Vandoren Anniversary Titanium Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece - Limited Edition

A one-off, stunning and highly-limited-edition mouthpiece from Vandoren

Based on Vandoren's well-recognised Profile mouthpiece, this version has been engineered from pure titanium rather than the usual hard rubber material.  The purpose of titanium is not only for the acoustic qualities, but the absolute longevity of the material. The usual vulcanised hard rubber (ebonite) is actually quite soft, so mouthpieces need replacing over time. Titanium will not wear however, offering the prospective buyer assurance that its performance will be consistent throughout its life.. The price reflects both the cost of titanium/the tooling required to work the material, but also that this mouthpiece will last much, much longer than a standard mouthpiece.

THE PROFILE

The Profile mouthpiece stands as Vandoren's latest evolution in saxophone design, meticulously crafted to cater to the discerning requirements of contemporary classical saxophonists. Representing the pinnacle of Vandoren's commitment to excellence, the Profile emerges as the newest addition to their lineup, purposefully tailored for the classical saxophone player.

In its singular tip opening and facing configuration, the Profile has been intricately engineered to offer musicians an unparalleled equilibrium of essential elements—response, articulate precision, projection, and a rich, vibrant sound palette. This design precision ensures that players can seamlessly navigate their musical passages with a perfect blend of responsiveness and clarity, projecting a dynamic and colorful tonal range. The Profile, with its focused and deliberate design, serves as a testament to Vandoren's dedication to providing classical saxophonists with a mouthpiece that transcends expectations, delivering an optimal balance of key performance attributes for the modern classical repertoire.

Available in two options

AP2 - 0.145 mm tip opening

An effortless and easily accessible mouthpiece. This mouthpiece offers a round and homogeneous sound, generous and unparalleled in playing section.

AP3 –  0.158 mm tip opening

An instinctive extension of the air column with a natural fluidity between all registers and an infinite palette of colors.

V•12 and V21 reeds are particularly recommended for these mouthpieces.

Features

• Material: Titanium

• Made In: France

• Chamber: Small Round Chamber

• Baffle: Flat

• Ligature: Not included

• Recommended for: Classical or Crossover style 

Staff review:

It's a very rare thing to have a mouthpiece made completely from Titanium, but Vandoren have done it, and they've done it in style!  Yes it's worth a lot of money.  A LOT!  But I get the feeling that this mouthpiece will mean more to the player than the huge investment.  It's about the highly limited desirability of it, it's about the uniqueness, the irridescent sheen!

Having compared it to the standard hard rubber version that it is based upon, I can't honestly say that this is a massive 'improvement'.  It's just different.  The sound characteristics are similar (as you would expect) but if I had to describe it I'd say there's an extra sparkle in the sound, perhaps a little more projection on hand.  

If you are a big Vandoren fan, you like rare and limited items, and you have an interest in all the different tonailities that you can gain from a Vandoren mouthpiece, then this is the piece for you!

Jim Cheek