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Mouthpiece reviews A Possibly Slanted Review of the New Slant Link
I will put my possibility of being biased for personal reasons right up front so that hopefully the reader is aware and we can move on. I make mouthpieces and I do a lot of work on Links. That being the case I had to see this piece and review it.
Visual Inspection:
The baffle is much nicer than in the past. They took the weird lake at the bottom of the baffle out which is a good move.
The rails were uneven. I dont put too much stock in this as the thickness of each rail in reference to the other doesnt make much difference. I suspect some peoples got even ones.
After this I checked for flatness of the table. Like every Modern Link the table is concave.
The facing is parallel due to hand work and extra efforts by hand. The curve is not nailed but definitely not bad.
There is no clearly defined tip rail. I was a little concerned about that.
Tone and Playability:
By this time the the reed was soaked so it was time for the important parts. I tried some reeds on it and the piece played quite well. It blew pretty efficiently and wasnt stuffy and resistant. The tone was generally good. The low end was nice and had resonance, the mids were strong but the highs considerably thinner than I have grown accustomed to on a good link. What I really missed was the complexity of a good link. That enveloping, expansive tone and the thick singing highs.
I wondered why this was present until I changed to a Custom Link. The answer became apparent, the new Link has a smaller chamber. The difference on the cork was very significant. I stuck my fingers inside from the tip portion as well and felt a significant difference as well.
Final Thoughs:
To be blunt (flame me now) This is not an Otto link (in the traditional sense). It looks, smells, and tastes like one but its a contemporary piece in Otto Length clothing. Simply put the new Slant is NOT a large chambered mouthpiece. The new Slant is a medium chambered mouthpiece with a low rollover Link style baffle with a long facing length that rounds out the low end of the horn. If you were to put a medium facing length on this mouthpiece it would be closer (maybe brighter) than a HR V16. When I really took a look at the chamber I was shocked at how small it really was in comparison to some pieces I consider to have medium to medium large chambers. For those playing vintage horns that really struggle with intonation on lesser chambers and rely on Links to fill the bill I suspect this is not your answer.
I wont say Im disappointed. Babbitt has made a nice mouthpiece that sounds good and plays well out of the box. Its presents in the spirit of days with better Links and this is to be applauded. However, (yes, there is a big however) given the price of the mouthpiece (and I expect the price to increase) you can still buy a regular modern Link, spend the additional money to have it reworked by a number of mpc guys that do great work on Links, and end up with a superior product in terms of precision and tone.
Visual Inspection:
The baffle is much nicer than in the past. They took the weird lake at the bottom of the baffle out which is a good move.
The rails were uneven. I dont put too much stock in this as the thickness of each rail in reference to the other doesnt make much difference. I suspect some peoples got even ones.
After this I checked for flatness of the table. Like every Modern Link the table is concave.
The facing is parallel due to hand work and extra efforts by hand. The curve is not nailed but definitely not bad.
There is no clearly defined tip rail. I was a little concerned about that.
Tone and Playability:
By this time the the reed was soaked so it was time for the important parts. I tried some reeds on it and the piece played quite well. It blew pretty efficiently and wasnt stuffy and resistant. The tone was generally good. The low end was nice and had resonance, the mids were strong but the highs considerably thinner than I have grown accustomed to on a good link. What I really missed was the complexity of a good link. That enveloping, expansive tone and the thick singing highs.
I wondered why this was present until I changed to a Custom Link. The answer became apparent, the new Link has a smaller chamber. The difference on the cork was very significant. I stuck my fingers inside from the tip portion as well and felt a significant difference as well.
Final Thoughs:
To be blunt (flame me now) This is not an Otto link (in the traditional sense). It looks, smells, and tastes like one but its a contemporary piece in Otto Length clothing. Simply put the new Slant is NOT a large chambered mouthpiece. The new Slant is a medium chambered mouthpiece with a low rollover Link style baffle with a long facing length that rounds out the low end of the horn. If you were to put a medium facing length on this mouthpiece it would be closer (maybe brighter) than a HR V16. When I really took a look at the chamber I was shocked at how small it really was in comparison to some pieces I consider to have medium to medium large chambers. For those playing vintage horns that really struggle with intonation on lesser chambers and rely on Links to fill the bill I suspect this is not your answer.
