Beechler: synonymous with Jazz, Funk and Rock and Roll
In 1939, saxophonist and clarinetist Arnold Brilhart began making mouthpieces in New York, quickly capturing the attention of jazz musicians. Charlie Parker is undoubtedly the greatest example of a saxophonist from that era who used his mouthpieces. The photos of “Bird” with his white Brilhart are very famous.
Brilhart had since its inception an employee who did the finishing by hand of each mouthpiece, which is today known as “refacer”, and his name was Elmer Beechler.
From 1942 onwards, Elmer began working on his own, manufacturing Beechler mouthpieces for saxophones and clarinets, giving birth to the company Remle (his name spelled backwards). However, Elmer continued collaborating with Brilhart because the path of both brands was constantly intertwined, until Brilhart was acquired by Selmer USA in 1966. Elmer Beechler continued to manufacture the famous Beechler mouthpieces throughout his life, and today the company remains active under the supervision of his daughter, Judy Beechler. His mouthpieces have been used by professional musicians since then
The models:
Beechler Diamond
Also known as White Diamond because of their white diamond-shaped teeth rest. These are the brand’s best-known mouthpieces and have been used by musicians of all styles. The alto saxophone mouthpieces are available in three chamber sizes: Small, Medium and Large, with Small being the best-selling size. They have a medium-high deflector and a horseshoe-shaped chamber that produce a fast air column and generate a powerful, bright sound rich in harmonics. They are ideal for playing jazz or styles that require a good dose of brightness and volume, such as blues, funk, or rock, while maintaining a good balance of bass and body in the sound. The medium and large chamber models produce a slightly darker sound without losing projection. Some musicians who have played this model include Charles McPherson, Gerald Albright, and Casey Benjamin.
The mouthpieces for clarinet, tenor and baritone are designed with a single middle chamber. The composite material used for these mouthpieces is a durable combination of the qualities of hard rubber and the plastics of the new generation, designed to take advantage of the entire dynamic range of the instrument.
Beechler Bellite
This model is one of the most widely used by musicians of Jazz Fusion, Smooth Jazz, Rock or Funk from all over the world. Some musicians famous who played this model are Eric Marienthal, Dave Koz and Boney James.
The mouthpieces made of metal Bellite from Beechler are manufactured with stainless steel of surgical of the highest quality, resistant to corrosion. They are manufactured at a temperature of 2000 degrees, and maintain a constant durability. The hardness of this metal provides an ultra-fast response to to highlight the brightness of the series of harmonics. The models Bellite Alto and Tenor feature a medium-high deflector and an open chamber that favours a bright and contemporary sound, as well as a mellow sound for ballads. The models Bellite Soprano and Baritone have an open deflector. All mouthpieces Beechler Bellite include ligatures and mouthpiece caps.
These mouthpieces recreate a unique sound and are the ideal choice for those seeking an aggressive, bright sound with tremendous power. This sound is so distinctive that many modern manufacturers such as Jody Jazz, Retro Revival and Theo Wanne have imitated this mouthpiece.
ARB Metal
This model was originally manufactured under the brand name Brilhart, but when it passed into the hands of Selmer USA, it was renamed ARB (Arnold Ross Brilhart) and manufactured by Beechler. It has characteristics of sound quite similar to those of the Bellite and is made with the same material and manufacturing process as the although the external format is different and the deflector is higher.
Beechler Tonalex
The resin acoustic white of these mouthpieces enhances the qualities most mellow and melodious of the instrument. They resemble the old Brilhart Tonalin which we referred to at the beginning of the blog, used by Charlie Parker. They are ideal for jazz and are not as bright as the other models by Beechler. The Tonalex mouthpiece for alto has a medium-sized deflector with a large chamber. The mouthpieces for clarinet and tenor have a medium-sized chamber.
Beechler Hard Rubber
Manufactured with rubber hard of high quality. The hardness of the rubber and the size and shape of the the chamber produce a dark and traditional sound. Visually they look very similar to the Diamond but their sound is quite darker than those. The rhombus is grey in colour and the outer shape is much narrower, which means we have to use them with special ligatures, such as those designed for metal mouthpieces, which tend to be narrower than those made of resin.
Explore our stock of mouthpieces here: https://brass-market.com/en/accessories/mouthpieces/
At Brass Market, we have a soundproof booth so you can try out all the mouthpieces you want without disturbing anyone at no additional cost.
We look forward to seeing you so you can find the perfect mouthpiece for you.
