While most instruments come with a mouthpiece, it’s often important to upgrade to a higher quality one to get the best possible sound out of your tenor sax. Good saxophone mouthpieces are essential when trying to elevate your sound. The results are in and experts are recommending these 10 mouthpieces as the best options for your tenor sax.
Contents
10 Best-Rated Tenor Sax Mouthpieces on the Market:
1. Rico Metalite M7 Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- made from durable plastic that won’t chip
- intended to be comparable to pricier metal mouthpieces
- 0.105″ tip openingd
- ideal for use with medium soft to medium reeds
- compatible with most caps and ligatures (not included)
Rico Metalite M7 is a durable student mouthpiece. This cheap tenor sax mouthpiece gives incredible control to the student player. The quality of this mouthpiece is one of the best you can find when looking at the price to quality ratio.
Expert Opinions of Rico Metalite M7
The Rico Metalite M7 is a great student mouthpiece that will last quite some time. It’s an affordable choice that’s arguably the best tenor sax mouthpiece for beginners. This will need to be upgraded to a higher quality part as skill level advances, but it really allows the student musician to belt out those intricate tenor sax parts with control.
- affordable
- gives quality control over the tenor sax to the beginner musician
- offers good dynamic range
- made from quality plastic
- plastic can’t produce the same sound as metal
- not made to be practical past beginner days as a musician
- low notes somewhat difficult to produce
2. Timiy Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- includes mouthpiece, ligature, mouthpiece cap, and 1 reed
- good saxophone mouthpiece for marching band or student musicians
Timiy tenor sax mouthpiece is a quality student tenor sax mouthpiece. The plastic mouthpiece is a step above the stock mouthpieces that are often included with the instrument.
Expert Opinions of Timiy Mouthpiece
This isn’t an expert’s favorite choice but is a suitable starter. It comes with everything you need to get started and is of higher quality than sub-par stock mouthpieces.
- includes metal ligature and mouthpiece cap
- better quality than stock mouthpiece
- made in China
- limited quality control can make the mouthpiece hit or miss
3. Vandoren SM721 TL3 Optimum Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- versatile, long-lasting, and durable
- quality French-made mouthpiece that produces beautiful sound
- ideal for use with reed sizes 2.5-4
- intended for beginner to intermediate musicians
Vandoren SM721 TL3 Optimum is a sax mouthpiece great for rock and roll, jazz, classical, or any other genre your desire to play.
It’s one of the best mouthpieces for beginner to intermediate tenor saxophones players but a bit expensive. This mouthpiece is a great investment for years to come if you’re serious about playing the tenor saxophone.
Expert Opinions of the Vandoren SM721 TL3 Optimum
Vandoren SM721 TL3 Optimum is one of the best mouthpieces you can purchase for the aspiring musician. These mouthpieces are a music teacher’s best friend since they combine affordability, quality, and boast a quality brand-name in the industry of band instruments that back their products.
- suitable for beginner and intermediate musicians alike (up to reed size 4)
- quality mouthpiece made by reputable brand
- no mouthpiece cap or ligature included
4. Selmer S-80 C* Mouthpiece for Tenor Saxophone
FEATURES
- made from durable hard rubber
- ideal for those primarily playing in ensembles
- blends sound beautifully
Selmer S-80 C* is a quality tenor sax mouthpiece made from hard rubber that costs under $200. It’s considered to be a step up from the junky stock mouthpieces but is also of higher quality than many of the beginner mouthpieces on the market. Many consider this to be the standard choice in ensembles and the best jazz mouthpiece for tenor sax.
Expert Opinions of the Selmer S-80 C*
The Selmer S-80 C* is the best tenor sax mouthpiece for beginners. Most students begin playing in ensembles and this mouthpiece is considered ideal for sound blending making is a favorite for music teachers to recommend to students. It’s easy to play on and creates a light yet warm sound.
