[Dr G]

Oh, and the Dexter curve. Can I get Dexter lungs and dental implants to go with that please?

Sure, but you need to donate your lungs and teeth to get on the waiting list.

 

[Nefertiti]

Send him a Zagar. That would be good litmus test.

I tried a Zagar. Horrible mouthpiece. I hated it. I think that was before I was doing reviews though.

 

[swperry1]

Sure, but you need to donate your lungs and teeth to get on the waiting list.

Non-refundable one lung deposit just to get on the list.

 

[pontius]

Non-refundable one lung deposit just to get on the list.

I think they give you a free soul patch while you wait though

 

[hakukani]

As a mod, I would like to point out that member KPoudavoff has not been banned.

 

[ROC]

I think they give you a free soul patch while you wait though

Are they ever free? There’s always a heavy cost associated with a soul patch…even if it’s only measured in social acceptance.

 

[datsaxman]

As a mod, I would like to point out that member KPoudavoff has not been banned.

No, but he was dissed off.

 

[hakukani]

No, but he was dissed off.

I remember something about heat and the kitchen...

When being controversial online, especially in a small, specialized area, it's always best to wear a flameproof suit.

 

[Sebastian]

What's wrong? - most people are way too far in their feelings these days. Reading some of the posts lately on SOTW, it seems that the cry-bullies who lurk around here don't want anyone offering critique, regardless of how grounded, of another person's playing. That now extends to mouthpiece refacers, apparently.

Newsflash: a lot of mouthpiece "refacing" is hokum. And there are a sizable number of mouthpiece "refacers" out there who do a sub-par work but, because it's very trendy right now, are capitalizing. I, too, have played mouthpieces that were worked on by some of the "greats" - some mentioned in this thread - that were underwhelming. Now, I didn't go bashing them publicly because I'm smart enough to know what I don't know, and I didn't know how to fully articulate my issues with the pieces in question. Kirill, on the other hand, probably has the expertise to offer accurate assessments of other refacers work, does so honestly, publicly, and with very little tact, and it isn't winning him any fans. The market will take care of him in that way - or not, if his work is really as good as he claims. Reading this thread you'd think that mouthpiece refacers never duff a rail, or add too much (or not enough) baffle, miss a tip curvature, etc. - even the greats make mistakes (human!).

Newsflash 2: a lot of mouthpiece refacing is opinion. One player's stuffy Link is another's "perfect vintage Link sound." Sakshama's idea of the "right" amount of baffle for a Link or Dukoff is probably different from my idea (or Kirill's, or Mojo's, or Ed's). Separate fact ("this table is uneven, see?") from opinion ("this Link is no good because there's too much baffle").

Final thought: if you put something into the public sphere (your playing, your refaced mouthpieces) you have to expect public feedback that isn't always grounded in reality or fair. If you lack the constitution to withstand internet randos calling your work "crap" or saying "your [sic] a terrible musician," stay home and keep your creations to yourself. Charlie Parker had a cymbal thrown at him! I'm sure if Kirill is as good as he thinks that in 5 years he'll be the only refacer in the business. Somehow I doubt it, though.

This last paragraph is very poignant. It's out there and for some of us who really put ourselves into it... it's hard to have your craft subjected to not just criticism, but sometimes outright vitriol. I was raised that if I didn't have anything nice to say , to say nothing at all. That lesson however isn't universal and when the goal of criticism is simply to make others look bad, I think it says everything we need to know about the author's insecurities.

I think the fact that this kind of specialized work was very underground until fairly recently, much like the tattoo scene was (another subculture art that was taught by apprenticeship), has a lot of 'new' ideas floating around by young folks who think they've invented the wheel. The barrier to entry in this craft has become significantly lower with the advent of the internet and rapid idea sharing, and ready access to scores of vintage pieces that 25 years ago were truly difficult to find. For myself, I had a good stable job playing in a Regular Force Army band in Canada and then left my country, my job and my pension for the opportunity to study with a real master. That isn't the case for many would be practitioners.

In the end, like anything else I don't think it's a must to have studied formally to be great at this craft (this isn't a formalized or codified process) but for those who have never apprenticed may not have learned an equally valuable lesson: we are all part of the same community and eventually our nonsense will find its way back to us so be humble and be kind.

