NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new NJS Hummingbird 8* (.115) bronze tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker named Nick Stahl from the Seattle area.  This review wasn’t going to happen but then Nick Stahl sent me a few tempting photos that were too much for me to resist and I had to try this NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece……….

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I have to be honest in saying that I very rarely accept mouthpieces from new mouthpiece makers these days.  I usually get an email about once a month from someone who is an aspiring mouthpiece maker asking if I would try their saxophone mouthpiece out to see what I think.  I usually decline because 1.) I have so many sax mouthpieces already on my desk waiting to be reviewed and just don’t have the time to play test every mouthpiece and 2.) Many times, young mouthpiece makers are usually still working on figuring out the whole mouthpiece making skill and they are just looking for my opinion or confirmation that they are on the right track.

When Nick initially reached out to me, I was ready to compose a response saying I didn’t have time to try his new mouthpiece when I clicked on a link he provided with photos of the saxophone mouthpiece he had been working on.   I was honestly blown away by the photos of the mouthpiece he created.  Even though I had never heard of Nick Stahl, I decided to respond that I would be willing to try out this beautiful looking mouthpiece.

The NJS Hummingbird Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Name Inspiration

Here are some words about Nick Stahl and the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the first email Nick sent to me just so you can get a sense of who Nick Stahl is and the concept behind this tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

“My name is Nick Stahl, I’m a saxophonist and aspiring mouthpiece maker from the Seattle area. I’m writing to see if I could send you one of my mouthpieces to try, and possibly review.

I’ve been playing the saxophone for 16 years, I graduated from CalArts with a BFA in jazz performance in 2019, and moved back to the Seattle area at the start of the pandemic. I’ve used the past three years to learn metal casting and mouthpiece facing/making, and it has become a second love for me.

I’m at the point where I’m ready to try to turn it into a small business, which is something I want to approach with sincerity and honesty (especially with a Guardala-style mouthpiece). I want people to really get their money’s worth with a good playing, good looking, gimmick-free saxophone mouthpiece, where the price is reflected in the amount of work and care that went into it. 

I’ve been working on creating a Guardala-inspired handmade tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is warm, not too bright, does not compromise any register of the horn, and can be pushed without the tone breaking up. What I have settled on (for La Voz medium reeds) is a .115 tip opening, long (54) elliptical facing, rounded-over baffle, scooped sidewalls, and a medium chamber. They are single-piece high quality castings, made from lead-free silicon bronze, which are then extensively hand finished. The mouthpieces are entirely made by me, I do everything from alloying my own bronze, to the casting, to the finishing. Each NJS mouthpiece comes with a ligature and a cherry wood box, both of which I also make, and a polishing cloth.”-Nick Stahl

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

Here is another great quote from the NJS website on the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

“The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is a Guardala inspired, handmade tenor mouthpiece designed to be warm, moderately focused, and symbiotic with the player. Each one is meticulously crafted and extensively playtested by me. I’ve played Guardalas for nearly all of my years on tenor, and too much of the time found myself struggling to keep my sound from getting too bright and thin. The NJS Hummingbird is my solution, maintaining character and power from a Guardala, while being richer, warmer, more controllable, and better responding. They are set up to enable the player to really sculpt their sound, sounding better and better the more they are played.”-Nick Stahl

In the above photo is the wooden box that the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece comes in.  It is evident that Nick is very detail oriented and a craftsman as well as an artist.  As you can see in these photos, the NJS mouthpiece comes well packaged and protected.  Besides being in these beautiful boxes, the boxes were shipped with ample padding around them in a shipping box as well.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Box

As the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is made of unplated bronze, Nick sent me a few tips before I even received the mouthpiece in the mail:

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece looked just as amazing and beautiful in person as it did in the photos.  It’s one of those mouthpieces you get and then you spend ten minutes just admiring its beauty because you are afraid to play it and put a mark on it in any way.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece looks terrific to the eye.  The tip, rails and table look even, flat, precise and well crafted.  The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and thin, and the shape of the tip rail perfectly matches the curve of the saxophone reeds I used.  The thinness of the rails remind me of the thin rails Dave Guardala was known for using on his mouthpieces back in the day.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

One concern I had from looking at the photos as well as admiring the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece in person was the “duckbill” beak of the mouthpiece that you can see in the photo above. (Nick has told me that he also makes the NJS Hummingbird with a Guardala height beak as well)

A “duckbill” beak describes a mouthpiece that has a beak that is really low in height and has a shape to the beak similar to the shape of a duck’s beak.  The NJS Hummingbird beak is super low in height compared to most metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces.   I can confidently state that it is the lowest beak I have played on a metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have stated a number of times on this website that I do not like “duckbill” mouthpiece beaks so I was worried that this would be a problem for me.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

After receiving the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece (and before I had even played it), I sent Nick Stahl an email asking, “Do you really like the low duckbill beak profile?”  I found his response interesting so I have included it here:

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I had anticipated, the duckbill beak felt very strange to me at first.  The height of the beak made it feel kind of like I was playing a soprano saxophone mouthpiece but this big tenor sax sound was coming back to my ears.

Over time, as I played the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece non-stop over the next couple of weeks, I did get used to the lower beak profile and really ended up loving it.

I found that getting used to the lower beak profile and the different jaw position while relaxing my embouchure really was the key as Nick described.  Once I relaxed, the lower beak profile felt even more comfortable than a regular height tenor sax mouthpiece beak profile to me.  Relaxing the embouchure allows the reed to respond more freely and the sound of the mouthpiece becomes much bigger, fuller and more resonant.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is of medium high height.  The baffle is long and gradually rolls over before descending down into the medium chamber.  The sidewalls on either side of the baffle are straight until the point where the baffle rolls down into the chamber.  At that point the sidewalls are scooped out as the baffle descends into the chamber area.

