The Saxscape Xtra Dark is inspired by Selmer hard rubber mouthpieces. It features a very dark focused complex core with good edge and projection - straight sidewalls - think Bergonzi and Joe Henderson. The Xtra Dark is the darkest sounding Saxscape mouthpiece. A deep rich sound that's great for introspective searching performance, with a great core and enough baffle to provide good projection. This model is currently being played by Jimmy Greene. Mouthpiece only, no ligature or cap.

"I believe that sound is the single most identifiable attribute of a saxophonist’s playing, and the right mouthpiece setup is vital in the creation of that sound. While playing the Saxscape mouthpiece, simply put, I am able to achieve the sound I hear in my head. Ken Barry has come up with a great design, and I have been thrilled with my Saxscape Uptown Xtra Dark. The mouthpiece gives me the deep, dark sound I always imagined, without sacrificing clarity, projection, or response. Thanks, Ken, for your hard work and dedication to the sound of the saxophone. I look forward to playing Saxscape mouthpieces for years to come." -- Jimmy Greene on the Uptown Xtra Dark 120

Listen to another recording of the Xtra Dark mouthpiece HERE.

From Ben Britton's "Everything Saxophone" blog: "Among dark mouthpieces the Xtra Dark is a standout set apart for a few characteristics that make it a lot of fun to play.  First, is the fact that its sound is easy to hear and well defined even from behind the horn.  The tone's subtlety and definition are easy to hear while playing, and it excels in this category relative to other dark sounding mouthpieces. Second, is the ease of the altissimo register, which sings in a way untypical of a darker mouthpiece. There is little or no increased resistance in the altissimo register, and the tone refuses to thin.  Third, is the tone color of the mouthpiece. While producing a thoroughly dark tone "inspired by the Selmer hard rubber pieces," it also has character and flexibility toward some brighter colors reminiscent of the SL and Naima. Overall, the Xtra Dark model feels great to play and produces a flexible dark tone which combined create a really fun playing experience."

Tenor HR: Outer shape similar to an Otto Link or Selmer hard rubber mouthpiece.

My goal is to work with the outer shapes that have become standards in the sax mouthpiece industry: Your favorite ligature will probably work fine with one of the available Saxscape models. The models are based on designs that have stood the test of time in many genres, from west coast cool jazz, to powerful rock and roll, and everything in between... straight-ahead, fusion, bop, all the sounds that today's player needs to bring to almost any gig situation. Of course years of practice is a given, none of these are "chops in a box." I have my concept of what it takes to get good at playing, but I leave that to the past masters and today's teachers to get you there.

Delrin (acetal) material:

• FDA appproved for food contact -- no health concerns about epoxy baffles or metal plating, no BPA compounds as in other resin products like polycarbonate
• Chemically very stable -- won't oxidize and give off bitter sulfur compounds like hard rubber
• Extremely durable -- harder than hard rubber
• Musically resonant
• Used successfully in the highly regarded Lamberson mouthpieces
• Easy to clean with soap and warm water

Acrylic material: Used to be my main material, but I phased it out because it ended up being prone to chipping when dropped.

Do I think material makes a difference? Not to the listener, but the vibration of the mouthpiece beak being transmitted through your top teeth and to your inner ear through bone conduction will vary depending on the material, so that may or may not change how you feel about the sound. That's a very personal thing. This is all my opinion of course.

About The Maker

After having been a player in the Miami, Kansas City, and North New Jersey scenes for over 20 years, I kept being frustrated by the inconsistency with mouthpieces that you'd find in the local music stores..... try out 10 of them and maybe one would work for you. I had taken some courses in engineering, so that gave me some of the technical chops I needed to analyze exactly what was going on, as far as reed movement and air flow and resonance, and that would become important as I got further into the world of mouthpiece making. I am applying these physics principles now in these mouthpieces, where I give the required attention to the tip curve, the tip opening, the facing curve, the rail shapes, and the baffle shapes, and I know that when I make a piece, it will be easy to play, give you a good dynamic range from a whisper to a shout, be reed friendly, and be easy to get in tune with your horn. Within the Saxscape brand, I've come up with a half dozen or so tenor styles, because different players need different types of pieces (Stan Getz and Lenny Pickett would have far different requirements!). I've got so far about 4 alto styles, and I haven't gotten started yet with soprano and bari...... but I've played both of those professionally so it is just a matter of having enough time and getting the correct tooling fabricated to be able to cut the right shapes on my machinery.

Musical Influences: John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Don Myrick, Michael Brecker, Bob Sheppard, Rich Perry, Kenny Brooks, Jim Gailloreto, Dave Liebman, Ira Sullivan, Bob Franceschini, Gary Campbell, Jan Garbarek, Chet Baker, John Abercrombie, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Krantz, Keith Carlock, Artt Frank

Mouthpiece Concept Influences: Frank Wells, Bob Carpenter, Jon Van Wie, Ted Klum, Theo Wanne, Fred Lamberson, Ron Coelho, Bobby Dukoff, Wolfe Tayne, Dave Guardala, Otto Link, Frank Meyer, Freddie Gregory

Horn Preferences: Selmer Mark VI, Super Balanced Action, or really good imitations thereof.

Chief Consultant and Endorser: Nick Franciosa. Nick was the cheif horn evaluator for Dave Guardala back when Dave was doing the hand finishing, has studied saxophone with Bob Berg and Steve Grossman, and continues to play gigs in the NYC area.