[Melv]

Hi All
I have and old metal Alto Otto Link Master Link #3 (not sure what it measures) and it's just too closed for me.

How much would it be safe to open it up?
I don't want to go overboard.....I haven't had much success playing on anything over an ".080 and due to the chamber size I probably wouldn't want in that big.

Thanks
Adam

 

[John_Dikeman]

Hello,
I can only half answer this as I had this done recently but haven't received the piece yet. I approached Ed Zentera and John Reilly about this and eventually went with John Reilly simply because he was totally free and could do it within a week. John opened it to a 7* from a 4* and said that was a good opening.
Also Ed sent a very nice email talking about the options. He said opening it to something in the 70s may be possible depending on the mouthpiece.

 

[kaplac]

7* is a good size.

I have a STM florida that was opened up by ralph morgan. Its moderately open, it provides enough sound/air mixture. I like it, now there may be variances between different refacers on their numbering charts.

But talk to the person you want to work with to reface the mouthpiece. Explain to him what kinda sound your going after, and some reference points like other mouthpieces that you want the opening to be like. Or mouthpieces that are just too big or not enough for you.

But 7* is right around .80. So just talk to your refacer. You knwo what you want, and he'll be doing it. Not us.

hope you enjoy your piece when its done!

 

[Melv]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I'm still thinking about what I want to do. If I eventually decide and get it refaced I'll post my thoughts on it.
Thanks
Adam

 

[EZ]

I can't take the project on but wanted to chime in that there could be a practical limit to how far you can open the piece. With the lower baffle metals, there's not a lot of metal under the biteplate and the biteplate could be rather close to the siderails. The risk is that the biteplate could start peeking through the baffle or run into the siderails when opening the piece that much.

If I were working it, I'd have to see it in hand and even get well into the refacing process before telling you what the tip opening options might be.

Just be prepared to be flexible on the potential outcome of the reface.

Good Luck!

- Ed