Theo Wanne is the foremost expert on vintage and new mouthpiece design. Theo is one of the few living mouthpiece refacing masters. Mouthpiece Refacing is the art of modifying a saxophone mouthpiece to get a desired effect. Any musician can hand Theo his or her mouthpiece, tell him their desired sound, and Theo can modify the mouthpiece to achieve that sound.
In the early 2000’s Theo became so well known for his Mouthpiece Refacing that he had a several year backlog and could no longer accept work. This is when he started manufacturing, so he could help more musicians with his innovative designs. Some of the musicians Theo did work for included:
“I currently (1999) play on mouthpieces on tenor, alto, and soprano that I bought and had custom refaced for me by Theo. I highly recommend him.” – Joshua Redman
“Theo has been an immense help! His knowledge and handwork of saxophone mouthpieces is just amazing!” – Grover Washington Jr.
“Theo Wanne has done it again!!!!!! He has brought a new dimension in mouthpieces that will not only stand the test of time but will be a benchmark for many, many years to come! The bar has been raised!” – Jeff Coffin
“I strongly recommend Theo Wanne. His ability to work on a mouthpiece to fit the needs of the individual is outstanding. He REALLY knows what he’s doing, so CHECK HIM OUT!” – Chris Potter
“I highly recommend Theo Wanne to any saxophonist interested in finding a mouthpiece or having expert adjustments made. I am currently (2000) playing on pieces adjusted by Theo and I love them.” – Eric Alexander
Theo’s knowledge of mouthpiece design came not only from his mouthpiece refacing, but also from intensive study and research of vintage mouthpieces. In fact, over two decades ago Theo published the first, and only, histories of the major vintage mouthpiece manufacturers. Much of this knowledge is still available on this website: