Phil Barone Super New York Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece 7 *

This was reviewed in a 7* Facing with a Selmer France silver plated metal two screw ligature, and Rico Jazz Select 2H Unfiled tenor saxophone reeds.

Phil Barone’s latest addition to his enduring legacy of brilliant mouthpieces is called the Super New York.  I first met Phil in the early 90’s in his East Side apartment where I tried several mouthpieces on Bob Shepherds tenor saxophone that happened to be in Phil’s living room at the time. Phil took the time to explain the technical side of mouthpiece design in absolute detail and was an absolute delight to deal with. I eventually purchased a Limited Edition Solid Silver Hollywood and I knew I had something special.

At that time Phil was already a veteran of the craft, having worked with some of the best saxophonists in the world including Jackie Maclean and Sonny Rollins and was already casting and machining from solid brass his own mouthpieces. His current model, the Super New York is the evolution of 30 plus years of experience, cutting edge CNC technology and the Barone “X” factor that other mouthpieces simply don’t have.

So here it is in Phil Words:

“I’m extremely happy to announce that after a year and a half of working on the Super New York model tenor mouthpiece that I’ve finally completed the very first one and it is way beyond my expectations. We started with a model then went to a prototype then we scanned the prototype and made a CNC program and finally after tweaking the program we finally made the very first mouthpiece which I then hand-finished it and it is an absolute monster, a MONSTER. I guess the last time I was this excited about a mouthpiece was when I made the Hollywood and that was mouthpiece history.

It’s a dark mouthpiece but loud as hell and very free-blowing and it gets a little brighter as you push into it but not much and physically it has a very large chamber with a nice rollover baffle but while the sound is dark it’s also very bold and vibrant. This is an unusual combination. If you and I have a phone consultation before purchasing one and you end up not liking the mouthpiece I will give you a one hundred percent refund. I have to do it this way because I will have a limited number of pieces so I have to be careful of who I send them to until I have a substantial number of mouthpieces.

You will love one of them if you play an Otto Link, metal or rubber or even if you have a higher baffle mouthpiece and are frustrated with the quality of the sound. This is a VERY free-blowing mouthpiece and I’m very certain you will be happy with it. A waiting list is forming so call 212.686.9410.

Phil Barone”

The Super New York combines the very best of Phil’s “Axis of Greatness” into one killer mouthpiece. It retains some of the dark qualities of the Jazz Model but gets more brilliant as you push it and will take as much air as you can give it without closing down.  The dark core is testament to Phil’s skill and expertise, because at the same time it also conveys a certain brilliance getting somewhat brighter as the air flow increases without ever losing its quality.  If you’re looking for a mouthpiece for that post Coltrane sound that captures the early sound of Steve Grossman, Bob Mallach or Bob Mintzer this is the mouthpiece for you.

It has the edge and complexity of the old Links’ but with that extra Barone responsive trademark which carries over into all of Phil’s mouthpieces.  I have also noticed that his mouthpieces have a common genetic quality in terms of timbre. To me this is the hallmark of a great craftsman.

The Super New York is super - responsive and has what I call mouthpiece “torque” which gives me the capacity to play at extremely low volumes even at the bottom of the instrument without the need for sub tones. It’s definitely bright enough to hold its own in an amplified scenario, and sensitive enough to play with an acoustic ensemble as I do. This makes the Super New York a versatile piece that allows your own voice to shine through, so the Super New York sound becomes your own; much like a bespoke suit. I can't remember enjoying playing a mouthpiece this much.

What’s truly amazing is that every reed works on this mouthpiece. It’s incredible. Additionally the intonation is spot on, especially around top C, middle C# and middle E, and the octaves for me sound in perfect tune. When I first tried The Super New York (great name by the way Phil) it instantaneously felt like home. For me it was recognition of Phil’s design and manufacture process, and craftsmanship which are second to none. There is no doubt in my mind that Phil’s mouthpieces are the best modern metal mouthpieces in the marketplace and the Super New York is testament to that.What’s truly amazing is that every reed works on this mouthpiece. It’s incredible. Additionally the intonation is spot on, especially around top C, middle C# and middle E, and the octaves for me sound in perfect tune. When I first tried The Super New York (great name by the way Phil) it instantaneously felt like home. For me it was recogntion of Phil’s design and manufacture process, and craftsmanship which are second to none. There is no doubt in my mind that Phil’s mouthpieces are the best modern metal mouthpieces in the marketplace and the Super New York is testament to t