS. Instead of my normal, stupid sound I felt I was playing like a pro. Up at the top of the scale, with my old mouthpiece I couldn’t get an F# out, but with the Aizen it was no problem at all. I was able to get the subtones out as well, so now I can actually look forward to rehearsal. Your gig’s only as good as your rehearsal, I think. So I recommend Aizen to any player who’s rehearsing their heart out but still can’t get a good sound somehow. You’ll find your sound getting a whole lot better.
Ryozo InoueI’d gone through a lot of pieces already, but my search for something easier to use led me to this Aizen piece. I just blew into it normally and was astonished at the big, blaring sound that emerged. The response is great, too, and low notes come out real easy, so you can play and play and not get tired. Obviously, people will tell me that they’ve been let down by other rubber pieces, but I just want to say that the Aizen has a fantastic sound and fantastic response, so you really should try it out. It’s really playable as well, so beginners should use this piece from the start, I think.
Mamoru YoshizakiJust looking at the rail and the tip, you can see the sheer amount of work that Aizen have put into this piece. In terms of playability, the low range of notes is especially good, with a soft, fat sound. And the piece will take a lot of hard blowing no problem. The lower tones come out good and strong, but at the same time the higher range and altissimo don’t sound anemic at all.
I recommend getting an Aizen rather than a current mass-produced piece. This piece has got a lot going for it, and should be the industry standard for rubber mouthpieces. And I think the Aizen’s especially suited for players who are looking for what rubber mouthpieces have to offer softness, ease of control and the kind of passion you normally find only in a human singing voice.
I went for the Aizen because it’s a handmade piece specifically designed to handle the problems sax players have. And it’s a really lovable piece, from the finely dyed case to the wonderful engraving. You can really feel the craftsmanship. What really made my mind up for sure was the smooth breath flow and the tone. I felt like I’d found a partner for life. Now, my mouthpiece worries are over as far as I’m concerned. I’m free to really go for it 100% and get my performance skills higher. I’m really grateful to everyone involved in the Aizen project. Thank you so much.
Tetsuro TaniguchiThe Aizen made a grand entrance exquisite outer packaging, with the piece I’d really been waiting for wrapped up inside in delicate, high-quality paper. I took it out. What an elegant piece of work! The rail, everything, was just so well-made. Trying it out, I got a dark sound with a lot of power, a lot of volume, and with edge too just the sound I was looking for. On my old piece I got stuffed up on middle D, high A and so forth, but this was just wonderful. My pitch was a lot better, too.
The Aizen is a wonderful piece, and it’s lived up to all my expectations in terms of design and performance. The control is so outstanding I get bamboozled into thinking I’m a maestro on this thing. I can use embouchure to control my sound from edgy to soft, it’s such a fine piece of work. At long last I’ve found The One.
The main thing about the Aizen is that you don’t feel any stress when playing. The breath flow’s smooth and effortless, and the sax really sings. It makes the sax vibrate whole orders of magnitude more than the other pieces I used before. I was really taken with the tone jazzy, warm, big and with lots of harmonic quality.
You get a whole-instrument response just blowing naturally, not forcing anything. I feel that this piece really shows you what your sax is capable of. Anyway, it’s playable, so if I were you I’d go straight for the Aizen rather than shopping around elsewhere. I recommend it for players who are after a true jazzy sound.
I was really impressed with Aizen’s approach to packaging, and the way they provide a full range of accessories. The tone has that nice grain to it, and the response feels good. I’ve never had the chance to play a vintage mouthpiece, but now I feel I understand what all of the fuss is about. My instructor tried it out and said “This is good! Get it!” To me, that’s the seal of approval. For reeds, my personal opinion is that the Aizen goes better with Rico than Vandoren.
The Aizen is a star mouthpiece that you can definitely keep using over the long term. Rather than running from pillar to post buying vintage and modern pieces, wasting time and money, I’d just start off with an Aizen and stick to it.
I was aware from the start that this is a very well-made piece, and I was very impressed with the ease of playability from the first time I tried the Aizen piece out. The sound is solid, and I think this mouthpiece has helped me out a lot on the higher notes. Pitch is a lot easier to get right, too. Oh, and the subtones are great.
My only quibble is that the full tones may not be quite as strong as with a Link metal piece, but I think with a bit more time playing this piece I’ll get it. For the fine quality and sound, this piece is a bargain at the price. The playing’s almost stress-free with this piece, so I think you can get right in there and concentrate on your gig, and have more fun with it.
I’ve always felt doomed to worry about mouthpieces. I normally use a metal piece; try as I might, I could never find a good rubber one. But I was wowed when I first heard the Aizen in action, and since they have a return policy I sent off for one, knowing that it’d be okay even if the piece didn’t work out.
When it arrived, I thought the body was a bit more slender in shape than a Jody. So the Aizen’s a really fine piece, I thought. Way better than a current Link. It has a nice balanced sound from top right down to bottom. The flageolet effect was specially good, not hard on the ear at all. That really surprised me. The articulation’s easy, too.
AIZEN SO Tenor sax mouthpiece
The TSSO is the second Aizen I’ve bought, after the LS Tenor. I was extremely satisfied with the LS, so I certainly wanted to get the SO when it came out. The packaging’s very high-class, so I was really looking forward to this piece before I even opened the box. Then it was wrapped up in this ultra-cool paper. The sound I got when I took it out and played it was almost something visual.
Just like my first Aizen, this second one lived up to all my expectations. They’re both wonderful pieces. I have a vintage Soloist, but the Aizen pieces have just as good a tone and much better response during play. The high notes especially flow really well, they’re just a joy to play. The next time I want another mouthpiece, I’m going straight for an Aizen again.
The tone I got off my sax when I tried out the Aizen was the kind of big, feelgood thing a beginner can’t normally produce even by accident. And I got such an even tone. I really want to stick with tenor from now on. I recommend the Aizen TSSO for beginners and players planning to buy their first piece. Beginners always go for easy to use, and for a reasonable price as well. The point here is that can get all this with Aizen, and it’s a nice steady piece as well. I think the Aizen can be a big help for beginners setting out on the sax.
Tadakuni IchikawaThis isn’t just a beautiful mouthpiece, though with the engraving it certainly is that. Every mouthpiece I’ve had up to now, I kind of felt there was something stuck in the pipe, and it felt wrong. With the Aizen piece I got none of that at all. The breath just flowed out smooth. It feels really different. I realized that thanks to Aizen my days of hunting around for mouthpieces were over. Thanks a million Aizen!
So instead of buying one piece after another and being happy with none, I’m going to stick with Aizen’s strong, vintage sound from now on.
I’ve tried out loads of Japanese-made pieces, but nothing I’ve seen so far led me to expect or even imagine the kind of quality I found in the Aizen. I always understood that you’re going to have minor faults and variations in a piece no matter how good the maker, but my goodness, I just feel that this Aizen’s going to finally get me stress-free on the subject of mouthpieces!!!! That’s what I took away from the test play. I’m over the moon about finding it.
Nobumitsu Fukai