Mouthpieces Who believes in Link Chops?

[Pete Thomas]

and about 2 years ago I got myself a PPT 7*. I

I'm thinking of stopping production of the 7* as 8* is way better. 7* is going to be too bright for a lot of people and not bring out the best in a PPT.

I'd rather sell fewer mouthpieces and have people happy.

This may be the reason Dave Guardala only did 8* (.115 tenor)

 

[Mike T]

All of my favorite tenor players played on Otto Links. Dexter Gordon, Coltrane, Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, Chris Potter, Rick Margitza...list goes on. Did Dexter sound bad on his Conn 10m/Dukoff setup, hell no but i just prefer the heavy sound of the selmer/Link combo. His Conn setup was more free blowing i think resulting in a "lighter" sound.

A nice side effect of resistance is that when you hit it with a healthy breath of air you get sort of a percussive effect.

That's an odd mxture of names there. Quite different sounds: you could never mix up the great Gordon with Coltrane. Even my man Cobb is nothing like Jacquet, though both are classed as Texas Tenors. As for Gordon, I've always found his sound on the 10M to have been much heavier and darker than the thinner tone he got out of the Selmer Mk VI. BTW, I can't comment on Rick Margitza, because I've never heard of him.

 

[flat7]

That's an odd mxture of names there. Quite different sounds: you could never mix up the great Gordon with Coltrane. Even my man Cobb is nothing like Jacquet, though both are classed as Texas Tenors. As for Gordon, I've always found his sound on the 10M to have been much heavier and darker than the thinner tone he got out of the Selmer Mk VI. BTW, I can't comment on Rick Margitza, because I've never heard of him.

I have not said that these giants had similar sounds but listed players playing metal Otto Links. I would say that Dexter Gordon influenced Coltrane, you can hear it in Coltranes early playing. I forgot to throw in Stanley Turrentine of a great example of a fat sounding tenorman. Illinois and Arnett are completely in the same ballpark. Both bluesy players with sounds from the 40ies.

The Conn 10m I would not describe as a super dense, fat sounding horn. Its centered and kind of wide at the same time and quite free blowing. I owned 2 pre war 10m tenors and they were both like that. Not wuite as complex or fat as a selmer.

 

[thomsax]

In other words, all sax mouthpiece designs rely on a quality embouchure and airstream to give pleasing results.

Yes, of course. I play Rovner Deep V and have "Rovner Deep-V chops".

 

[Ivan]

...centered and kind of wide at the same time...

Oh go on...

Which is it to be?

 

[flat7]

Oh go on...

Which is it to be?

Both. Feels fat when played but recorded it sounds centered.

 

[Mike T]

I have not said that these giants had similar sounds but listed players playing metal Otto Links. I would say that Dexter Gordon influenced Coltrane, you can hear it in Coltranes early playing. I forgot to throw in Stanley Turrentine of a great example of a fat sounding tenorman. Illinois and Arnett are completely in the same ballpark. Both bluesy players with sounds from the 40ies.

The Conn 10m I would not describe as a super dense, fat sounding horn. Its centered and kind of wide at the same time and quite free blowing. I owned 2 pre war 10m tenors and they were both like that. Not wuite as complex or fat as a selmer.

I currently have a 1932 Transitional tenor (a real "Chu"), a 1937 10M and a 1967 Selmer Mk.VI. The Conns are big and dark (the Tranny being the darker of the two), while the Mk VI is much gentler - with a tone more like a Yamaha YTS 21. I was never a fan of Turrentine's; for a big tenor tone I'd rather listen to Gene Ammons or Ike Quebec.

As for Illinois and Arnett being "completely in the same ball park," that misapprehension derives from their shared history, following each other in the same band. Illinois was a control freak - he never played anything by chance - nothing wild about him - everything was planned out and executed flawlessly with his amazing technique and his middle-of-the-road tone. Arnett on the other hand, although he too had an amazing technique, played from the heart rather than from the head. His playing was very melodramatic at times, and he took his chances, which occasionally didn't pay off. The odd bum note is the price you pay for playing with your heart rather than with your head - but, oh ! what excitement he could generate when he let rip with that huge tone !

 

[flat7]

I currently have a 1932 Transitional tenor (a real "Chu"), a 1937 10M and a 1967 Selmer Mk.VI. The Conns are big and dark (the Tranny being the darker of the two), while the Mk VI is much gentler - with a tone more like a Yamaha YTS 21. I was never a fan of Turrentine's; for a big tenor tone I'd rather listen to Gene Ammons or Ike Quebec.

As for Illinois and Arnett being "completely in the same ball park," that misapprehension derives from their shared history, following each other in the same band. Illinois was a control freak - he never played anything by chance - nothing wild about him - everything was planned out and executed flawlessly with his amazing technique and his middle-of-the-road tone. Arnett on the other hand, although he too had an amazing technique, played from the heart rather than from the head. His playing was very melodramatic at times, and he took his chances, which occasionally didn't pay off. The odd bum note is the price you pay for playing with your heart rather than with your head - but, oh ! what excitement he could generate when he let rip with that huge tone !

When I wrote that Arnette and Illinois are in the same ballpark I refer to their sounds more than their different approaches to improvisation. Both had big, husky tones. I have not heard a tenor player with that sound concept today. I think Harry Allen comes pretty close. Scott Hamilton too but he is far more gentle.

The Conn and Selmer are very different sounding saxophones. All of my selmers were brighter but also fatter, having both highs,mids and lows in the sound? The selmers always give me this sense of solid, heavy and luxury in the tone.