Review: Morgan ‘Excalibur’ Tenor & Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces

This American saxophone and clarinet mouthpiece manufacturer has a proud heritage. It was initially founded in 1980 by Ralph Morgan, after he had retired from his position as the chief woodwind designer at the Selmer factory. Like the Selmer mouthpieces of old, the Morgan model comes in hard rubber, with each one expertly hand finished. We took delivery of the latest design to come off the production line, the Excalibur, in both its alto and tenor forms.

Both were comfortable and free-blowing, though, as you might expect, there were some obvious differences between the pair in tone and sound quality. The alto produced a sweet, warm sound and articulated well. The mid-range was very positive, though it became a little edgy at the top. However, it was particularly good in the altissimo. The tenor (which we preferred), like the alto, articulated well and produced a good solid, rounded overall sound with a full tone. It was particularly impressive in the lower reaches.

Like their well-respected predecessors, both of these mouthpieces have the qualities to shine in almost any musical scenario, be it big band, lounge jazz or just plain pop. As an aside, we should just mention that, compared to many mouthpiece caps (often seen as an afterthought), the supplied cap on both models fits the mouthpiece perfectly with the ligature and reed in place.

Find out more here: www.morganmouthpieces.com