What Is the HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Saxophone Mouthpiece?
The HR* CUSTOM DARK series is our premium line of hard rubber saxophone mouthpieces, where the goal was to make the most beautiful sounding and playing pieces that we possibly could. As Baritone sax players, we know that finding a pretty sounding mouthpiece might mean that it doesn’t have enough cut and highs in the sound, and we will be buried in the mix. With the HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone, we retained the clarity of the mid register while taking off annoying highs by designing a rollover baffle which gives nice feedback to the player that Baritone players are used to and then making a big, large chamber and bore to give it this mellow, warm pretty sound.
The HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone uses the finest material uses our proprietary Chedeville® Rubber. CHR (Chedeville Rubber) is a softer purer formula than regular standard hard rubber. This rubber imparts a rich warmer sound than standard Hard Rubber.
Next, we made rounded sidewalls that add complexity to the core sound.
A large round chamber puts the timbre in a warm dark zone and the thick heavy gold-plated brass band on the shank boosts the amount of harmonics in the sound.
The facing curve and baffle on the HR* CUSTOM DARK are what truly make the mouthpiece a joy to play. We have applied our twenty years of making mouthpieces on these two key components of a mouthpiece, with a combination of science, technology and old fashioned made by hand craftsmanship.
Thanks for reading the description of this mouthpiece. Now all we need is for you to try it and see what you think.
Jody Espina – Designer, Founder and President – JodyJazz
JodyJazz HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Sax Mouthpiece Price: $450
The mouthpiece comes with a deluxe mouthpiece pouch and Free Domestic Shipping (USPS Priority Mail). For different shipping options and for Overseas Shipping Prices click the “Buy Now” button and fill in your address. You will be able to see your options and pricing before you have to buy the item.
$450.00
Jody Espina demonstrates the HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Mouthpiece
JODYJAZZ ARTIST TESTIMONIALS
Dan White
“The HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone sax mouthpiece has changed the game. I can feel the whole horn singing with a fatter, richer sound. Not only does it feel and sound better, it plays more in tune! Top to bottom 10/10.” “Jody’s HR 8 allows me to do everything that I can imagine with ease. It has warmth and the right amount of cut allowing me to do my thing in any musical setting. Hemke 4 reeds with the Jody Jazz HR 8 gets me the fat sound from top to bottom that I am looking for.” “The HR Custom Dark Mouthpiece sounds incredible!! It has a nice, consistent response through all the registers. This mouthpiece makes the the horn resonates more giving each note a nice deep, rich, and full sound. Altissimo responds beautifully and the intonation is spot on.” “The JodyJazz Clarinet mouthpiece makes the clarinet a whole lot more fun to play and record with. It brings out the nice warm, woody sound of the instrument with great intonation and is super consistent through all registers at any dynamic.”
Marcos Contreras
“I played the baritone saxophone using my old mouthpiece for so much time and just found it acceptable. However, I never realized how much was missing until I had the JodyJazz DV NY in my hands and then everything changed for me. I never thought a mouthpiece could be so comfortable and the sound so spectacular. It was a full resonant sound, round and dark tone, everything that Jody says is true. It is like playing an alto saxophone but in a baritone saxophone! All my reeds sound great also. Since then I continue to enjoy this great mouthpiece and I recommend it 100 percent. Now, I can say it is perfect instead of acceptable!”
What Does The HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Do?
- Beautiful Warm Spread Tone
- Free Blowing
- Reed Friendly
- Player Can Shape their Sound
- Huge Bottom End with Power on Top When Needed
- Traditional Jazz Sound
- Annoying highs in the tone rolled off
How Does The HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Do It?
- Proprietary Chedeville Hard Rubber Formula
- Large Round Chamber
- Curved Undercut Sidewalls
- Heavy Solid Gold-Plated Brass Ring on Shank
- CNC Machined From Solid Bar Stock
- Expertly Hand Finished Baffle, Tip Rail and Table
- Unparalleled Quality Control
- Play tested by Jody Espina and Professional Sax playing staff
Do you need a facing comparison chart?
CLICK HERE to compare JodyJazz mouthpieces with other brands.
JodyJazz HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone Sax Mouthpiece Available Tip Openings
- 5 = .090
- 6 = .100
- 7 = .110
- 8 = .120
- 9 = .130
Does Not Include Ligature
This mouthpiece does not come with a ligature. Your current ligature (if you have a hard rubber mouthpiece) should fit this mouthpiece, but for upgrades on the ligature you can look here at our POWER RING® Ligatures.
The POWER RING HRB1 – Gold and HRB1S – Silver models are made specifically for the HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone mouthpiece. You can also look here at our H-Ligature options as well.
Upgrade to a POWER RING® Ligature
You will love the simplicity, beauty, and effectiveness of the POWER RING Ligature. The POWER RING provides both a significant improvement in performance and greatly enhanced visual appeal. The POWER RING features a concave inner design, which reduces the touch points on the reed, thereby maximizing reed vibration. There are no moving or added parts, thereby increasing the efficiency of vibration. The increased mass and greater wall thickness of the new POWER RING Ligature, together with its more contoured shape, provides a more solid contact with the reed at the points where they touch. This allows the most freedom and vibration of the reed, which in turn also increases the amount of harmonics present, allowing the fullest saxophone sound containing high, mid, and low frequencies.
One more note From Jody
In designing the HR* Custom Dark Baritone, I played many of the classic Jazz Baritone pieces, but I couldn’t find anything with the warmth and darkness that I was seeking that still had enough clarity and cut for live gigs. After testing this new piece on many gigs, and on many different Baritone Saxophones I knew that I had found the sound I was after. I really enjoy going after the Classic Gerry Mulligan sound on the Custom Dark Baritone because it’s the best mouthpiece I have found that allows me to get that bark that he had when the lower register is breaking though on 2nd octave notes.
Customer Reviews
No Honeymoon needed
"Thanks to Jody Espina and his quality control. I studied the HR* CUSTOM DARK mouthpiece via YouTube and a couple other internet sites for a few weeks. Just got this 7 in today and without question it’s exactly what I was expecting. It’s now married to my 50’s Dolnet Bel Air Bari. The only thing hard about it besides the Chedeville rubber is putting it down. I purchased the Power Ring with it so of course it’s a perfect match. It’s so much easier to play than my other two good mouthpieces of the same tip opening. Now I’ve got a greater advantage when it comes to the amount of air needed to support and the fantastic response. As Jody would say “it plays Pretty “, Cuts enough for my liking. I can concentrate on other playing matters now. #7 with 2 1/2 Alexander Superials. The only other mouthpiece I’ll consider is the same make and model only for fun a larger tip opening."
-Cimarron
Instantaneous Adoration!
"I play a P Mauriat Le Bravo, bronze, and I left the OEM mouthpiece not long after. Got another brand with a 5 opening, and that was ok, but still not right. Then, I got a really nice one. Played well, but brighter than I knew I wanted.
Finally, I got the HR* CUSTOM DARK Baritone 9 tip opening and the very moment I played my first note, a D, the sound that came out was PRECISELY what I had been wanting! It gave me chills it was so good!! I’m now playing with more depth and control—not to mention JOY—than I’ve ever experienced!
This mouthpiece delivers on its promise and then some! Best decision I ever made!"
-Michael
Simply Sublime!
"Rich. Reverberant. Robust. Sonorous. Sweet. Sinewy. Simply Sublime! Ben Webster said in 1957, at a release party for Soulville at the Village Vanguard, 'I like the pretty things. I think they say more; the important thing is to be able to feel them.' All of Jody's mouthpieces help us feel the beauty in what we play."
-Chuck Currie