[Nefertiti]

Today, I am reviewing the work of a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and great saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff. Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of music in Boston.

If you haven’t heard Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video at the bottom of this review. Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard, which is very cool!

Kirill sent me four examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work. Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is a copy of an Otto Link Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the 50’s. Check out the the full review and sound clips…….

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

KPoudavoff Florida Double Ring Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

www.neffmusic.com

 

[Doug Lange]

Another great review, Steve! It plays like your vintage STM without the quirks? You usually spend a some time on a mouthpiece before recording and making a review. Did this mouthpiece require the usual amount of time or did it feel right shortly after you started playing?

 

[KMR]

Steve, I’m disappointed to see this review.

this guy behaved in an appalling way last year, on this site, in totally unfounded criticism of a fellow mouthpiece refacer.

He quite rightly received a hugely negative respone to his self serving comments.

I see that he has not posted here since. Quite rightly, in my opinion.

So, it seems wrong to see his work being touted here, in your review.

I know mouthpiece reviewing is part of your income stream, but in this case I think it is just a step too far for you to be promoting his work here.

 

[Nefertiti]

Another great review, Steve! It plays like your vintage STM without the quirks? You usually spend a some time on a mouthpiece before recording and making a review. Did this mouthpiece require the usual amount of time or did it feel right shortly after you started playing?

No, they played pretty easily even going from the Rift which is a higher baffled piece and the SYOS Max Ionata (which also has a pretty substantial baffle) to these. I've been playing them off and on for a couple months though.

 

[raghav]

Interesting to see this Steve. I bought one of those plastic Double Ring copies back when he had just started making them, a bit before he made his inflammatory statements that ticked everyone off. You sound so much better than I did on the piece he sold me. In my hands, it played horribly, with a resistant, nasal quality. I would have turned it into a doorstop except the plastic was too light to even do that job.

 

[Nefertiti]

Steve, I’m disappointed to see this review.

this guy behaved in an appalling way last year, on this site, in totally unfounded criticism of a fellow mouthpiece refacer.

He quite rightly received a hugely negative respone to his self serving comments.

I see that he has not posted here since. Quite rightly, in my opinion.

So, it seems wrong to see his work being touted here, in your review.

I know mouthpiece reviewing is part of your income stream, mainly from receiving free mouthpieces , which you then sell on, but in this case I think it is just a step too far for you to be promoting his work here.

I'm not sure what you are talking about as I have no recollection of that. If I was involved, I don't remember it but 2022 was the year I hardly slept so maybe my recollection is not good. I met Kirill on Facebook and he was a bit rude to me at first (at least that was my recollection) but I just assumed it was a language thing. I apologized for something I commented on that I think I was mistaken about and everything was cool after that.

 

[1saxman]

He really sounds like Dex! We may be looking at an up and coming mouthpiece master with Kirill. If he's a little eccentric, that's probably a good thing. I suggest anyone having been 'offended' by his remarks try 'forgive and forget' - its not healthy to hold these grudges. If he continues to act up, okay, he's not going to change and that's it, mouthpiece or no mouthpiece.
But I really like the idea of a Hollywood in silver, maybe a .112 or so.

 

[Doug Lange]

I'm not sure what you are talking about as I have no recollection of that. If I was involved, I don't remember it but 2022 was the year I hardly slept so maybe my recollection is not good. I met Kirill on Facebook and he was a bit rude to me at first (at least that was my recollection) but I just assumed it was a language thing. I apologized for something I commented on that I think I was mistaken about and everything was cool after that.

English is difficult for non-native speakers. I remember talking with the members of the Italian Saxophone Quartet after their performance and said, “Your performance was terrific!“ Their smiles disappeared and they asked, “What was wrong with it?” It took some explaining that I didn’t mean to say their performance was terrifying but wonderful and enjoyable. English is even more difficult when writing informally, which is common in social media platforms. When misunderstanding easily arise among native speakers in forums, I can’t image the difficulty non-native speakers have when attempting to parse the subtle meanings in words and phrases.