- great beginner mouthpiece
- ideal for ensembles
- backed by quality brand
- easy to tune
- not ideal for solo performances
- mouthpiece cap and ligature not included
5. Rico Metalite M9 Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- high-quality cheap mouthpiece for beginners
- made from plastic but designed to be comparable to metal mouthpieces
- ideal for testing the waters or those on a tight budget
Rico Metalite M9 is part of the best series of cheap tenor sax mouthpieces. These plastic saxophone mouthpieces are ideal for those who play on soft to medium soft reeds.
The Rico Metalite M9 is the ideal cheap replacement for the low-quality stock mouthpiece that ensures you don’t overspend if you’re unsure about dedication to the instrument.
- N/A
- mouthpiece cap and ligature not included
- will need upgrading at an earlier stage than most other mouthpieces
6. J&D Hite H118 Premiere Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- can be used with medium to medium hard reeds
- versatile for playing all genres
- affordable mouthpiece made from durable plastic
J&D Hite H118 Premiere is the best budget mouthpiece for tenor sax. At pretty affordable price, this mouthpiece can make your tenor sax sing. The Hite Premiere series is known for its versatility in performing multiple genres.
Expert Opinions of the J&D Hite H118 Premiere
Experts aren’t blown away with this but would recommend it above any of the comparably priced plastic mouthpieces. Some instructors offer this mouthpiece as a first step up from stock mouthpieces. While they aren’t made to be the first choice for prolonged performing, they’re a great starter.
- cheap mouthpiece that’s a step up from stock mouthpieces
- decent quality control for beginners
- versatile mouthpiece ideal for jazz musicians
- no mouthpiece cap or ligature included
- will need to be upgraded if you choose to advance to intermediate ensembles
7. Selmer 7713 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- economical mouthpiece
- made from hard plastic
- good beginner tenor sax mouthpiece
Selmer 7713 is a step up mouthpiece that is cheap choice. The beginner tenor sax player can’t go wrong with this cheap option that will help better the overall sound quality you produce with your instrument.
Expert Opinion of the Selmer 7713
It’s an okay beginner mouthpiece that’s backed by a quality brand name. This is by no means intended for those above the beginner level, but it’s a good step up from the stock mouthpiece that will help improve the sound quality that you’re producing.
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- produced by quality brand-name in the band instrument industry
- cheap step up from stock mouthpiece
- durable mouthpiece made from hard plastic
- no mouthpiece cap or ligature included
- not the quality most would expect from Selmer
8. Rico Royal Graftonite B5 Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- more options than other economical mouthpieces for beginners
- durable hard plastic mouthpiece
- quality sound at a low price
Rico Royal Graftonite B5 is a polycarbonate mouthpiece that will better the quality of your tenor sax sound for the great price.
The Rico Royal Graftonite mouthpiece series is intended to give you the choices you want in terms of chamber size and tip opening. The B5 is the middle of the road option ideal for ensembles and those who aren’t yet sure what they want from a mouthpiece.
Expert Opinions of the Rico Royal Graftonite B5
The quality of this mouthpiece is shocking for the price. Options are plentiful and instructors are able to help student musicians find the mouthpiece best suited for them with the Rico Royal Graftonite series.
- durable construction
- options that help you produce your ideal sound
- quality step up mouthpiece
- no mouthpiece cap or ligature included
- options can be confusing for new musicians making the middle of the road (B5) the only practical option
9. Aibay 7 Tenor Saxophone Metal Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- includes mouthpiece, ligature, and mouthpiece cap
- all pieces are constructed from quality yellow brass
- ideal for those who want more sound projection from their instrument
Aibay 7 is a beautiful metal tenor sax mouthpiece that costs less than $80. It’s the best metal mouthpiece for tenor sax that comes at an affordable price. This mouthpiece is ideal for those looking to strengthen their sound projection.
Expert Opinions of the Aibay 7
This is a quality metal mouthpiece that’s a great way to mix up the sound for beginner to early intermediate tenor sax players. It’s a beautiful introduction to metal mouthpieces that ensures you can really project your sound during performances.