 

[Sebastian]

It is a fact that what works for some players does not work for others. That goes for mouthpieces, reeds, horns. There are more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak.

Even 10 vintage links or dukoffs side by side are going to exhibit pretty wide variances in specs. This is what makes it extra grotesque seeing a person make grandiose claims that they know the one way that it is "supposed to be" . Attacking other work as being wrong is even worse.

Oh, and the Dexter curve. Can I get Dexter lungs and dental implants to go with that please?

The Dexter curve thing is something that comes from when I worked for Ted Klum. We had a private collector and player who claimed to have Dexter's mouthpiece as part of his collection and had us replicate it in lost wax castings. The quality of the copy wasn't good enough to make a lot of but we made a few. The old TK Hollywood model was cast from a pristine Zimberoff blank, similar to Dex's 49 Dukoff. The facing curve on there was very long for the tip size and consistent from beginning to end. We have no way to know that was Dexter's actual piece but it was a 6* with a long curve for something closer to 8-8*. It was clear some work was done a long time before. Also some hilarious home-made chamber mods. I guess that is now a selling feature after I put it on a few pieces I'd reface for him. Ted and I never advertised that aspect nor did we even put that curve on his pieces as to be honest, it was so long as to make our reeds feel very 'swampy'

 

[Zasterz]

I think the fact that this kind of specialized work was very underground until fairly recently, much like the tattoo scene was (another subculture art that was taught by apprenticeship), has a lot of 'new' ideas floating around by young folks who think they've invented the wheel. The barrier to entry in this craft has become significantly lower with the advent of the internet and rapid idea sharing, and ready access to scores of vintage pieces that 25 years ago were truly difficult to find. For myself, I had a good stable job playing in a Regular Force Army band in Canada and then left my country, my job and my pension for the opportunity to study with a real master. That isn't the case for many would be practitioners.

In the end, like anything else I don't think it's a must to have studied formally to be great at this craft (this isn't a formalized or codified process) but for those who have never apprenticed may not have learned an equally valuable lesson: we are all part of the same community and eventually our nonsense will find its way back to us so be humble and be kind.

Of course the young man in question is studying formally with experts (at least if Berklee counts as experts. 😉) Anyway, one might predict that the impending need to get gigs in the community will eventually teach him how to be less caustic to others. Socialization, in other words, or not pooping where one needs to eat.

 

[Sebastian]

Of course the young man in question is studying formally with experts (at least if Berklee counts as experts. 😉) Anyway, one might predict that the impending need to get gigs in the community will eventually teach him how to be less caustic to others. Socialization, in other words, or not pooping where one needs to eat.

Well you got me there, I never attended Berklee but at $46K/year for just tuition, hopefully their students can learn something. Being young and ignorant isn't bad, it means there is opportunity to learn so much. That's part of the ride!

 

[Laggszboy]

many posts... did anyone mention how much the mouthpiece under discussion actually costs?

 

[Nefertiti]

many posts... did anyone mention how much the mouthpiece under discussion actually costs?

It’s mentioned in the review………


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[Nefertiti]

For the record, I think this is one of the longest discussions held over one of my mouthpiece review announcements in 15 years............

 

[Nefertiti]

Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and 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.
I really dig a fatter tenor saxophone tone, so I absolutely loved that aspect of the tone with the Kpoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have always marveled at the fat and thick tenor saxophone tone of Dexter Gordon on his recordings. It just sounded so huge and wide like he was filling up every corner of the room with his immense sound.
I've included three sound clips of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Check out the full review and three sound clips at the link below………

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

www.neffmusic.com

 

[Benjamin Allen]

Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and 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.
I really dig a fatter tenor saxophone tone, so I absolutely loved that aspect of the tone with the Kpoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have always marveled at the fat and thick tenor saxophone tone of Dexter Gordon on his recordings. It just sounded so huge and wide like he was filling up every corner of the room with his immense sound.
I've included three sound clips of the KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Check out the full review and three sound clips at the link below………

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

KPoudavoff Zimberoff Dukoff Hollywood 7* Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

www.neffmusic.com

View attachment 146989

You always take the most lovely images.

 

[Nefertiti]

You always take the most lovely images.

Thanks! I took these right before the snow hit us up here in Vermont.


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