 

[swperry1]

English is difficult for non-native speakers. I remember talking with the members of the Italian Saxophone Quartet after their performance and said, “Your performance was terrific!“ Their smiles disappeared and they asked, “What was wrong with it?” It took some explaining that I didn’t mean to say their performance was terrifying but wonderful and enjoyable. English is even more difficult when writing informally, which is common in social media platforms. When misunderstanding easily arise among native speakers in forums, I can’t image the difficulty non-native speakers have when attempting to parse the subtle meanings in words and phrases.

There wasn’t any misunderstanding what he was saying. He was clear and precise in doubling down when people said he was out of line…but, that guy’s not here and this is an independent review of his work. His words will always be in the archives and obviously some folks remember the name. Can’t be good for business.

 

[Benjamin Allen]

I’m acquaintances with Kirill. He has a unique personality and approach—he’s been told to tone it down. It’s not his nationality; it’s him.

But people I respect trust him with their pieces. I think he will emerge as a mouthpiece master. I guess humility will come in due time.

 

[tombg14]

We're all adults here - if people were offended by whatever went down here (which I admittedly didn't really follow) then you can choose not to do business with the guy. But saying Steve shouldn't review his pieces based on the guy's attitude - as opposed to his business practices - seems like excessive morality policing to me.

 

[noelpaz]

@Nefertiti - I liked your sound much better than the maker. And you played the whole tune this time. Ha.

A good Link is a good link. There are many improvements to the various iterations. I like Sakshama's take on Links.

Regarding the incident, to remind everyone, I think it was when he was dissing Ed Pillinger. That ticked people off.

 

[datsaxman]

Yeah, KP was quite clear.
folks that have not seen, or “do not remember” the thread should check it out before taking sides.

 

[ving]

Thank goodness, had a hard time finding a link copy out there in the marketplace….🤪

 

[Nefertiti]

@Nefertiti - I liked your sound much better than the maker. And you played the whole tune this time. Ha.

A good Link is a good link. There are many improvements to the various iterations. I like Sakshama's take on Links.

Regarding the incident, to remind everyone, I think it was when he was dissing Ed Pillinger. That ticked people off.

What tune? I recorded 4 sound clips today so I don't even know what tunes I played on that one....... haha.

 

[pontius]

Thank goodness, had a hard time finding a link copy out there in the marketplace….🤪

Yeah, but all those other cats don't know how to face Links.

 

[KMR]

@Nefertiti -

Regarding the incident, to remind everyone, I think it was when he was dissing Ed Pillinger. That ticked people off.

Yes, that’s the one.

he knew exactly what he was doing and saying. There was no language problem !!!
He was well out of order, and seems to have left the forum as a result.

I maintain that his work should not now be promoted here by Steve, and it is this promotion that I am questioning.

I am not trying to revisit the initial crass post by this guy. Thats done !!!

This thread is in effect an advert for his mouthpieces, ( for which Steve will benefit financially) and I feel should not be here.

 

[Perio]

He’s in Boston at Berklee. I think he’s close to Dino Govoni. All in all his work has been well-received. He’s still young; give him time.

 

[Saxydude]

Yes, that’s the one.

he knew exactly what he was doing and saying. There was no language problem !!!
He was well out of order, and seems to have left the forum as a result.

I maintain that his work should not now be promoted here by Steve, and it is this promotion that I am questioning.

I am not trying to revisit the initial crass post by this guy. Thats done !!!

This thread is in effect an advert for his mouthpieces, ( for which Steve will benefit financially) and I feel should not be here.

We get it. You can stop now. And why you continue to low-key attempt to dunk on Steve about alleged "financial benefits" he may or may not receive through his work - that much of the forum and greater sax community enjoys and appreciates - flirts with incomprehensibility.

 

[Jose]

English is difficult for non-native speakers. I remember talking with the members of the Italian Saxophone Quartet after their performance and said, “Your performance was terrific!“ Their smiles disappeared and they asked, “What was wrong with it?” It took some explaining that I didn’t mean to say their performance was terrifying but wonderful and enjoyable. English is even more difficult when writing informally, which is common in social media platforms. When misunderstanding easily arise among native speakers in forums, I can’t image the difficulty non-native speakers have when attempting to parse the subtle meanings in words and phrases.

Same anecdote I had, when my boss told me for the first time “you did a terrific job”. I was so sad then he clarified. English is an interesting language 😅