Berg Larsen Ebonite Baritone Sax Mouthpiece 85/1 SMS - BL405

The Berg Larsen Ebonite Baritone Sax Mouthpiece 85/1 SMS brings the resonant character of traditional black hard rubber to a precisely identified tip, chamber, and facing combination. Berg Larsen has used ebonite for mouthpieces since 1945; its absorbent qualities contribute to the material's resonant sound.

BL405 85/1 SMS specifications

• Instrument: Baritone saxophone.
• Material: Black ebonite, also known as hard rubber.
• Tip opening: 85 thousandths of an inch.
• Tone chamber: 1, bright.
• Facing: SMS, the traditional, shorter French facing with a steeper curve.

Understanding the 85/1 SMS configuration

The 85 tip opening measures the distance between the reed tip and mouthpiece tip in thousandths of an inch. A wider opening generally allows a softer reed, while a narrower opening can help beginners achieve a clearer tone and more consistent intonation.

This configuration uses chamber 1, designated bright. Tone chamber size influences edge and brightness, with more baffle producing more edge. Berg Larsen identifies chamber 0 as brilliant with the most edge, 1 as bright, 2 as round, and 3 as mellow.

The SMS French facing has a shorter, steeper curve; the M American facing is slightly longer and flatter. These designations describe facing curve length rather than the actual sound of the mouthpiece.

Choosing your Berg Larsen mouthpiece

Compare tip opening, chamber, and facing with your current setup when selecting a BL405 baritone sax mouthpiece. The maker's tenor example, 100/0 SMS, denotes a medium-close opening, brilliant chamber, and short facing. This listing is specifically the baritone 85/1 SMS version.