Today, I will be reviewing the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the new Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces that was released in the fall of 2024.  I recently posted a review of some of the other Theo Wanne Essentials saxophone mouthpieces so if you want to check out any of those reviews you can click here.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Essentials Collection of saxophone mouthpieces by Theo Wanne are described as offering “exceptional quality and superior craftsmanship, while still being affordable”.

The Theo Wanne Essentials collection includes three models for alto and tenor saxophones including the Concert, Jazz and Contemporary models and two models for soprano and baritone saxophones including the Concert and Jazz models.

Before we get to the review, here is some info from the Theo Wanne website on the Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces:

“Traditionally, saxophone mouthpieces were either budget-friendly but low-quality, or high-quality but expensive. The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION changes all of that, by offering exceptional quality at an accessible price point. Theo’s lifelong goal has always been to deliver the best of both worlds—superior craftsmanship and affordability.”

The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION features a comprehensive range of saxophone mouthpieces designed for Soprano through Baritone, catering to every type of player. Each mouthpiece is meticulously crafted side-by-side with Theo’s renowned Signature Collection at our state-of-the-art factory in Bellingham, Washington, USA.

Key highlights include:

Theo Wanne Essentials Saxophone Mouthpieces for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophone

About the Essentials Collection

A Mouthpiece for Everyone:

Quality and Innovation:

Theo Wanne Essentials Full Line of Saxophone Mouthpieces

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company.  The Jazz 7* tenor sax mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details of the mouthpiece inside.  Inside the box is a black velvet drawstring bag that holds and protects the Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece during shipping.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece doesn’t come with a ligature included.  I used a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) gold Superlative tenor sax ligature that I have in my collection of ligatures that worked great as well as a Francois Louis Ultimate ligature.  The Essentials Jazz tenor mouthpiece is similar in size to a standard tenor saxophone mouthpiece like a hard rubber Otto Link and all the ligatures that fit a standard hard rubber Otto Link sized mouthpiece should work on the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Pretty cool surprise! You can see how the material is a bit translucent when a bright light is shined from behind it.  The sun is behind the mouthpiece.)

The Essentials Jazz tenor sax mouthpiece material looks and feels similar to the Black A.R.T. material that the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece are made of.  I’m not sure if this is the same material or something different because “Black A.R.T.” is not mentioned in the description of the Essentials line of mouthpieces.  It sure looks very similar except that the material of the Water mouthpiece is more shiny so maybe it is different.   In the description later in the review, the material is describes as a “proprietary bio-safe polymer”.  Regardless of the materials name, the material the Essentials mouthpieces are made of looks and feels solid and stable.  Theo describes the material as having a similar weight and density when compared to hard rubber.

The shank of the Essentials Jazz 7 tenor sax mouthpiece has a gold band around it that has “THEO WANNE” engraved into the top of the band and “Made in USA” on the bottom of the band.  The Theo Wanne logo is painted in gold on the top of the mouthpiece.  Since it is painted and not engraved, I would think it would wear off over time from the frequent placement of the ligature on the mouthpiece every time the mouthpiece is played.

*The gold band on the shank did start twisting and eventually came off the mouthpiece.  Nothing some glue won’t fix, but I was surprised when it came off.

On the body of the mouthpiece is engraved a serial number on one side of the table, and “JAZZ” on the other side of the table.  Beneath the table is engraved the tip opening of 7*.  This 7* tip opening equates to a .105 tip opening.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is some more information from the Theo Wanne website on the new Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

ESSENTIALS: Jazz Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In the past, low-cost mouthpieces were low quality, and high-quality mouthpieces were expensive. However, the Theo Wanne ESSENTIALS COLLECTION brings you  incredible quality and low cost, at the same time!

The Jazz Tenor brings back that classic, vintage jazz sound that you love. The tone isn’t too dark, or too bright, it’s responsive and it plays evenly from top to bottom. If you are playing tenor in any kind of jazz setting, this is the model you want.

