[FM5369]

Picked up an old King Voll Bari a few months back. Has what I believe to be an original first issue Link metal mouthpiece(circa 1931) opening 5..appears to be all original with original ligature

Any idea of mouthpiece value? I'm thinking there's some value there

 

[J-Moen]

A nice original Master Link from the sounds of it. Check here for details: Otto Link Mouthpieces | Theo Wanne

Not worth a lot as they aren't very desired pieces, maybe $300? A cool find though.

 

[AddictedToSax]

I got a very early first issue tenor piece like that with a 1930’s 10M I had to send back because it had been modified for someone with special needs. I sent the mouthpiece back too. Probably not worth much but it was hard to let go.

 

[FM5369]

Here's a pic of one just like it and mines a 4 sorry

 

[J-Moen]

Here's a pic of one just like it and mines a 4 sorry

I know.... That's what I already told you and why I sent the link that you took this from lol. It is an Otto Link Master Link - and not worth much ($300) as I said... Cool old find though

 

[FM5369]

I read your reply in my E-Mail...so your link didn't show up, and actually I looked up that piece and found that web page when I first acquired the horn..but yeah thanks for the info

 

[B Flat]

If it’s something you’re thinking of selling, send me a PM.
I’d be interested.

 

[mrpeebee]

A nice original Master Link from the sounds of it. Check here for details: Otto Link Mouthpieces | Theo Wanne

Not worth a lot as they aren't very desired pieces, maybe $300? A cool find though.

This is actually not accurate. A Master Link in a 5 tip with original ligature is quiet rare (especially with lig). If it's in good working- and playing condition it could be worth more. Lester played one like that in the 30's. Harry Allen and (lately) Scott Hamilton play one (both refaced to a bigger tip). I own a refaced 4 to 6 which is a great mouthpiece. But the real small tips (like a 3) are not worth that much, they probably go for 300.

 

[B Flat]

True Peter but this is a Baritone piece I believe.
I don’t think the market is as high for these as Baritone pieces.
Although I personally like them, they do not project well and most would find them to be tubby.

 

[mrpeebee]

True Peter but this is a Baritone piece I believe.
I don't think the market is as high for these as Baritone pieces.
Although I personally like them, they do not project well and most would find them to be tubby.

Your right about that Nick. I assumed it was a tenor piece, for baritone pieces it's another story.

 

[J-Moen]

This is actually not accurate. A Master Link in a 5 tip with original ligature is quiet rare (especially with lig). If it's in good working- and playing condition it could be worth more. Lester played one like that in the 30's. Harry Allen and (lately) Scott Hamilton play one (both refaced to a bigger tip). I own a refaced 4 to 6 which is a great mouthpiece. But the real small tips (like a 3) are not worth that much, they probably go for 300.

Yeah, Nick said it right. I based my value on the small amount of sold pieces you can see across various platforms. Not much for Bari pieces on this one.

 

[lostcircuits]

Anyone knows what exactly this one is, the markings are almost completely gone, with a piece of paper and a lead pencil I could "lift" a TO and NK so I assume it's an Otto Link

 

[J-Moen]

Anyone knows what exactly this one is, the markings are almost completely gone, with a piece of paper and a lead pencil I could "lift" a TO and NK so I assume it's an Otto Link

Very interesting! The shank isnt what I would expect for the master link, but the slide ligature was replaced after the master link. Maybe a prototype of some kind - maybe just a normal Master link with lots of wear!

 

[B Flat]

Looks like a Tone Master rather than a masterlink.
This is another piece that I would be interested in if it were for sale.

 

[mrpeebee]

Anyone knows what exactly this one is, the markings are almost completely gone, with a piece of paper and a lead pencil I could "lift" a TO and NK so I assume it's an Otto Link.

I'm almost 100% sure that it's a modified Master Link for which someone did extend the shank (the shanks of original ML's are very short). It also looks opened up in a bad kind of way (very thick side rails). Could be that this made the chamber (much) smaller, which probably gave tuning issues, hence the extended shank was required.

Doesn't look like the work of a master refacer (but still could play well)!

 

[Vancouverite]

Well...I'll probably hang on to mine...At least until I give a couple other units a toot...Appreciate all the comments folks! Thanks

 

[B Flat]

I think you are right Peter.
I didn’t really look at it properly at all.
Very odd looking piece.
When I first saw it I thought it had the shank of a Tone Master.
I didn’t even notice the poor facing work.

 

[lostcircuits]

I'm almost 100% sure that it's a modified Master Link for which someone did extend the shank (the shanks of original ML's are very short). It also looks opened up in a bad kind of way (very thick side rails). Could be that this made the chamber (much) smaller, which probably gave tuning issues, hence the extended shank was required.

Doesn't look like the work of a master refacer (but still could play well)!

Agreed, this looks like it's been refaced, the plating of the table ends just at the window. It is not very open, 0.085 measured. but there is not the slightest indication of a shank extension. I haven't played it. The chamber size is really not affected (maybe 10 mil), which, given the size of this piece appears really negligible. And the work was done by a master but it might have been a very early science project.

 

[mrpeebee]

Agreed, this looks like it's been refaced, the plating of the table ends just at the window. It is not very open, 0.085 measured. but there is not the slightest indication of a shank extension. I haven't played it. The chamber size is really not affected (maybe 10 mil), which, given the size of this piece appears really negligible. And the work was done by a master but it might have been a very early science project.

That's indeed not really open. I also have to come back a bit on the shank extension: the tenor shanks of ML's are really short, but those of baritones seems to be longer. I found some pictures in a for sale ad on Reverb, see here:

Otto Link Master Model Baritone Sax Mouthpiece | Reverb

Vintage Otto Link Master Link 3 for Baritone sax.Refaced and opened to a 90 by Erik Greiffenhagen of Mouthpiece GuysHe opened it to a 90, thinned the rails and added just a bit of rollover baffle to wake it up a bit more.It still plays very warm dark and vintage but with a bit more pop and a more...

reverb.com

The shank is longer than I thought, but yours has a completely different look and also angle. It also looks like a butt cut was done. So what might have happened is that the original shank broke off and that it was repaired and opened up.

Another very noticeable difference is the shape of the part where the ligature should slide in. On yours it's much smaller than on above piece. Also no identification numbers or letters at all, like in above one. So maybe Nick is right and is it a heavily modified Tone Master, or even worse, a fake.

If it's a modified TM you should see a ridge (or remainders if it was removed) on top of the mouthpiece, which TM's had to hold the ligature in place (like normal STM's also have, but a bit lower). Original TM's (and Four****'s) didn't have such a ridge, hence they used the slide under ligature.

 

[lostcircuits]

Pete, I think you nailed it, it is not visible from the top nor is there any tangible edge on the inside of the bore but it does look like the shank may have been replaced. Of course, I don't know how these MPCs were made in the first place. If the shank and the front part were "assembled" from two pieces, then who knows, and that would be consistent with the plating being intact and contiguous across the entire length. And it appears to be the exact same material based on the color tone. So maybe I have the MPC equivalent of a Blue Mauritius

I'll part with it for a fraction of the stamp price, though :