Europa With 3 Different Guardala Mouthpieces

[john]

Was messing around with my new Guardala’s some more last week so thought I’d share some results with you guys.
After working out this backing track for Santana’s Europa I laid down 3 different sax tracks, one with the
MB1, then the MB11, and then the MB11 Fatboy. Have a listen guys and let me know what you think, if you hear any differences, what they are and which do you like the best if any.

MB1
Europa-MB11
Europa-Fatboy

[William Cingolani]

The MB11 and the Fatboy sound very similar. The MB1 doesn’t sound as edgy as the Fatboy or the MB11. I’m going with the MB11. Nice edge and tone.

[Anonymous]

Hi Johnny

Thanks for these examples. I’m trying to play this tune at present and it gives me a good reference to work from.

Comparing the first two MP’s I could compare them to Hi-Fi turntable cartridges. The MBI sounds like a good moving-magnet MM cartridge, but the MBII sounds like a moving-coil MC cartridge in that the sound is clearer and more precisely defined. You could have taken a muffler off the microphone for the 2nd recording – LOL.
The Fatboy has nearly as much precision as the MBII, but it’s mid-range frequencies are boosted to give a much fuller and louder sound.

My favourite is still the MBII because of its precision, and if I could play well enough on Tenor I would buy one immediately.

[Dazza]

Nice renditions. I do still like the MB II though did you let rip a bit more on the Fat Boy? Is this tune coming out soon? Very excited as my MB II has landed in Sydney so only 915 klm away now!

[Anonymous]

wow – all 3 mouthpieces sound completely different.

mb1 – not sure about the reed. you sound like you’ve outgrown this mouthpiece.

mb11 – this mouthpiece has the potential to sound very graceful and projects a lot of feelings. This mouthpiece sounds unpolished, in other words stick with this one for a few months and the whole thing will change, could be a diamond.

fatboy – this mouthpiece is Johnny Ferreira Rock n Roll, this is good to go. No need to work on this mouthpiece. Sounds fantastic.

if you were playing a gig tonite – the fatboy is a no brainer.

[Michael Bishop]

Wow, fantastic stuff Johnny 🙂 It’s a coin-toss between the Fatboy and MBII. I love the MBI, but I think the MBII and Fatboy have more grit/bite. Are you getting ready to release this song? That would be FANTASTIC…..I’ve waited to see when you were going to do it 🙂

[john]

Hey guys, you all have some good ears there!
thanks a bunch for the comments.
I must admit that I’m feeling more comfortable with the fatboy now. the first time I recorded the other demo video I had just gotten it so was still a bit weird, but I knew I liked it, was just a matter of spending some time with it. The MB11 is not there yet for me cause I haven’t played it nearly as much yet but will do so. and the MB1 is now lacking some fulness compared to the new ones but it’s a hard one to let go cause I’ve been playing it so long and so the feeling is just more comfortable still than the others. but I agree with you guys that it’s probably not the best sounding all-round.
Yes, have done the song video and so will get everything up this week probably so the download will be available soon.

BTW, I didn’t use any EQ on any of the tracks, and I tried my best to play them all equally the same and tried to mix the levels the same as well. If anyone of them came out more this or that it’s truly because of the mp and/or because of the comfort level i had with them (this can make a difference too).

[Michael Bishop]

Yeah, I got to say that Fatboy comes across more just like ‘you’ 🙂 I’m not sure if Nadir had you in mind when he made it, but that’s the way it comes across 🙂 Seems like other members are saying pretty much the same thing. I think Johnny if you’re loving it then that’s the bottom line. That is so, so cool that you’re doing this song and all I can say is THANK YOU so much…I’ve been waiting for you to do it for awhile LOL A lot of the tracks I’ve heard people using for this song sound kind of ‘contemporary’ which is cool too, but your rendition sounded a lot more like the original release in the sense that it has more of that feeling which conveys feeling and emotion v.s. a lot of tracks I’ve heard people who play this song on youtube use. I’m actually thinking about learning it on the Alto for a variety of reasons–it sounds so, so fantastic on Tenor Sax and everyone loves to hear it on Tenor and rightly so; but I haven’t seen too many people doing it on the Alto so it would be interesting to see hear, the Alto is cool too.

[Nick]

They all sound great, but I like the MB2 and MB2 Fatboy better. Mine (MB 2 FB) cleared customs in San Francisco 2:13 pm March 22nd.

[john]

Good to hear that Nick. Let us know how it plays for you after you have a chance to try it out.

[Author]

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