It is available in 2 popular tip openings:

Size 5: 0.080″ or 2.03mm

Size 7*: 0.105″ or 2.67mm

Material: A.M.P. – Proprietary Bio-Safe Polymer

Baffle: Roll-Over Shark Gill Baffle

Chamber: Medium Chamber

Ligature Fit: Standard Hard Rubber Tenor Ligature

What’s Included

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece tip, rails, baffle, table and chamber all look well crafted, symmetrical and even. The side rails and tip rails are surprisingly thin considering this new A.M.P. manufacturing process that Theo is using to create these Essential saxophone mouthpieces.  The table looks flat, even and well made although the reed does hang off the rear of the table slightly.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece has what I would describe as a medium baffle.   The baffle is at a medium height for about 1/2 an inch (where the second line is) and then it rolls over gently to descend at a great angle towards the medium chamber.

The sidewalls are scooped out nice as they approach the chamber entrance. The bottom of the chamber floor is scooped out smoothly so that the chamber floor is beneath the bore of the mouthpiece. The roof of the chamber is nice and thin under the mouthpiece table.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with a variety of reeds and passed the suction test with every tenor saxophone reed that I tried on it.  I ended up using a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 1/2 silver box reed and a BSS #3 silver box tenor saxophone reed for the sound clips below.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had what I would describe as a tone that sat on the brighter side of the dark to bright tone spectrum I write about so often.  When I played at a more medium volume, I felt like the tone leaned to the middle of that tone spectrum but when I pushed the air more forcefully, the tone leaned to the brighter side of that spectrum with more brightness, buzz and edge in the tone.

The tone was full, and rich sounding to my ears.  It seemed a little more dark, rich and textured with the harder BSS 3 1/2 silver box reed and a bit brighter with more buzz and edge in the tone with the softer BSS #3 silver box reed.  Still, the softer BSS #3 reed  could be played warmly when laying back on a ballad and sub-toned exceptionally well.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation of the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor sax mouthpiece were within normal parameters on my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone.  I would say that the intonation was excellent.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had a substantial amount of power and volume available to it.  I would rate it as an 8 on my 1-10 volume scale for saxophone mouthpieces.  When compared to a typical hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece, the TW Essentials Jazz mouthpiece definitely has more power, volume and brightness than a typical hard rubber Otto Link.  I would perhaps compare the brightness level to an Early Babbitt Otto Link level of brightness although the TW Essentials Jazz tenor mouthpiece played very differently than a hard rubber Otto Link design in my opinion.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece performed great in the altissimo range of the saxophone and the low notes were nice and fat sounding and could be sub-toned easily to produce a beautiful lush sound down low.  The notes could be easy manipulated and shaped to be expressive and bluesy sounding.

The articulation was clean and crisp and the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz model performed well on fast jazz lines while applying articulation.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of tenor saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles.  I demonstrate the sound of the Essentials Jazz tenor mouthpiece with all my usual lines and melodies so if you want to compare it to my other sound clips and reviews, you should be able to find many of the same lines to compare this sound clip to.

The first sound clip is recorded with no effects on a BSS #3 silver box tenor saxophone reed.  The second sound clip is a clip of altissimo playing with some reverb added so you can hear how the mouthpiece sounds in that range of the saxophone with reverb.  I am using the same BSS #3  silver box reed for this sound clip.  The third sound clip is recorded with a slightly harder BSS 3 1/2 silver box tenor saxophone reed.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great medium baffle tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a beautifully solid sounding tenor saxophone tone that is well rounded and versatile.  The Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece gives the player a focused fat sound that can be warm and lush while also giving a good amount of brightness and power when pushed harder for more modern music.   The Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great choice for jazz, big band, small group settings or contemporary music. This is a great saxophone mouthpiece choice for any professional or student who needs a tenor sax mouthpiece that can cover all the bases!

Theo Wanne and his team have done a terrific job designing a versatile mouthpiece perfect for jazz tenor saxophonists while still being relatively affordable compared to most of the other options out on the market today.

If you like the sound and look of the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theo Wanne’s website (save 15% by using this link). I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne so if you purchase a Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link (save 15% by using this link), Neffmusic will receive a small commission on the sale.  This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you.

