VandorenSM713 AL5 Optimum Series Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I purchased a $300 "Mendini by Cecilio" alto sax on Amazon so that I could take it to friendly gatherings and not worry about it being stolen. (These are places where I'd play for friends but I do not want to leave a $5000 Yamaha sax anywhere out of my sight.) The mouthpiece that came with the Cecelio is just awful! This Vandoren AL3 made all the difference in the world for the cheap Mendini sax. Heck, it's pretty good on my Yamaha saxes, too. I can just pull it off and put it into my pocket. And, about that Mendini sax: the real problem is that the interior is riddled with sharp stuff, so it's very difficult to get a cleaning rag through it to dry it. But, it does play rather nicely.

I purchased the Vandoren alto sax mouthpiece (SM713 AL5 Optimum Series) and immediately there was a marvelous difference in the sound and responsiveness of my horn. I noticed that the shape of the tip of the mouthpiece is an exact likeness to the tip of the Vandoren reeds that I have used for a long time. It seems that this allows the reed to vibrate more adequately without any additional force of air flowing from me. It seems like a natural fit with outstanding results. My alto sax is a Selmer Super Action 80, series I, and I was using the mouthpiece that came with the horn (Selmer S-80 C*). The new Vandoren mouthpiece is by far better for my use.

I've been playing my sax - the same sax -- for over 60 years. It's always had a good sound. After using mostly Selmer mouthpieces, I finally ended up with a Selmer metal jazz mouthpiece which play well. It's sound was slightly dark and I had good control. I had put down the sax for a number of years and picked it up again. I decided to search for a new mouthpiece. This led me to Vandoren and specifically to this AL3 Optimum because it was supposed to be easy playing and bright. The difference is amazing. I don't mind some resistance in a mouthpiece, but the resistance was just right. The sound is bright and slightly brassy and it allows me more flexibility in "curving" tones and making my sax sing. It is good not only with low tones, but also with very high tones. It's range is much wider than my expensive Selmer metal mouthpiece which costs 4 times as much. I paired this with a Vandoren Optimum ligature and now use Legere synthetic reeds. The best reed combination turned out to be the 2.75 American Cut. I normally would use Vandoren 3 cane reed. The only thing I can say is that I'm stoked with this combo. My very old 1936 Buescher Aristocrat sounds every bit as good as the Selmer Mark VI I've played before.

I bought this on the strength of the reviews here, and am glad I did. Using this with my Yamaha YAS-62 pro alto, it produces warm, strong tones and greatly improved playability compared to my other mouthpieces.When it comes to sax mps, it's a good idea to experiment with a handful of different mouthpieces and different reeds. I'm using this with Vandoren 3 Java reds  Vandoren Java Red Alto Saxophone Reeds #3, Box of 10  and it sounds terrific. Easier to play low notes; plus something I especially like is I can get clear strong tones on my high D/E/F/F# that's better than anything else I've used.I've played this alto for over 30 years, it never sounded better, than with this Vandoren A3 mp w/Red java 3 Vandoren reeds. Initially I held off because I'm used to playing mps from classic mp producers, many of which are outstanding.With a smooth, balanced, open tone, this produces well at all ends of the playing range, which is extremely important. Most mps are good at easy mid-tone production, what separates mouthpiece (and sax) quality, is that it's often harder to produce clear tones at low sub-low D (for low C/B/Bb) and high above high-D tones, this mouthpiece solves that and makes playing across the entire range easier.Another plus is how easy it is to play using 3-strength reeds, with no chirps/squawks/hard pressure. I've typically used 2 1/2 reeds for decades, because of problems using 3s on my other mps. This AL3 makes using 3s as easy as using 2 1/2s, which alone makes it worth getting, since 3s are better to play with.Pleasantly surprised, this is one of the better music-related buy decisions I've made; highly recommended for both new and us veteran horn players. Thanks Vandoren - you guys got it right. Much appreciated. Now I'm off to play classic jazz...( I like Bird, Trane, Desmond)- Ken

really easy to blow and play, passes the seal test each time and beautiful tone . the low bB comes out naturally and seamlessly . Just an amazing mouthpiece

I just wanted something fairly easy to play with, and got exactly that. I'm just getting into the mouthpiece game, and learning there are so many different types out there, and which ones to stay away from. This is one of the few I've tried that definitely work for me as a beginner-ish player (been out of practice for a while, and my first sax experience wasn't normal).I feel the airflow of this mouthpiece is pretty good, and I don't feel like I'm losing air out of the sides of my mouth like I do with a lot of other mouthpieces.Since it's an expensive piece, I recommend using a mouthpiece protector patch to help keep your teeth from cutting into the tip. I've also been washing with cold water so as not to allow the color to drain.I recommend this mouthpiece as a good, easy piece to use if you're looking for simple, clean sound.

The mouthpiece has a small opening. It would be easier to use for those who just started learning saxophone. I believe one will quickly graduate from the mouthpiece. Based on the price, I would not recommend it to anyone since you will have a quite short period of usage.

It was a really nice mouthpiece. It was the incorrect model. It was gift.

Sonido oscuro, me quedo muy cómoda y de excelente calidad. Como recomendación checar en la pagina de Vandoren la numeración de caña recomendada.

息入れが楽です。リガチャーとのセットの方が良いです。

All good and on time

Los materiales de máxima calidad y el sonido es genial. Clásico y redondo. Perfecta para cañas 2.5 o 3

このMPは、テーブルにリードがぴったり付く（テーブルが濡れない）微調整にリードを押しだそうとしても、密着していて簡単にズレない。先端の形もリード（バンドレン・青）の形状ともぴったり一致。（相性ぴったり）練習の度に、リードが替わっても、この状態はおなじ。セルマー（のS90-180をAmazonから購入）だって一流だろうに・・こちらと比較するとセルマーの手元の個体は精度が悪いと思われる。（セルマーはテーブルの遠位端まで濡れる）と言う事は、単に一個体の精度ではなく、全体の製品精度レベルも低いのかも。