- matching mouthpiece cap and ligature included
- elegant in appearance
- great for sound projection
- quality yellow brass construction
- sound quality is a little harsh
- tip opening is somewhat smaller than anticipated – closer to a 6 than a 7
10. Yamaha YAC 1293 6C Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
FEATURES
- produces high quality sound that you can easily project
- easy to play for beginners
- shape is great for clarinetists learning the saxophone
Yamaha YAC 1293 6C is a step up mouthpiece from the brand that’s leading in the band instrument industry. For less than $80, you can get a mouthpiece recommended by many band instructors.
It’s the highest quality mouthpiece you can buy on a budget that may possibly make it among the best investments you can make for the aspiring tenor saxophone musician.
Expert Opinions of the Yamaha YAC 1293 6C
If you’re looking for an affordable step up mouthpiece, there is none better than the Yamaha 1293 6C. It’s backed by the reputation of the Yamaha brand that experts love and this beginner mouthpiece is no exception.
- made by Yamaha
- produces rich sounds and offers powerful volumes
- durable plastic mouthpiece
- great for beginners to early intermediate tenor saxophone players as well as clarinetists who are expanding into the tenor sax
- may produce slightly brighter sound than desired
Know What You Need
Before deciding which of these mouthpieces is the best choice, you need to think about what’s right for you.
Your personal skill level is important to keep in mind for optimal playability which goes hand in hand with the size of the tip opening. This also dictates which reed sizes are best played on the specific mouthpiece.
While your budget is important to keep in mind for many, know that getting the wrong mouthpiece will end up costing you more in the long run.
This means that it may be ideal to save up for your desired mouthpiece so save yourself from regularly purchasing ones that may not be much better than the last.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Tenor Sax Mouthpiece
There are many factors to consider when purchasing your step up tenor sax mouthpiece. While it may be easy to just jump in and purchase one based on simple information such as brand or price, this can end up hurting your chances of finding the best match for you.
Make sure you look at all of the necessary information before purchasing your tenor sax mouthpiece.
Tip Opening
The size of the tip opening effects the vibration of the reed and your ability to project strong sound.
Larger tip openings will be beneficial to intermediate and professional tenor sax musicians but beginners may struggle to produce sound of decent quality from even the best professional tenor sax mouthpiece.
Material Construction
Mouthpieces are increasingly being made from durable plastic. This means that there are some great ones entering the market but there are also some knock offs that may not be any better than your stock mouthpiece.
Consider what kind of sound you want to produce and you may decide to instead save for a hard rubber or metal mouthpiece instead.
Included Items
Whether or not your mouthpiece comes with a ligature and mouthpiece cap may seem minor.
However, you’ll need both of these things regardless of whether or not they’re included in the price of the mouthpiece. The ligature is necessary to hold the reed and the cap will protect your mouthpiece whenever it’s not in play.
Not every ligature and cap fit every mouthpiece so it’s imperative to ensure that all of the pieces you purchase are compatible. There are often options of the same brand or seasoned musicians who are able to recommend a suitable combination that works with the mouthpiece you choose.
Which Mouthpiece To Buy
These 10 tenor sax mouthpieces offer some great variety for beginner musicians to choose the optimal step up from the stock mouthpiece. The number 1 tenor sax mouthpiece is a close toss-up between the Vandoren SM721 TL3 and Selmer S-80 C*. They have an entirely different construction so the Selmer is preferable for ensembles but the Vandoren is better for varied stylistic playing.
If you’re not looking to spend so much on your step up mouthpiece, the Yamaha YAC 1293 6C is the best option for under $80. It’s hard plastic mouthpiece with beginners in mind in every way.
Whichever you choose, just ensure that it’s the mouthpiece that best fits your needs. There are many good tenor sax mouthpieces out there, but the one that elevates your sound is the best one for you