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,  Steve

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 Silver Box Reed – No Effects

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Altissimo with Reverb Added –  BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 Silver Box Reed

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece –  BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 1/2 Silver Box Reed – No Effects 

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new 5th generation Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by JJ Babbitt.  Those who know, know there is nothing better than a killer Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece!   Let’s see if this Otto Link V tenor sax mouthpiece fits in that category……

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The JJ Babbitt mouthpiece company recently sent me three new tenor saxophone mouthpiece models to review: an Otto Link hard rubber LA 7* tenor sax mouthpiece (which I have already reviewed), an Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor sax mouthpiece and an Otto Link Super Tone Master Florida V 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The JJ Babbitt mouthpiece company has been  around for over 100 years!  In the 1970s,  JJ Babbitt expanded its business by acquiring two of the most prestigious names in the saxophone mouthpiece industry: Meyer Bros. in 1971 and Otto Link in 1977.  You can read the full history of the JJ Babbitt Company here.

The vintage metal Otto Link Double Ring, Florida and Early Babbitt tenor saxophone mouthpieces from the past are some of the most sought after vintage saxophone mouthpieces on the market today.  When I heard the news that JJ Babbitt was coming out with a new Otto Link V (5th Generation) Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece,  I was eager to try one of these new Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces out for myself.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the JJ Babbitt website describes the new Otto Link Super Tone Master V (5th Generation) tenor saxophone mouthpiece (orange highlighting was added by me):

“The Otto Link Super Tone Master 5 is the latest evolution in a mouthpiece that has been the heart and soul of the saxophone sound in American jazz for much of the 20th and 21st centuries. This fifth-generation mouthpiece is not just a continuation—it’s a masterful evolution of a legacy, refined to meet the demands of today’s musicians. Professional players are calling it, along with the new Florida 5, the best Link they’ve ever played—equal to, and perhaps even surpassing, the classic versions that shaped jazz history. This is more than just a mouthpiece; it’s a piece of history reborn, designed to carry forward the sound that legends like Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, and John Coltrane made iconic.

The Super Tone Master 5 was crafted with both the precision of modern engineering and the insights gained from extensive historical research. In this latest iteration, we have returned to the “core” sound that defined its predecessors while enhancing it for modern versatility. Over the years, the original forging dies had fallen out of spec due to wear and tear, leading to subtle inconsistencies in production. To remedy this, we created entirely new forging dies, realigning the design to match the exact specifications of the original Super Tone Master models. We also utilized laser scanning technology to analyze vintage mouthpieces, ensuring this new generation captures the rich, warm, and balanced tone that made the originals so revered.”-JJ Babbitt

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

More from the JJ Babbitt website on the Otto Link Super Tone Master V (5th Generation) tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

“The Super Tone Master V represents the pinnacle of Otto Link’s long-standing tradition of excellence, blending timeless craftsmanship with modern engineering. Each mouthpiece is meticulously hand-finished to ensure smooth airflow and balanced tonal control, while the re-engineered chamber enhances resonance and projection. This combination offers the best of both worlds—the iconic warmth and richness of the original, paired with modern-day precision and reliability. Players have praised the Super Tone Master 5 for maintaining the legendary Otto Link sound while adding a new level of consistency, projection, and playability, allowing musicians to perform with confidence in any musical environment.”-JJ Babbitt 

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

“With the Super Tone Master 5, Otto Link continues to honor its rich history while advancing the future of saxophone sound. This mouthpiece provides musicians with the opportunity to connect with the lineage of jazz legends while creating their own voice in modern music. Each note played is a tribute to the legacy of jazz, enriched with the clarity and control demanded by today’s players. Whether performing on the biggest stages or in intimate settings, the Super Tone Master 5 offers the tonal versatility and responsiveness necessary to make a lasting impression. It’s the next chapter of Otto Link’s storied legacy—where the richness of the past meets today’s precision.”-JJ Babbitt

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link Super Tone Master V tenor saxophone mouthpiece comes in a classic sealed Otto Link mouthpiece box.  Inside the box, the mouthpiece has an Otto Link ligature on the mouthpiece as well as a plastic mouthpiece cover.  Although there is no reed on the mouthpiece,  JJ Babbitt puts a small piece of plastic between the ligature plate and mouthpiece table to protect the table from being scratched by the ligature during shipping.

