[Morph1590]

I was chatting to my girlfriend the other day, trying to explain (justify?) why I wanted to buy another mouthpiece - one of the many remakes of the Slant Signature Otto Link. Anyway, I said "It's kind of like the Mark VI of the mouthpiece world, the Otto Link Slant Signature is a great, classic mpc, highly sought after etc."

But then I got thinking...who actually DID play a slant sig? Most of the main tenor players in 50/60 seem to have been on Metal Links, or Metal Bergs, Dukoffs, some on HR Brilharts. I can think of Getz and Junior Cook on HR Links, but not a lot else, who am I missing? There are far fewer Soloist style mpc's out there and yet Joe Henderson, Eddie Harris, Sonny Rollins, Coltrane all recorded on them...

So what accounts for the reputation of these pieces when they don't seem to have been particularly prized at the time? It almost feels like the hype is circular, and self fulfilling... personally speaking, the reason I think the Slant Sig is so sought after and coveted from seeing the high prices these go for, and from reading the blurbs of modern mouthpieces aiming to "recapture the glory of the fabled Otto Link Slant Signature" etc. Theo Wanne, Mouthpiece Cafe, Retro revival, Drake, Aizen, Tenny,

Just to clarify, I'm not questioning the quality of these mouthpieces! Just more interested from "saxophone player sociological perspective"!

 

[Sacks Of Phones]

I was chatting to my girlfriend the other day, trying to explain (justify?) why I wanted to buy another mouthpiece -

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! You should never have to explain to a girlfriend why you need more music accessories................wife yes, girlfriend no.

 

[HeavyWeather77]

As far as I know, the Slant Sig became extremely popular in the late '90s and early '00s with the "Young Lions" scene. Mouthpiece experts can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the rubber Links were considered a budget-line in the '50s and '60s, with the metal models being the "premium/pro" line. Of course, the rubber pieces ended up being great, so pros used them, but the metal pieces were the most popular among famous players.

But in the '90s-'00s, younger heroes like Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, and Seamus Blake were seen and heard playing on rubber Links and sounding phenomenal, so their popularity among my generation skyrocketed. Slant Sigs and early Babbits started going up in value, kind of like Selmer Soloists and Brilhart ligatures for alto rose with Kenny Garrett's popularity.

Of course, Potter's been known to play tons of other mouthpieces (Francois Louis, metal Link, anything else he feels like probably) and the other guys certainly could if they wanted to. For me, it was really Mark Turner's sound that got me interested in the large-chamber rubber Link vibe.

As far as that vibe goes, I found what I was looking for in the Macsax Bob Sheppard models, of which I have two: an older .110 finished by Eric Falcon and a newer .108 finished by Matt Marantz. They're both great, I just like the newer one a bit more. A modern piece by a good maker will probably be more predictably playable than an overpriced vintage piece.

 

[whaler]

If you play a Slant compared to modern Links you’ll understand. They have a lot more edge fo the sound. They don’t really have a pronounced baffle but it just slopes into a smaller chamber unlike the newer tubby ones.
I have an older version of the New Vintage Slant and they play well. I think if I’d lowered the profile it would be pretty darn close to an original Slant.

 

[Sigmund451]

The modern TM has a chamber that is too big and the floor height is too extreme.
The NVS is better but IMHO they made the chamber a bit too small and it is lacking some in complexity.
I enjoy the slants and early, early babbit pieces considerably more.

 

[whaler]

The NVS can be found at $100 or less used. Good luck finding a real EB or Slant for that.

 

[Rumbabajabba]

I can see how a darker, dryer sound would be conducive to the trend toward more rhythmically oriented styles. I always associate metal links (or at least players known to use them) with a more vocal/singing quality.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Why is the Otto Link Slant Signature considered THE HR tenor mouthpiece?

It isn't

 

[Dr G]

I was chatting to my girlfriend the other day, trying to explain (justify?) why I wanted to buy another mouthpiece - one of the many remakes of the Slant Signature Otto Link. Anyway, I said "It's kind of like the Mark VI of the mouthpiece world, the Otto Link Slant Signature is a great, classic mpc, highly sought after etc."