I wont say Im disappointed. Babbitt has made a nice mouthpiece that sounds good and plays well out of the box. Its presents in the spirit of days with better Links and this is to be applauded. However, (yes, there is a big however) given the price of the mouthpiece (and I expect the price to increase) you can still buy a regular modern Link, spend the additional money to have it reworked by a number of mpc guys that do great work on Links, and end up with a superior product in terms of precision and tone.
9 Replies
·
6966 views
Saxophones Lucky me!
Had a new client come over from France yesterday to drop off a horn for a fast turnaround job.
Very interesting chap! Ex aircraft engineer, racing car mechanic, Jaguar nut - and one of those all-round interesting people. That's always a treat in itself - but what he brought in was the icing on the cake.
Look at this little beauty! A somewhat tarnished but surprisingly serviceable Couesnon Monopole alto. And by serviceable I mean that the action has almost no wear on it at all. Couple of minor dings - but the bell key guard is mint.
Best of all it's got the original factory test certificate. Now how lovely is that? And there's a vintage short shank metal Selmer C piece with it.
My brief is to do a mechanical overhaul (there are a few rusty screws) and get it up and running - and the client's non-too-fussed about the tarnish...which is just as well because I hate polishing silver horns 🙂
Very interesting chap! Ex aircraft engineer, racing car mechanic, Jaguar nut - and one of those all-round interesting people. That's always a treat in itself - but what he brought in was the icing on the cake.
Look at this little beauty! A somewhat tarnished but surprisingly serviceable Couesnon Monopole alto. And by serviceable I mean that the action has almost no wear on it at all. Couple of minor dings - but the bell key guard is mint.
Best of all it's got the original factory test certificate. Now how lovely is that? And there's a vintage short shank metal Selmer C piece with it.
My brief is to do a mechanical overhaul (there are a few rusty screws) and get it up and running - and the client's non-too-fussed about the tarnish...which is just as well because I hate polishing silver horns 🙂
15 Replies
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273 views
Miscellaneous Photography - all aspects
Following various recent posts, I thought I would create a thread specifically for photography. Somewhere to talk about equipment, experiences, processing...
To start off, I was a Nikon user for over 40 years, but had to 'down size' as handling full-frame cameras and lenses was getting to be too much like hard work and giving me shoulder issues. My current digital camera is a mirrorless Fuji X-T5.
For film cameras, I have a Pentax MX, Mamiya RB67, and a Sinar F2.
To start off, I was a Nikon user for over 40 years, but had to 'down size' as handling full-frame cameras and lenses was getting to be too much like hard work and giving me shoulder issues. My current digital camera is a mirrorless Fuji X-T5.
For film cameras, I have a Pentax MX, Mamiya RB67, and a Sinar F2.
420 Replies
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16356 views
The dates have been announced for the 2027 International Saxophone Symposium hosted by the Navy Band at George Mason University: January 8-9.
Plan your trip now if you're coming from afar.
Plan your trip now if you're coming from afar.
64 Replies
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2540 views
Animals Show us your Wildlife
Inspired by the convolution of the Show us your pet and Help a Hedgehog threads...
Here's one from another thread;
Red Squirrel
(They exist in Norway)
Here's one from another thread;
Red Squirrel
(They exist in Norway)
918 Replies
·
46834 views
I found this ancient Otto Langey Saxophone Fingering Chart, circa 1890, inside the case of a 1921 C Melody sax. The condition is poor, but it's still a cool find. I gather it's a fingering chart for those transitioning from the "older" 12-key saxophone to the "newer" 15-key layout. I don't see a date on this anywhere, so the 1890 guess came from the PC.
6 Replies
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155 views
Saxophones Alto for warm tone
Me again!
I'm curious to know - what alto do you think produces the warmest, most mellow tone?
No particular reason for asking just pure curiosity........
I'm curious to know - what alto do you think produces the warmest, most mellow tone?
No particular reason for asking just pure curiosity........
13 Replies
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218 views
Miscellaneous Old Saxophone Advertisements or Case Emblems ?
Anyone have vintage catalogs, advertising or case emblem pictures / copies to share ?
Store emblems make for some fascinating historical research.
This sax below came from Smarts Music Shop. Could it be the one in display case ?
Store emblems make for some fascinating historical research.
This sax below came from Smarts Music Shop. Could it be the one in display case ?
62 Replies
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1649 views
Playing the saxophone The Cafe Trio grown to Octet down to Sextet
Had a very pleasant afternoon in the company of @Jeanette @tenorviol at Ron's abode (thanks for the hospitality)
The three of us got together to try and improve our playing in a small group, i have issues with reading/timing and this is a good way to try and improve on both issues.
