[Michael_A]

Hi,
I have a situation with 2 mouthpieces…
I never bothered to experiment with mouthpieces…
For last 15 years I used Berg Larsen 95 2 SMS that was comfortable. I didn’t use for last 20 years Dukoff one…
The story is that last time the cork on the neck was changed it was made for Larsen and it was to0 “thick” for Dukoff.
So was no way even to try again Dukoff… For the last couple of months, the cork on the neck became too loose, so for my daily practice I just put some paper around the cork…
With all the current story I didn’t plan to go to the shop…
Don’t know why I just thought about my Dukoff that was lying down somewhere on the shelf…
For my surprise it’s now perfectly sits on the neck… I started to check it out by using couple of reads.
So interesting… it’s like astronomy… more scientists know about the universe, more they become persuaded that they know just a tip of the iceberg. I will just readjust some used reads and will prepare couple of new for Dukoff.
After watching some vids here about 10fman I thought maybe it is the time for checking out new mpc. But again, with all what is going on now it is not the best time.
I cleaned up my Dukoff D7 from old pads (one was thin and on top “eaten” thick one. It looks like new now. And I think for my “level” 😊 it will be fun to experiment with a “new” (I used it from 1990 to 1995) piece.
For the last 3-4 years I stopped using pads and just developed not “biting” embouchure. On Berg no traces of teeth, so I am not afraid that I will “damage” Dukoff.

The question that I want to ask is about ligature… I think the one that I have for Dukoff is simply sh… no brand name or other characters…
I have a bad feeling about it… the Berg’s ligature doesn’t feet for Dukoff. Can you recommend one… Not highly expensive please 😊.
Also, wanted to ask why Dukoff initially could not be placed on the neck with cork made for Berg… I thought that all alto mouthpieces should be universal.
Thanks.
Michael.

 

[milandro]

no two mouthpieces have the same shaft size, in any size of saxophones, cork is still used precisely for that reason because it can accommodate different sizes and , if not, being filed to size.

The ligature you have on the right is a ligature that comes form Gemany/Bohemia was used on many saxophones, I don't think it is original to you mouthpiece and actually is rather sought after by some people.

The arcives have , I think , the answer to yor question about the ligature

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...ure-for-Dukoff-Miami-D6-Clear-Alto-Mouthpiece

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?156532-Dukoff-Miami-Clear-Plastic-alto-mouthpiece

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?115165-Dukoff-d-crystallite

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?57308-Dukoff-yes-but-what

 

[Michael_A]

no two mouthpieces have the same shaft size, in any size of saxophones, cork is still used precisely for that reason because it can accommodate different sizes and , if not, being filed to size.

The ligature you have on the right is a ligature that comes form Gemany/Bohemia was used on many saxophones, I don't think it is original to you mouthpiece and actually is rather sought after by some people.

The arcives have , I think , the answer to yor question about the ligature

So, I can be "quiet" about the ligature and to make work Dukoff back again for me, have to concentrate on reeds.
What I found, it may be like a racing car (power wise) or like a "soft" luxury car. Very interesting to experiment.

Thank you very much for short and such a comprehensive answer.

 

[milandro]

If you mean that you don’t have to “ worry” ( be quiet?) about the ligature , yes, nothing to worry about, as long as it fits. Those ligatures were used on a number of mouthpieces like Wagner which fitted Keilwerth or many other brands.

I also have a Clarinet version. They are, good ligatures ( and in my book most ligatures perform well on most mouthpieces provided they fit well and keep the reed from moving or rotating.

 

[Michael_A]

> If you mean that you don’t have to “ worry” ( be quiet?) about the ligature , yes, nothing to worry about, as long as it fits.

Yes, I mean worry .
And yes it fits perfectly the only thing that even when the reed is tightened, the lig coud be displaced when adjusting the mpc on the neck if the lig is touched.
that is why I thought it is not so good.
But I have two choices: to put the reed when mouthpiece is in place (a bit awkward) or not to touch the lig when adjusting the mpc (not very comfortable but achivable… habit needed .
But again, the lig does fit fine and theoretically should equally "press" the read to the surface of mpc.

Thank you milandro.

 

[milandro]

well, I don’t adjust the mouthpiece “ on the fly” ( especially if it fits tightly) because that is guaranteed to displace or even break the reed ( done that too).

I always fit the reed on the mouthpiece immediately after I have put it together with the neck ( sparate from the body).

Carefully slide it in and then adjust and tighten the ligature. In this way I don’t risk breaking anything and less than anything to bend the neck by putting the mouthpiece on it after the neck is inserted on the body.

 

[Michael_A]

so your order is:

1. mouthpiece to the neck

2. reed to the mpc

3. neck with mpc and reed to the body

Correct?

I do it :

1. reed to the mpc

2. mpc with the reed to the neck

3. assembled neck to the body

I don't think there is a written procedure for that "process"

But probably the BEST Practice does exist.

Please confirm if I well understood your way to do.

Thx.

 

[milandro]

No there is not a compulsory way to proceed ( and I occasionally do it differently) but anything that puts pressure on the neck is a potential reason why there are so many pull downs .

Your system won’t pull he neck down but still I prefer mine ( yes you summarized it correctly).

 

[Michael_A]

No there is not a compulsory way to proceed ( and I occasionally do it differently) but anything that puts pressure on the neck is a potential reason why there are so many pull downs .

Your system won't pull he neck down but still I prefer mine ( yes you summarized it correctly).

Thanks for another tip of knowledge.

 

[Michael_A]

assembly with the "new "mouthpiece

 

[Michael_A]

little update on my Dukoff…
after spending a day with reeds adjustment and trying, I experienced interesting things, but it is like a "wild horse" for me and I am not a cowboy .

When tried all adjusted for Dukoff reeds (that left me without all over satisfaction) on my beloved Larsen I felt like I am back home...
The only thing I had to make properly fit Larsen on shrank cork. This time I used plastic bag stripe instead of paper )may be it sounds bad for other sax players, but it works.

I will put my Dukoff on e-bay.

 

[milandro]

well, the typical thing to adjust the thickness of the cork to a wider mouthpiece is teflon plumber’s tape

 

[Michael_A]

well, the typical thing to adjust the thickness of the cork to a wider mouthpiece is teflon plumber's tape

all what I thought is "weird" and found "solutions" by intuition is actually right by your confirmations .

Thanks!

 

[Michael_A]

Hi,
in one of my previous messages I wrote kind of conclusion about my Dukkof:
*******************************
little update on my Dukoff…
after spending a day with reeds adjustment and trying, I experienced interesting things, but it is like a "wild horse" for me and I am not a cowboy .

When tried all adjusted for Dukoff reeds (that left me without all over satisfaction) on my beloved Larsen I felt like I am back home...
The only thing I had to make properly fit Larsen on shrank cork. This time I used plastic bag stripe instead of paper )may be it sounds bad for other sax players, but it works.

I will put my Dukoff on e-bay.
*******************

Suddenly, I got a voice from the above … that told me: you have piece of the art , why do you want to sell it? Plus, it keeps memories of unforgettable time and people.
YOU MUST to try more. This was the "voice" message . And "that" more for me comes just in form of REED used. I just tried the soft old reed and love it.

Sure will never sell it. And now it sits well on the old cork. So would use it during practice (anyway gigs are not in the horizon now ) and think that will find the beauty of it.