I always thought the end all and be all mouthpiece was a Florida Otto Link STM - that was back in the early '70s when I came to my senses and dumped the Brilhart LevelAir.

I don't recall that many people playing HR, but when they did, it was often a Selmer Soloist (they came with the Mk VI).

 

[Pete Thomas]

I always thought the end all and be all mouthpiece was a Florida Otto Link STM - that was back in the early '70s when I came to my senses and dumped the Brilhart LevelAir.

I don't recall that many people playing HR, but when they did, it was often a Selmer Soloist (they came with the Mk VI).

Or a Berg

 

[skeller047]

I agree that Berg was very popular in the '70s. Rubber Bergs were common, as were the metal ones. I had a rubber Berg alto mouthpiece for a time in the early '70s, but it didn't really work for me.

I bought a Level-Aire for playing tenor in a funk band in the late 60's, and I'm sorry I got rid of that piece (not really remembering what happened to it... I then foolishly gave up on tenor for 10 years...) But by far the most common piece I saw in the '70s on tenor was the Link STM, followed closely by a metal Berg. Hard rubber pieces in general were frowned upon by many tenor players at that time.

 

[Rumbabajabba]

I honestly don't know what is so special about the Slant Sig sound. I know it's subjective, I like the players who use them. I guess it's trendy. From the 50s-60s relatively balanced STMs it seems many went toward the brighter side with the rock/pop/fusion leanings a la Brecker, Berg, Pickett, in the 70s-80s. While swinging the other direction with the previously mention Slant Sig players. Just the pendulum swinging..

 

[theneighbordubh]

I would imagine the selection was a bit narrower prior to the internet. A large number of people playing a small variety. More people working with what they have rather than dabbling on everything known to mankind.

 

[DarrellMass]

Maybe it's a good piece to play, if you don't want to sound like everybody else, since nobody who knows anything isn't playing them???

 

[click]

Slant players

Who plays or has played HR Slant Signature Otto Links?

 

[andre251]

I think Heavyweather nailed it with the young lions comment. In my undergrad I was listening mostly to Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, and then in the later years Jerry Bergonzi. I got into Seamus Blake and Mark Turner in grad school. Besides Bergonzi, these were the “young” guys that everyone listened to and wanted to emulate. And they all played Slants (including Chris on his younger records). I think what “THE” hard rubber tenor mouthpiece is depends on when you started your serious sax training or gear searching. I can se why somebody who started in the 80’s or 90’s wanted a short shank soloist comparatively for example. Just like how nobody really famous played short shank soloists on alto until Kenny Garret came along and almost every alto player I let in college played one or owned one. For the record I was in university from 2003 to 2014 so this is the era of higher education I am referring to.

 

[Morph1590]

Thanks all, interesting. It does all seem quite "trend" based, which, given human behaviour, isn't surprising I suppose. Even in Jazz which is supposed to venerate the individual/original.

Maybe in 10 years, the majority of young players will be back on metal pieces.

 

[Rumbabajabba]

I can't actually think of too many guys I know personally, my age (30) or younger, on tenor, who play mainly Slant types (or even hr). It seems mostly STMs, bergs and Jodyjazz metal pieces. Not that I'm extremely well connected...

 

[hornstar]

I love the Slant Signature, it's my primary piece on tenor and soprano. It's just so fun to play, I can do anything I'm capable of on it, it's very reed-friendly, and sounds great throughout the range. I've gone through the Bergs, Florida STMs and DRs, Brilharts, Dukoffs, Soloists, and when I discovered Slants that was it. I have Slants in various tip openings from 5* to 10, and other than reed strength they all play and sound the same, it's very predictable and kind of uncanny. There are some modern clones that get close in playability, but none that I've tried so far have the weight to the sound.

 

[gorgon.haas]

After not having played for a while, I randomly paired a late King Super 20 Silversonic with a GetASax GS Slant and was blown away by the flawless intonation and the sound colors this combo provides. It feels like they were made for each other I'm sticking to this setup for now and will explore its capabilities. Just my 0.02.