Today, I am reviewing a Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Aaron Drake at Drake mouthpieces. This Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece was inspired by a Freddie Gregory hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece that Jeff Coffin plays and that Aaron Drake did some work on.
Aaron told me that although the Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece is similar to Jeff Coffin’s Freddie Gregory tenor sax mouthpiece, it is not an exact copy of that mouthpiece but more of a tribute to Freddie Gregory that was inspired by Jeff’s Freddie Gregory tenor saxophone mouthpiece.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
I asked Aaron Drake what model Freddie Gregory Jeff Coffin plays as I have read in some places that it is a Mark IV model Freddie Gregory but the baffle on this Drake FG model looks more like a Mark III model Freddie Gregory baffle to me. This is what Aaron wrote back:
“I’m not sure. Jeff sent me the mouthpiece to check out and he just said it was made for him by Freddie Gregory – no markings – I don’t know that much about the different models that Freddie made – it may have been a custom piece? The modifications are to the floor and baffle and chamber – it is probably 75% similar to the mouthpiece Jeff plays. I kept the same facing contour as the original Freddie piece – it was the same as the facing I normally do.”
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is not made with hard rubber but it is made from Drake’s vintage resin material. Each mouthpiece is created as a one piece casting that Aaron Drake finishes by hand. The entire process is done at his shop and nothing is outsourced.
Here are a few words from Aaron Drake on the Vintage Resin material he uses for his saxophone mouthpieces:
“Our Vintage Resin is a resin composite material that incorporates ceramic to enhance its hardness and acoustic properties. This material is the closest to the properties of vintage hard rubber. The Vintage Resin is engineered for durability and will outlast hard rubber. I recently had an opportunity to take a look at one of my mouthpieces made 10 years ago. It was played every day by a top professional musician and the mouthpiece facing was unchanged and still spot on.
Also, speaking to the material – it is not possible to capture the level of detail in the reproduction process using hard rubber and the process of milling hard rubber has a completely different acoustic affect on the finished mouthpiece – our one piece casting method is much more homogeneous and resonates differently – it is more “alive”. -Aaron Drake
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
Here is what Aaron Drake writes about the Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the Drake website:
“The New “FG” model tenor saxophone mouthpiece features a long rollover baffle which gradually transitions to a medium chamber. The tone is beautifully centered with a broad spectrum of harmonics available to the player. Articulation is immediate and precise. The tip rail shaping, facing calibration and baffle contouring are handcrafted to ensure each mouthpiece plays with the highest degree of precision and consistency.”-Aaron Drake
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece came well packaged and protected. The FG model mouthpiece looked perfect right out of the box. The resin material was shiny and smooth to the touch. The table, tip, rails, baffle and chamber looked absolutely perfect. Everything was clean cut, even and smooth.
The mouthpiece has “Drake Handmade USA” engraved on the side of the body and “FGXXXX (Serial Number)” handwritten on the other side of the body. The tip opening of “8” is etched by hand into the copper band that is at the bottom of the shank.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks great as I examine it while writing this review. The table looks flat and smooth with not a mark on it. The side rails and tip rail are thin and look to be perfectly even to my eyes.
The baffle is a smooth really long high rollover baffle that rolls down and travels through the medium chamber area as you can see in the photos below. The baffle is what I would consider a high baffle that travels for about an inch before it rolls into the downward angle descent through the chamber area.
The top roof of the mouthpiece chamber is nice and thin and the side walls are slightly scooped out.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece came with a slide-on Drake Dual Rails Ligature. The Dual Rails Ligature holds the reed with rails on each side of the ligature. Although the Drake Dual Rails ligature held the reed on fine when slid over the reed and mouthpiece, I opted to try a different more adjustable ligature for this mouthpiece.
I chose to record the sound clips below with a Vandoren Optimum ligature because I like the flexibility of being able to adjust the ligature placement on the reed. The one negative to the Drake Dual Rails ligature (and all slide-on circular ligatures) is that the ligature placement on the reed can not be adjusted.
As a point of reference for other ligatures, the Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece will work with any ligature that fits a hard rubber Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I also tried using a Boston Sax Shop Superlative ligature, a Vandoren Optimum ligature, a Sax Clinic Tonus Mundi string ligature and a generic metal ligature for hard rubber tenor sax mouthpieces. All four of these ligatures fit on the Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece perfectly.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
My first experience playing the Drake FG model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece was that it was very reed friendly and very easy blowing. I used Rigotti Gold 3 light reeds, Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reeds and Rigotti Gold 3 strong tenor saxophone reeds on the sound clips below. Usually, on an 8 tip opening, I will use a Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 strong tenor sax reed but the 2 1/2 strong strength was way too soft on this FG model tenor mouthpiece for some reason.