We started off very shaky but gradually grew into it, towards the end sounding a lot better. Our best effort being 'Groovy kind of Love' which i have to say Jeanette's reading and playing was very good.
No pressure guys but we could aim to play this tune at the cafe meet 😱
Enjoyable 3 hours of playing
Thanks Ron, Jeanette 🙂
The three of us got together to try and improve our playing in a small group, i have issues with reading/timing and this is a good way to try and improve on both issues.
We started off very shaky but gradually grew into it, towards the end sounding a lot better. Our best effort being 'Groovy kind of Love' which i have to say Jeanette's reading and playing was very good.
No pressure guys but we could aim to play this tune at the cafe meet 😱
Enjoyable 3 hours of playing
Thanks Ron, Jeanette 🙂
846 Replies
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119427 views
Cafe Moderator
Cafe Announcements 📣 Testing new feature: Social Feed
As some of you have noticed we are testing a new forum feature that may or may not be made permanent. It is still under development so any critique, bug reports are welcome.
This is a different way of viewing recent posts, in a social media type view. This is never going to replace the existing traditional forum / subforum and new posts view, rather it's an alternative if you like that kind of view. So we don't need need an opinion on the feature itself. In fact I don't really like it myself. The reason is to make the forum more familiar and hopefully less perplexing for new users who may be used to this type of view but not the traditional forum format.
Currently the access to Social Feed is a sub menu item of New (along with the various different New views). You can also switch back and forth between the SF view and trad view via a link at the top of each thread. Social Feeds shows the latest started or replied to threads showing the first post and latest two or three replies. The Load More Replies link opens up each thread to show all replies (but we may reduce that to 10 or so at a time)
If you reply to a post in SF format it will show as "nested" but when viewing the same post in traditional view it will have the post it is replying to as a quote. (or rather, it should do with any luck)
Please supply any comments in this thread, so not interrupt normal threads with comments about the Social Feeds system.
Again: this is totally optional and will not replace any current view so we won't be taking a poll on whether you like/want it or not.
What will be most useful is if those of you who are used to this kind of feed with social media can comment in this thread which may be sticky for a while
This is a different way of viewing recent posts, in a social media type view. This is never going to replace the existing traditional forum / subforum and new posts view, rather it's an alternative if you like that kind of view. So we don't need need an opinion on the feature itself. In fact I don't really like it myself. The reason is to make the forum more familiar and hopefully less perplexing for new users who may be used to this type of view but not the traditional forum format.
Currently the access to Social Feed is a sub menu item of New (along with the various different New views). You can also switch back and forth between the SF view and trad view via a link at the top of each thread. Social Feeds shows the latest started or replied to threads showing the first post and latest two or three replies. The Load More Replies link opens up each thread to show all replies (but we may reduce that to 10 or so at a time)
If you reply to a post in SF format it will show as "nested" but when viewing the same post in traditional view it will have the post it is replying to as a quote. (or rather, it should do with any luck)
Please supply any comments in this thread, so not interrupt normal threads with comments about the Social Feeds system.
Again: this is totally optional and will not replace any current view so we won't be taking a poll on whether you like/want it or not.
What will be most useful is if those of you who are used to this kind of feed with social media can comment in this thread which may be sticky for a while
Do you use the social feed?
3 votes total
26 Replies
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2012 views
Cafe Moderator
Café Supporter
Miscellaneous Daily Check In
Good morning,
We thought it might be good to have a thread where you can just come and say hi, tell us what you are doing today, have a moan, share an idea that you wouldn't necessarily start a thread for ( we can always create a new thread from posts here if it became a substantial discussion).
It doesn't have to be sax related🙂
Basically an easy way to connect on a daily basis.
So to kick us off, I am writing this whilst prepping a casserole for the slo cooker as I am playing sax today with café sax and need a quick easy tea when I get home.
I am still suffering with a cough which will impact my playing today and I am worried as we are playing our first care home gig next Sunday!!
Have a lovely Sunday
Jx
We thought it might be good to have a thread where you can just come and say hi, tell us what you are doing today, have a moan, share an idea that you wouldn't necessarily start a thread for ( we can always create a new thread from posts here if it became a substantial discussion).
It doesn't have to be sax related🙂
Basically an easy way to connect on a daily basis.
