Guardala Alto (1990's) "Studio Gold Plate" 3 Digit
Here is an original condition, 1980’s Dave Guardala Handmade alto. It is marked “DG SGA”, serial 381. Early, handmade 3 digit serial pieces in original condition are getting nearly impossible to find. This piece includes the original bag and packing tube as well.
This particular piece was part of a collection of mouthpieces belonging to a lifelong career woodwind player Verne Dorge. Among his many musical accomplishments,Verne was part of musical supergroup Blood, Sweat and Tears in the late 1970’s/ early 1980’s. The facing on this piece is intact but like many early Guardalas, there is plating loss from use. Plating is an estimated 90’s with typical blistering on the table and wear on the rails.
Examining this mouthpiece we see some of the features that make it distinctive. This piece has a concave step baffle that abruptly stops into an enlarged bullet chamber. Compared to the Traditional Bebop, the Studio Model has a tighter squeeze in the throat for a more compact voice. An ideal choice for those looking for the Dave Sanborn studio tone.
Dave Guardala was an innovative manufacturer who began his custom line of mouthpieces by manually machining blanks and finishing them by hand. He was able to provide a variety of geometries by changing the internal geometry by either changing the chamber size, or the height and length of the baffle or a combination of both. Original customers of Dave Guardala included Bill Evans, Michael Brecker, Tom Scott, Branford Marsalis and others.
We prefer to sell our vintage mouthpieces in their original or existing condition and let the customer choose what to do with it. We can offer a 10% discount on our services for customization, please request by email at sebastianknoxwoodwinds@gmail.com.