FRENCH MANUFACTURER OF SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECES
At Les Becs d’Autan, we craft and hand-reface unique mouthpieces to offer every saxophonist the right sound — the one that reveals their musical personality. Made in France, our mouthpieces combine artisanal craftsmanship, high precision, and acoustic performance.
FROM PASSION to excellence
A musician, saxophone teacher, and later director of a music school, Philippe observed the same pattern for years: brilliant saxophonists held back by a tiny detail—the mouthpiece.
The obstacles are often the same: weak low notes, unpredictable highs, squeaks, fatigue…
Curious by nature, he began analyzing, measuring, and comparing mouthpieces until he understood what few notice: an irregular facing curve, a table lacking flatness, rails that disturb reed vibration, poor sealing…
The day Philippe realized that the mouthpiece and the reed are the vocal cords of the saxophone, his path changed: he became a saxophone mouthpiece maker so that the equipment could disappear and the music could finally flow.
The heart of his vocation: restoring to the saxophonist the perfect ease that frees their musical expression.
Philippe Momal
Precision
in the service of music
A mouthpiece that is perfect “on paper” is worthless if it doesn’t inspire the musician. Here, measurement never replaces real playing tests and proven methods: CAD* to design the ideal shape, precise measurements to adjust and verify, and playing tests to validate the result.
A perfectly flat table for airtight sealing, symmetrical rails, an opening suited to the player’s airflow, carefully adjusted chamber and baffle, and finely controlled surface finishes. The work progresses through short iterations until the perfect balance is achieved: response / projection / expressiveness.
*CAD: Computer-Aided Design
A MUSICIAN’S EYE AN ARTISAN’S TOUCH
The ear asks the question; the dial gauge provides the answer to within 1/100th of a millimeter.
Philippe brings together solid experience and skills in jewelry craftsmanship, precision mechanics, 3D design (CAD), and the acoustics of saxophone mouthpieces. He has also worked extensively on his own saxophone sound using Dave Liebman’s method.
His work is further informed by the meticulous analysis of hundreds of vintage and modern mouthpieces, along with extensive acoustic testing and feedback from saxophonists.
By combining all this knowledge acquired over the years, he is now able to create exceptional mouthpieces.
REVEAL YOUR SOUND
Philippe manufactures, refaces, and repairs—but above all, he listens.
A beginner classical alto does not require the same power as a professional funk tenor; a soprano in an ensemble has different needs from a studio baritone. His work consists of translating musical intention into technical parameters: freeing the low register without weighing down the attack, smoothing the high register without dulling the harmonics, opening the dynamic range without tiring the breath.
Whether reviving a vintage model or optimizing a contemporary mouthpiece, the goal remains the same: a healthy vibration that allows the musician to fully be themselves.
A workshop in southwestern France
Philippe’s workshop is located in Revel, in the Lauragais region of southern France. Outside, the famous Autan wind sometimes blows fiercely; inside, mouthpieces are polished, tested, and adjusted in calm concentration.
The mouthpieces created here travel across the world: to studios, stages, big bands, and conservatory classrooms. And we often receive the same simple message:
“I’ve found my sound.”
The workshop is local, but the standards are universal: every mouthpiece is designed to respond equally well to intimate playing, bright stages, and studio microphones.
A PROUD TRADITION
From Coleman Hawkins to Michael Brecker, the greatest players shaped their mouthpieces—and their sound—with the help of a refacer. Philippe continues in this tradition: respect for the great models and master refacers, curiosity for innovation, and the simple conviction that sound is a meeting between a musician, an instrument, a mouthpiece… and a craftsman.
Do you have a clear idea of your sound, or just a feeling?
Talk to Philippe.
Every project begins the same way: with listening, a diagnosis… and the creation of a mouthpiece that truly reflects you.