One thing I forget to mention. How large is the font of the facing number? The large font facing numbers are later, small fonts are earlier. And sometimes you see a Roman Numeral, those are later too. If you find a QS and you'd like my opinion, send me an email at dalemfedele@gmail.com. With pictures of the internals if you can!
so, i read that the kaspar ann arbor pieces are more like the chedevilles vs the kaspar cissero pieces,,,seems like getting an ann arbor piece and getting a new facing on it, would be about as close to a great piece as you could get??
Just found a "Charpen" Qualite Superior (same vintage as my Malerne). It was evidently a blank. It needed a complete bafflectomy, and the rails were an inch wide (ok I'm not being literal). But once I was done with it, it sounds fantastic. As does my stenciled Malerne. But yes when people screw with the throat, and make it too wide, no more sparkle. :-( You never know who's worked on a mouthpiece in the past so it never pays to pay a lot for these,
I used to have a few "Charpen" Qualite Superieures for Tenor Sax! Likewise...after VERY significant facing & baffle alterations, they play almost as good as a No USA Slant Sig!
@@DaleFedele OK - "No USA Slant Sig" is that a Sax mouthpiece? I know the Otto Link slant signatures. I think Charpen just bought blanks and faced them, thinking nothing more was needed LOL!
In my opinion no...though they can be good pieces!! I actually went to visit him and pick up one for my Alto sax...because, and this probably really answers your question, they don't feel like anything I've ever tried (and that is a good thing for sax, IMHO!) On clarinet, to me, they feel more similar to an old Vandoren Perfecta, which can be great pieces of course! And, I just want to say but I don't dislike all of the modern zeitgeist. Some of my best Cheds really do fit into the modern paradigm, and are wonderfully practical in a contemporary ensemble...even on contemporary rep! And that's a really hard balance to find of course.
Hey Georgia. I used to frequent the Bboard when I was in high school. It changed my life! But I haven't been on in a long time. I hope we can make things on here and other social media that can be an updated version of the Bboard.