So to kick us off, I am writing this whilst prepping a casserole for the slo cooker as I am playing sax today with café sax and need a quick easy tea when I get home.
I am still suffering with a cough which will impact my playing today and I am worried as we are playing our first care home gig next Sunday!!
Have a lovely Sunday
Jx
2982 Replies
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95876 views
Tech/maintenance Super glued pads - a cry for help
Hello, folks. Many of you may know me from that other site.
A while back, I bought a nice, shiny purple logo Yts-32 from a guy in Japan. It arrived unplayable due to leaks. No prob, I think. I'll fix 'er right up. Wrong again.
The pads are glued in with ca glue. Lots of it, filling the cups. It is very hard and thick. I have scraped out a couple of pad cups. It was a long, tedious drudge. Acetone barely softens the surface.
Is there a better way?
A while back, I bought a nice, shiny purple logo Yts-32 from a guy in Japan. It arrived unplayable due to leaks. No prob, I think. I'll fix 'er right up. Wrong again.
The pads are glued in with ca glue. Lots of it, filling the cups. It is very hard and thick. I have scraped out a couple of pad cups. It was a long, tedious drudge. Acetone barely softens the surface.
Is there a better way?
11 Replies
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198 views
Miscellaneous Your Favourite Picture Of You Playing
We spend so much time ripping apart our playing, dissecting all of our flaws and generally not celebrating our successes that I thought a thread where we share our favourites images of ourselves playing would make a nice change.
I'll get the ball rolling with this image taken by my other half at a ska gig. It was my first ever experience of stepping in at the last moment (48 hours earlier I'd never even heard most of the 30 or 40 songs, never mind played them). Actually, thinking about it, it was the first time I'd ever played ska music. It was also my first gig with my Keilwerth. Musically it was a bit of a disaster - the band wasn't well rehearsed (to say the least) and the singer kept changing the arrangements as he sang. The first 45-50 minute set was over in under 30! But other than my G# sticking on one song, that I couldn't hear because I was stood next to the PA speaker with no monitoring at all, I think I pulled off my parts without embarrassing myself. At least not too badly. 😉
It was definitely a fun gig but I'd be lying if I said I'm not also glad that there are no recordings from the night or that my name was never mentioned. 😉 Normally I prefer action shots but there's just something atmospheric about this picture that I really like.
I'll get the ball rolling with this image taken by my other half at a ska gig. It was my first ever experience of stepping in at the last moment (48 hours earlier I'd never even heard most of the 30 or 40 songs, never mind played them). Actually, thinking about it, it was the first time I'd ever played ska music. It was also my first gig with my Keilwerth. Musically it was a bit of a disaster - the band wasn't well rehearsed (to say the least) and the singer kept changing the arrangements as he sang. The first 45-50 minute set was over in under 30! But other than my G# sticking on one song, that I couldn't hear because I was stood next to the PA speaker with no monitoring at all, I think I pulled off my parts without embarrassing myself. At least not too badly. 😉
It was definitely a fun gig but I'd be lying if I said I'm not also glad that there are no recordings from the night or that my name was never mentioned. 😉 Normally I prefer action shots but there's just something atmospheric about this picture that I really like.
478 Replies
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35359 views
Introduction Hi from blooming cold Cumbria.
I was a member here a long time back, and had been playing for quite a few years. Stopped due to illness around 20 years ago as I found it impossible to hold a sax for a long time. Recently found my yanigsawa in its case and figured I would start again. Cant remember how to read music, but worse, I can hardly blow a note. Bought a beginners mouthpiece and started some long notes around the cycle but my lip gives out pretty quickly. I am glad I don't live next to me. Still, keep at it I Guess and hope it improves. Anyway, hello from cold and damp Workington, Cumbria, where we have a shop to keep us busy and not twiddling our thumbs as age creeps up further and further.
12 Replies
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236 views
I play Yamaha and Selmer Alto Saxophones. The Yamaha is easy to play and is a good flexible workhorse. I enjoy the tonal color of the Selmer, and am curious what would be a good mouthpiece recommendation for playing classical music? I compared it to a YAMAHA YAS-875EX and they have similar tonal color and resistance. I don't have a classical mouthpiece right now, and am looking for a good piece that works well in playing the lower notes at pianissimo up to D above the staff on a Mark VII Alto? I know it's a big sounding Saxophone, so wrangling in the boldness can be a bit of a challenge, but I enjoy the challenge. Any constructive direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
15 Replies
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207 views
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