Sax on the Web Forum banner

Alternative for OL Tone Edge 7 sought

6K views 21 replies 11 participants last post by  jthole 
#1 ·
On my Martin Committee III tenor, I currently play an Otto Link Tone Edge 7 mouthpiece. It's about 15 year old, so current production (no vintage design).
The good thing is that the intonation is flawless on my Martin, in all registers (and virtually no trouble notes).
The not so good things are that the tone is too dark and hollow, especially in the high register (bad, since I currently play lead tenor in two bands), and that the altissimo register is very resistant (not such a concern).

What I am looking for is a brighter mouthpiece, but not too bright, which works as well intonation-wise on my Martin tenor as my current Tone Edge. My price ceiling is €250, preferably less.
I also have a preference for hard rubber, but I won't rule out other materials.

Mouthpieces that I already tried (owned myself, or on loan):

  • Otto Link Tone Edge "New Vintage" 7 - works great on my other tenor, tone wise what I am looking for, but intonation wise not so good (too small chamber for me and my Martin?)
  • Selmer Jazz (don't know the tip opening anymore) - didn't do much for me, not the sound I was looking for
  • Wolfe Tayne metal with added baffle - surprisingly good intonation, much too bright, impossible to play altissimo
  • Yanagisawa HR #5 - a bit boring, less even than my Tone Edge
  • Rico Graftonite A7 - good intonation but thin sound, taking away the Martin character, no fun to play

Mouthpieces I certainly want to try are the ESM Jazz and the Vandoren V16 HR with the "L" chamber. But I am open to any other suggestions.

Thanks for your inputs!
 
See less See more
#3 ·
"The Martin - Intonation - not too dark sound" are the 3 things that must stick together - like my experience with my Martin.
Quite good results I had with a

Rafael Navarro Maestro (my best fitting HR-MPC),
CR Otto Link Tone Edge Kay Siebold (OL with baffle) and a
SYOS Custom MPC.

You can try to install a baffle in your OL TE e.g. with FIMO (modelling mass) or a chewing gum - than you have the Kay Siebold-Effect :).
 
#11 ·
No customs fees from Phil-Tone...I ship from France.
Thanks, I didn't realise that!
The Eclipse is also awesome on a Martin. It was designed on one. Ive a couple of other options where I can cut you a break...shoot me an email
I'll do some research on the Phil-Tone mouthpieces, and will email you ... thank you in advance!
 
#16 ·
Well, the immediate go-to for a Martin would be a Brilhart Ebolin or Tonalin (acoustically identical).

I'd also try a Meyer (slightly smaller chamber than a Link so a little brighter sound).

I have trouble believing that the regular Link and the "New Vintage" Link are different enough to really affect intonation. I suspect you just need to put in some more familiarization with it on the Martin.
 
#17 ·
I have trouble believing that the regular Link and the "New Vintage" Link are different enough to really affect intonation. I suspect you just need to put in some more familiarization with it on the Martin.
That might be the case (I have used the "New Vintage" on another tenor for quite some time though, and it is really different from my copy of the regular Tone Edge), but my first impression of Phil's mouthpiece is very positive. I'll give it a bit more time before a real judgement of course (unfortunately all rehearsals are cancelled here because of the recent COVID restrictions).
 
#19 ·
OK, I have one of each but not in the same place, so I can't do a direct visual comparison.

Like I said, I'd consider the Brilhart Ebolin too for a Martin.

However, OP appears to have bought a high quality boutique piece, which will probably work very well.
 
#20 ·
Summary: I emailed Phil Engleman what I was looking for, and he sent me a mouthpiece to try. Unfortunately COVID halted most things, but I hope to test it at a bigband rehearsal later this week.

So far I used it at home, and it looks to be exactly what I was looking for. Very consistent between the registers, intonation very similar to my Tone Edge, and warm with a bit of an edge. Nothing of the tubby Tone Edge sound. I have tried it with several reeds; so far I settled for LaVoz (Medium).
 
#21 ·
Quick update; this Phil-Tone mouthpiece is so much better than my Link Tone-Edge (which I considered as a good one). Very even scale, great low end (not too hard on a Martin really) and doesn't sound tubby in the higher registers. I don't use the altissimo register that much, but it's easily within reach as well (to be fair, the same is true for that Tone-Edge). I did a few big band rehearsals (the only band that is still playing), and it naturally blends in, but there is more than enough power for soloing as well.

It works less well for me on my Grassi Professional 2000 tenor (or better said, I didn't take the time to adapt to it yet).I am sure I could make that work as well, if I had to, but my Link New Vintage is great on that sax anyway.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top