Made in France
HANDMADE SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE: WHERE PASSION MEETS EXCELLENCE
HANDMADE SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE : WHERE PASSION MEETS EXCELLENCE
THE REVELATION
THE REVELATION
For years, as a musician, saxophone teacher, and then director of a music school, Philippe observed the same scene: brilliant saxophonists held back by a tiny detail—the mouthpiece. He often noted the same obstacles: weak low notes, unpredictable high notes, squeaks, and fatigue.
Curious, he analyzed, measured, and compared their mouthpieces until he understood what few could see: an irregular facing curve, a table lacking flatness, rails disrupting reed vibration, poor sealing…
This is where his calling was born: to give saxophonists the perfect ease that unlocks their musicality.
The day he understood that the mouthpiece and reed are the saxophone’s vocal cords, his path changed: Philippe became a passionate saxophone mouthpiece craftsman, so the equipment fades away and the music finally shines through.
PRECISION IN SERVICE OF MUSIC
PRECISION IN SERVICE OF MUSIC
His mantra: precision is not an end, but a means. A mouthpiece that is “perfect on paper” is worthless if it doesn’t inspire the musician. Here, measurements never replace the saxophone test.
A METHOD: EAR + CAD* + MEASUREMENT
A METHOD
EAR + CAD* + MEASUREMENT
Philippe doesn’t believe in miracles, but in methods. CAD* to create the ideal shape, measurements to adjust and control, play tests to validate. A flat table for sealing, symmetrical rails, a tip opening adapted to breath, and a chamber and baffle fine-tuned, with surface finishes mastered: progress is made through short iterations, until the perfect balance of response / projection / expressiveness is achieved.
* CAD: Computer-Aided Design
A MUSICIAN’S EAR, A GOLDSMITH’S TOUCH
A MUSICIAN’S EAR, A GOLDSMITH’S TOUCH
The ear asks the question, the comparator provides the answer to the nearest 1/100th of a millimeter.
Philippe has solid experience and skills in jewelry-making, precision mechanics, 3D design (CAD), and saxophone mouthpiece acoustics. He spent years refining his own saxophone sound using Dave Liebman’s method. He also relies on meticulous analysis of hundreds of vintage and modern mouthpieces, as well as numerous acoustic tests and feedback from saxophonists.
By combining all this knowledge, acquired over the years, he is now able to create exceptional mouthpieces.
SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE CRAFTSMAN… AND REVEALER OF YOUR SOUND
SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE CRAFTSMAN… AND REVEALER OF YOUR SOUND
Philippe crafts, refaces, and repairs. But above all, he listens. A beginner classical alto doesn’t need the same power as a professional funk tenor; a soprano in an ensemble doesn’t have the same requirements as a baritone in the studio. His work is to translate a musical intention into technical parameters: freeing up the low end without weighing down the attack, softening the highs without dampening the harmonics, and opening up the dynamics without straining the breath.
VINTAGE OR MODERN: THE SAME DEMAND FOR EXCELLENCE
VINTAGE OR MODERN: THE SAME DEMAND FOR EXCELLENCE
Whether it’s a vintage model to revive or a contemporary mouthpiece to optimize, the goal remains the same: healthy vibration that gives the musician the freedom to be themselves.
A WORKSHOP IN SOUTHWEST FRANCE, A SOUND THAT TRAVELS
A WORKSHOP IN SOUTHWEST FRANCE, A SOUND THAT TRAVELS
It is in Revel, in the heart of the Lauragais region in southern France, that Philippe set up his workshop.
The Autan wind sometimes blows hard outside; inside, there is polishing, testing, and adjusting, in calm.
The mouthpieces born here then travel around the world: to studios, stages, big bands, conservatories, and we often receive simple messages: “I found my sound.”
A LOCAL CRAFTSMAN, A GLOBAL REACH
A LOCAL CRAFTSMAN, A GLOBAL REACH
The place is local, but the demand is universal: each mouthpiece is designed to suit both intimate playing and bright stages, as well as studio microphones.
A PROUD TRADITION, CLAIMED INFLUENCES
A PROUD TRADITION, CLAIMED INFLUENCES
From Coleman Hawkins to Michael Brecker, the greatest musicians shaped their mouthpieces and sound with a refacer. Philippe follows this tradition: respect for the great models and master refacers, curiosity for innovations, and the simple belief that sound is a meeting between a musician, an instrument, a mouthpiece… and a craftsman.
CONTACT PHILIPPE HANDMADE SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE
CONTACT PHILIPPE HANDMADE SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE
Do you have a clear idea of your sound, or just a feeling? Talk to Philippe. This is how every project begins: with listening, a diagnosis… to create a mouthpiece that is truly you.