The height of the beak of the Drake FG model tenor sax mouthpiece is a lower beak profile than a typical hard rubber Otto Link beak profile. I found the angle and lower height of the beak to be very comfortable for me and I actually prefer the feel of the FG model beak over a typical higher Otto Link height beak.
The Rigotti Gold 3 light reed felt super easy to play and had the perfect amount of resistance to blow against. The tone with this reed sounds clear, bright and focused. The reed felt like it was the perfect strength but if I was on a live gig that was really loud, I would probably lean towards the 3 medium or 3 strong reeds which could be pushed harder for more volume.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 tenor saxophone mouthpiece had an incredibly powerful tone with loads of brightness and projection when pushed. The height of the baffle in the Drake FG model mouthpiece would lead me to think that the FG model would always be bright and edgy but the tone was quite manageable and versatile in my opinion.
At softer volumes the Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a full-bodied tenor saxophone tone that would sound right at home during a jazz set and then later could be pushed to rock the house during a dance set.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
The Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece resides in that nebulous gray area between a traditional Otto link type tenor saxophone sound and a Guardala type tenor saxophone sound. Not too long ago, a mouthpiece that played like this mouthpiece was pretty difficult to find. Tenor sax mouthpieces either had a conservative rollover baffle or they had a high Guardala, Sugal or Ponzol type baffle in them. There were not many choices in-between those two types of tenor sax mouthpieces that I could find twenty years ago. This Drake FG model tenor mouthpiece is a great modern choice that fits perfectly into this category in my opinion.
The Drake FG model tenor sax mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece option for those of you looking for a more powerful sound that straddles that line between a sultry robust jazz tenor tone and a screamin’ kick butt tenor sound that can carry through the mix of a loud band. The Drake FG model tenor sax mouthpiece has power to spare and the volume I was getting on these recordings was but a fraction of the power available with this mouthpiece. Although I was playing at a 10 on the volume scale at times, this mouthpiece could seriously be pushed to play at a 15 if I didn’t care about getting evicted from my apartment.
I have provided six sound clips below as examples of what the Drake FG model mouthpiece can do with three different strength Rigotti reeds. Since the Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with all three strengths of Rigotti saxophone reeds I used with it, I decided to record with all three.
For each reed strength, I recorded a sound clip without effects where I explore different lines and sounds to see what the mouthpiece can do and how it sounds. I then provide another clip which features a louder more wailing sound with reverb so you can get an idea of how the Drake FG model tenor sax mouthpiece might sound on a live modern type of gig with reverb added.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
Although the high end could be really screaming and wailing, the low end of the saxophone could also be beautiful, resonant and lush sounding as well. The mouthpiece sub-tones exceptionally well and the notes down low are full, thick and vibrant.
The Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model tenor saxophone mouthpiece is even and smooth throughout the range of the horn. The altissimo range was incredibly easy to play and this Drake FG mouthpiece really makes it feel quite effortless playing up in that higher range of the horn.
I think Aaron Drake did a great job dialing in the intonation on this high baffle mouthpiece by finding a great balance between the high baffle and the internal design of the chamber. Usually, high baffled mouthpieces like this, will get a bit sharp for me on my Selmer SBA tenor sax but the Drake FG model tenor saxophone mouthpiece felt really locked in and solid as far as intonation.
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
If you like the sound and look of the Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Aaron Drake, you can find them at the Drake website. Aaron Drake has done an amazing job creating his own line of saxophone mouthpieces with an attention to detail that is top of the line. Beside being a great craftsman, Aaron Drake is also a great sax player, which, in my mind, is so important to dialing in the fine details involved in making great playing saxophone mouthpieces.
If you have played or end up playing a Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve
Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed Clips
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Dry Recording (No Effects)
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Altissimo Recording with Reverb
Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed Clips
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Dry Recording (No Effects)
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed-Altissimo Recording with Reverb
Rigotti Gold 3 Strong Reed Clips
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Strong Reed-Dry Recording (No Effects)
Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) model 8 Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 3 Strong Reed-Altissimo Recording with Reverb