For comparison sake, I compared the NJS Hummingbird to two other high baffled tenor mouthpieces I own.  Compared to the Liu Shizhao Pilgrimage MB tenor saxophone mouthpiece, the baffle of NJS Hummingbird is a bit lower and not as long as the Pilgrimage mouthpiece.

Compared to my Retro Revival Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece, the baffle of the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece is also lower and slightly shorter before it rolls over and descend down into the chamber.

The lower and shorter baffle of the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece led me to believe that the NJS Hummingbird wouldn’t be as bright as the Pilgrimage or RR Double Ring tenor sax mouthpieces which are two of my brighter tenor saxophone mouthpieces in my collection and when I started to play the NJS Hummingbird I found my assumption to be correct.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece chamber looks to be what I would consider a medium-large sized chamber although Nick describes it as a medium chambered mouthpiece.   The roof of the chamber is of average thickness as you can see in the photo above.

I found the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece to play great with stronger tenor saxophone reeds of 3 or 3 1/2 strength.  Usually on a .115 tip opening tenor sax mouthpiece, I would use a 2 1/2 strength reed but because the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece has a longer elliptical facing of 54, I believe it can be used with harder reeds like 3 or 3 1/2 strength reeds.

The BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Black Label  3 1/2 strength tenor saxophone reed I used on the first two sound clips below played amazingly well for me.  The BSS Black Label reeds are normally a darker sounding reed but they could get pretty bright and powerful on the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece.

Nick had suggested that I try a Lavoz medium tenor saxophone reed as that is his favorite reed on the Hummingbird mouthpiece so I ordered a box of those to try as well.

I included two clips using the Lavoz medium reed which are clips 3 & 4 below.  The Lavoz medium reeds had a very different tone for me that was much warmer and darker than the BSS Black label 3 1/2 reed clips.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

As I stated above, the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece played incredibly well.  The mouthpiece was powerful and in your face when pushed but I didn’t find it overly bright and edgy like I have felt about Guardala tenor sax mouthpieces I have tried in the past.

The tone seemed focused and concentrated in power while keeping the core to the sound and the tone didn’t thin out in the higher register.  When pushed the NJS Hummingbird would get a bit brighter but it’s EQ sounded like it had more mid frequencies rather than the typical high frequency boost most high baffle mouthpieces have at louder volumes.

At first, I felt like the lower beak was throwing off my tongue position or oral cavity shape and I started to bite to get the altissimo notes.  I quickly realized what I was doing, relaxed and then worked on voicing those altissimo notes with overtones while remaining relaxed and quickly got comfortable with how those notes needed to be voiced with this mouthpiece.  After this adjustment, the altissimo range was easy to get and play on the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece.

On the subject of overtones, I have to say that the NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece plays exceptionally easy when playing overtones.  In a couple of the clips, I play some Breckeresque overtone lines and was surprised with how easily they were produced.   Usually I have to really work on voicing those overtones to come out correctly and with the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece I felt like I just put my fingers down and the overtones popped out really effortlessly and in tune.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Patina forming on Bronze-Patina can be wiped off with included polishing cloth)

The intonation on the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very good and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone (from the 50’s).

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone was nice when playing fast lines.  The NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece sub-toned beautifully as well down in the lower range of the saxophone.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Included Ligature

The NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a good amount of power and volume when pushed.  I would say the volume was about a 8 1/2-9 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale.  It wasn’t as loud and bright as some higher baffled tenor sax mouthpieces are when pushed to maximum volume, but where those mouthpieces can tend to get thinner sounding and excruciatingly brighter the louder they get, the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece retains it’s nice full bodied tone that is thick and full sounding as it gets in that louder range.

Of course, part of what carries the sound through the mix of a loud band is the brightness of your sound so seeing how the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece would perform  on the gig can only be tested in a live setting with a band to see how the Hummingbird’s tone carries through the mix of the band.  In my home studio, The NJS Hummingbird tenor saxophone mouthpiece seemed to have plenty of power and projection at it’s disposal.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece with Included Ligature

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles.  There are four sound clips.

The first sound clip is a demonstration of the altissimo register of the saxophone while playing some “bluesy” type lines.   I added reverb to the sound so you can hear how the mouthpiece might sound through a sound system with some reverb added to the mix like on a live gig.

The second sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with a BSS Black Label 3 1/2 reed. This sound clip has no reverb or any other effects added to the sound so you can hear how the NJS Hummingbird sounds without effects.

Clips 3 & 4 are more mellow sound clips demonstrating the warmer side of the NJS Hummingbird tenor sax mouthpiece with the Lavoz Medium tenor saxophone reeds.

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece that is inspired by the Guardala concept but with less of a baffle to it.  The NJS Hummingbird still provides power and focus but without the strident brightness that can many times accompany high baffled saxophone mouthpieces.  As I demonstrate in the sound clips, the NJS Hummingbird mouthpiece can sound great for straight ahead jazz paying as well as more popular music like funk or pop music.

Nick Stahl did an absolutely incredible job creating this mouthpiece.  His artistry and craftsmanship are evident from his work.  I am looking forward to seeing more of his mouthpiece work in the future.

If you like the sound and look of the NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Nick Stahl, you can find them at the Nick Stahl Music website.

If you try a NJS Hummingbird 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review,  I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 1/2 Reed-Reverb Added 

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Black Label 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects Added

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Lavoz Medium Reed-Reverb Added 

NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Lavoz Medium Reed-No Effects Added