Mauriat System 76, Selmer Mark 6 #109000 WITH A #84000 NECK (I have a 84000 Tenor also) Mouthpiece- Otto link 9 unmodified hard rubber Reeds- size 4, sometimes 3.5. They all suck, but usually Rico Royal, sometimes Jazz select- however over rated in my opinion. Let me know if you know the answer!!

ALTO SAX: P Mauriat PMX 67ULR Mouthpiece- Otto Link hard rubber 8. Reeds- 3’s or 2.5s. Thinking of getting a more closed piece for alto, however with the Otto Link I get a great dark warm sound.

SOPRANO : YAMAHA 62R –Otto Link hard rubber 7. Don’t play soprano much. I want a horn with a bigger sound. Old Conn? I have not tried the Mauriat yet..

BASS CLARINET : SELMER BUNDY Plastic! – This horn is a mess, but really good strong sound and excellent intonation. Mouthpiece- some Italian thing

FLUTE : SANKYO Silver plate, solid silver neck and open hole ( no extension). This Flute is GREAT. It has a real bright open loud sound.

I brought my Mark 6 tenor #109000 in 1986/7, which I happily used til 2006, but the day before an International tour, after a days very tiring teaching, I fumbled my mark 6 and it dropped about 6 inches – which didn’t fall over, but the jolt put a few things out. The next day I flew to Australia with my Conn 10m.

Now this horn I brought in New York in 1997 for $1000 US. I brought it because I loved the sound, but could never get around the action. You see I had learnt everything on my mark 6, and did not realize I could adjust to another horn- but I had to on this tour, and man It was hard! When I got back to NZ I kept at it, and then fell in love with the action of the Conn!! Shit!!,

So for the last 3 years I have been exclusively been playing the Conn and loving it. I had to get my fingers right on the keys (my hands are not large), and no movement at all. The funny thing is, is that I used to say Conn would be the best horn if they had ever got their action together!!! Now I understand the wisdom of Conn! I still get the M6 out when I want a centered warmer sound, but It feels a bit like a toy after the Conn.

Now however, I have found P Mauriat horns, and am playing the P Mauriatt System 76 Tenor. I endorse them too because they make fantastic horns that sound great, are financially attainable and are taking on the “Big Boys” with a better and less expensive product. This is a very recent acquisition and I am still getting used to it. The 76 has a “bigger” sound than the mark 6, yet similar quality. It has a bigger sound than the Conn too. The difference is that the 76 is darker, bigger and more direct, the Conn broader and smokier. I don’t have an exclusive endorsement so am free to play what I want, and will use what horn suits each situation; however at the moment I am really digging the 76.

The Mauriat PMX 67ULR Alto I am using now is the best alto I have ever played. It is a real bitch of a horn. It is dark, big, fat and feels and looks amazing. I own a Super 20 alto, model 22 Selmer and a Selmer Super Balanced action and the P Mauriat 67ULR is my choice easily. I will sell the others probably.