[runzoff]

For the sake of discussion and education I thought I'd share some pictures of 3 Otto Links Sopranos I currently have. There has been a lot of discussion on EB's, Slants, etc. and I found the differences quite remarkable when lined up together.

On the Left is a square chamber with the longer body (like the current models.)
In the Middle is a shorter body with a not so square but not so round chamber I think is a "Florida" Vintage.
On the Right is a Large chamber Slant Signature.

From what discussions I've read there are a lot of in betweens too...


The sound qualities are quite different and as you might expect.
The longer body square chamber is the brightest.
The middle one is, well, in the middle of the others.
The Slant Signature is the darkest.

 

[smoothjazztenor]

Thank you Nora for the wonderful pics!
The middle one is actually an Early Babbitt?
It is also known as the Steve Lacy model.
Very interesting comparison.
Some sound clips here will be nice.

 

[skeller047]

My current model soprano Link (8) has a round chamber. I've never seen a square one. Otherwise it looks like the one on the left.

 

[runzoff]

Hi Adrian,
Actually the square chamber on the left is the Steve Lacy model I believe. The middle one is Florida or EB.
Clear as mud isn't it.....?

 

[Joe Giardullo]

Clear as mud isn't it.....?

The one in the middle is definitely the model that Steve played- shorter , narrower, smaller chamber ,shorter shank and more of a racetrack throat.

I've seen one of the really square throat Links in person like the one on the left and I thought the throat looked altered but since then I've seen pictures of a number of them, and now maybe what I thought was altered was actually done at the factory. I don't know.

But the one I had here sounded much more like a Selmer S80 than a Link, and nothing like the Lacy Link.

Thanks for the great comparison pictures, Runzoff.

 

[Meatballfoot]

My modern link also has a small round chamber.

 

[MojoBari]

The one in the middle is definitely the model that Steve played- shorter , narrower, smaller chamber ,shorter shank and more of a racetrack throat.

I like the "racetrack throat" shape description. I'm going to start using it.

 

[ZJAZZ]

Yes the one in the middle is the killer! My personal favorite piece of them all, yes I like Slant as well, but the one in the middle has a punch of a smaller chamber and sweet tone of a Slant. That's where two great worlds collide and become a killer piece (for me personally, could be different for others). Thanks Nora for cool pics!

 

[renegade]

Is the third one a Tone Edge?

 

[smoothjazztenor]

I had "Lacy" model EB, just like the one in the middle.
I sold it cos it didn't outplay my Selmer Soloist.
It had a "thin shell" blank, just like the Morgan pieces.
It lacked the "body" for me.

Disclaimer: all such descriptions are subjective, as usual.

 

[super20dan]

is the middle one a early babbit?.

 

[ZJAZZ]

All of them are tone edge model. On the right is a Slant, other two are Early Babbitts