[armada1905]

Hello , im a tenor player and i have 4 mouthpieces...changing them constantly , please help me decide which one to choose )

1) Saxscape Naima http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11311532&q=hi

2) Otto link Tenor U.S.A Florida 10* http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11311489&q=hi

3) Stock Otto link STM 6 http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11311473&q=hi

4) Lebayle Wood LR http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=11311458&q=hi

Thanks ))

 

[mrpeebee]

You sound good on all, but I preferred the Link clips. The Saxscape sounded a bit thinner in the high register and the Lebayle seemed a bid edgier and less complex.

This is my sequence: 2 - 3 - 1 - 4.

 

[SactoPete]

I liked the stock STM 6 the best. Surprised me. You sound great on all. A little hard to tell with the recording quality, though. I'd go with whatever feels best to you... differences are subtle.

 

[jazzcat58]

I like the l lebayle wood, thought that had a bit more going for it,a bit more character in sound?,they are similar and of course you can tell its your sound,which one do you like?.

 

[Atonal]

Play the one that has the best combination of sound and response. For me, how a mouthpiece responds or feels is just as important as how it sounds.

 

[swperry1]

All sound good, so pick the one that works best for you. If it matters, I like them in this order: 3,1,2,4.

 

[Dr G]

I dunno, what do you WANT from your tone?

I preferred the Link 6 for what you played in these samples - less fluff around the notes, cleaner articulation, not harsh.

 

[swperry1]

I dunno, what do you WANT from your tone?

I preferred the Link 6 for what you played in these samples - less fluff around the notes, cleaner articulation, not harsh.

I agree...If it were for me that would probably be my choice, but the sound could be and feel a lot different in person.

 

[dubrosa22]

Tough call cos you sound great on all 4.

I'd say it's a toss up between #2 and #4 for me. However, both of those sound quite different!

 

[kwgrinnell]

You sound great and you sound like you on all of them. Choose the one that you won't regret selling.

K
44 yrs of happy sax

 

[armada1905]

I recorded clips with Zoom H2 recorder..Normally im a 8 or 8* tip opening with no: 2.5 reed player..Even number 3 reed had been hard for me. it was the first time i played with a small tip opening like 6 with number 4 and 4.5 reeds... although its rails are not even , tip doesnt fit the reed i felt so comfortable with Otto link 6...I have to send it to a good refacer like Mojo or Brian Powell but i liked it so much that i cant )

I showed Otto link Florida to great tenor player Craig Handy few weeks ago and he suggested me to send it to Adam Niewood , but its opening is too much for me.. at first everything is great but after 15-20 minutes i feel so tired with No 6 otto link & number 4 reeds i can play 4-5 hours without any problems...

Thanks for your comments

 

[mrpeebee]

I showed Otto link Florida to great tenor player Craig Handy few weeks ago and he suggested me to send it to Adam Niewood , but its opening is too much for me.. at first everything is great but after 15-20 minutes i feel so tired with No 6 otto link & number 4 reeds i can play 4-5 hours without any problems...

Thanks for your comments

I think you will get used to that FL 10 after some time, but indeed for now the STM 6 sounds more easy to handle. I noticed that the FL is bit fuller in the highest notes. My own experience (I have and play vintage Links from a 4* Double Ring to a 12 Early Babbitt) is that bigger tips make altissimo a lot easier. But if you don't use that a lot it's ofcourse a minor point. I also found that the bigger tip pieces give a more resonant and loud sound, which you don't notice on a recording made in a study room, but becomes more clear and handy if you have to play solo's in a loud environment (like for instance a Big Band).

Choose what you find the best for what you want. My guess is that > 99% of the public will not even notice a difference between those two Links anyhow.

 

[Wade Cornell]

1,4,3,2. They all sound a little stuffy, but part of that is your being too far awayfrom the microphone. Missing a lot of the high overtones and the room you're in gives nothing back. The Links are particularly stuffy, but you were playing at your best using #3, so maybe that's why others voted for it? If it feels best (as others have noted) then that's a major consideration. I just like the fuller range of harmonics in the Saxscape and the Lebayle.

Fine playing.

 

[Saxlicker]

4
3

2 & 1

 

[bariandyf]

3 then 4 - you sound really comfortable on them, I'd stick with either of those two, but have a preference for you on 3.

 

[FawltyTenor]

+1, I think you sounded the most at ease on those two.

3 then 4 - you sound really comfortable on them

So, question is do you like the bit more edge of the Link, or the darker Lovano-ish sound of the Lebayle. Very dark and robust sound on #4. You sounded nice on all of them. Btw, is the Lebayle more open than the Link 6? Sounded like it...

 

[armada1905]

Yeah its opening is 110 , i like lebayle wood piece but im afraid of its material...it sounds great in studio envoirement but i didnt try it on stage..i read somewhere that wood changes as you play , so it might effect sound and intonation. But maybe thats just a myth?? i like a little bit of edge on otto links , like rick margitzas sound..his sound is amazing...i heard that he uses no 5 or 6 with no 4 reeds.

 

[christiansax]

I was in the same situation before until I finally figured out how I would solve my own problem. Was playing with 10 different pieces at the same time and was so confused which one to use next. My embochure was everywhere, tone was nowhere near as good as a student player, its just a disaster.

What I did was, I chose the most comfortable piece to me in terms of resistance, reed friendlyness and sound concept (bright, dark, middle of the road), it didn't matter if its HR or Metal piece as long as I have all my "Must have list" on it. I chose one and sold all my pieces except for a backup in case I need one.

Once I got my main piece, my ligature and reed narrowed down, I started to concentrate more on working on my tone, my embochure my chops and not care about which piece I sound better. Believe me, after much practice, you'll sound almost identical to any piece you would use, it doesn't matter if its a high or low baffle piece, your embochure will adjust to what your brain have in mind as your tone.

It definitely worked for me (I just learned the hard way)......and it will absolutely work for you.

just my 2 cents.....

 

[Honeyboy]

I like the tone on #1, the Saxscape the best- nice and dark with enough brightness to make it sound very rich. My second choice is the 6 Otto link, for similar reasons, but a bit brighter, but still very good. The 10 link was way too dark and uninteresting to me, and the Lebayle was way too bright for my tastes.
As you can see, everyone has their own preferences, so play the one that lets you express yourself and doesn't get in the way of your playing- (that would be the Saxscape or the stock Link:mrgreen