I have never been a big fan of Otto Link ligatures in the past because I found that the ligature plate moved around too much for my liking when placing the ligature on the reed.  The ligatures that come with the new Otto Link V mouthpieces don’t seem to have this issue because the plate on these ligatures is thicker that the plate on many of my old Otto Link ligatures I have in my drawer.  I don’t know if it is because of this added thickness but the plate doesn’t seem to move around as much and it is easier for me to place the ligature on the mouthpiece and reed that the many older (80’s-90’s) Otto Links ligatures I have.

Although I really liked the Otto Link ligature that came with the V mouthpiece, I decided to use my Selmer silver 404 metal ligature that I have been using on metal Otto Links for the last 20 years just for consistency.   Since I have used the Selmer 404 ligature on every Otto Link I have reviewed on this site over the last 20 years, I thought it best to continue with that tradition.   I’ll experiment later with swapping the ligatures to see which one I like the best.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The new 5th generation Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor sax mouthpiece looked beautiful upon opening the box.  The gold plating looks thick and rich and the bite plate and engraving looked perfect.

One detail (flaw) I noticed right away while taking the mouthpiece out of the box is that you can see fragments of the seam where the two sides of the mouthpiece were joined together.  You can see this clearly in the very first photo of the review if you look at the beak of the mouthpiece in that photo.  Right in the center of the beak, above the bite plate and below is that seam I am talking about.  I don’t think it makes any real difference in how the mouthpiece might play but it is a flaw and imperfection in the overall aesthetic of the mouthpiece.

I’m not sure if this is a flaw in just my mouthpiece or if this seam can be seen in all the new Otto Link V mouthpieces JJ Babbitt is making.  I will add at this point in the review, that people in the past have accused mouthpiece companies of picking perfect mouthpieces out of their production line to send to me to get a great review and while I can’t prove this never happens, I do think this seam showing on this mouthpiece does tend to make me think that someone at JJ Babbitt just grabbed this mouthpiece in the sealed box and sent it to me to review rather than picking out a special mouthpiece that had the seam showing.  That seems logical to me.

Although this is a brand new 5th generation Otto Link mouthpiece, there is no mistaking the obvious Otto Link design features that are a signature of the Otto Link metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  The 5th generation Otto Link Super Tone Master mouthpiece has the classic metal ridge along the top of the mouthpiece that is engraved with “Otto Link” as well as the classic black bite plate across the beak that is common to all metal Otto Link mouthpieces.

The shank of the mouthpiece has two rings around the shank with “Super Tone Master” engraved between the rings on the top and “V” engraved below the rings.  On the bottom side of the shank,  “U.S.A.” is engraved between the rings with the tip opening of 7* engraved below it.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link V tenor sax mouthpiece has rails that I would consider as wide rails.  As you can see in the photos, the side rails are a bit wavy and uneven and the tip rail is a bit uneven as well.

Of special note, the thickness of the metal on the shank of the mouthpiece is much thicker than the thickness of the metal on all of my other vintage Otto Links.  I believe modern Otto Links all have this thicker design of the shank but I have never noticed until now as I compare this V mouthpiece to my Florida, Early Babbitt and Double Ring Otto Link mouthpieces.

The baffle looks to be a medium rollover with what I can only describe as a very unique shape. The unique baffle shape and rollover reminds me of the look of water rolling in the bottom of a container while being in a vehicle that is moving.  The baffle is uneven but has a flowing effect to the irregular shape. I’m very curious if this baffle shape is exactly the same for each mouthpiece or if the baffle shape is variable from mouthpiece to mouthpiece.

After the flowing irregular baffle rollover, the baffle heads down to what I would describe as a large chamber.  The sidewalls are scooped out nicely. The chamber roof is of a medium thickness but is also uneven in width along the top with the right side of the roof being a little bit thinner.

I have to be honest in admitting that all of these irregularities in the mouthpiece made me a bit nervous about how the Otto Link Super Tone Master V tenor sax mouthpiece would play but I also know from past experience that an uneven baffle or wide tip rails do not necessarily make a bad playing mouthpiece.  Some of the best mouthpieces I have played over the years are ones with irregularities.  The only way to find out is to play it.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Now, to the most important part, how did the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece play?

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by this new Otto Link V tenor sax mouthpiece.  In fact, I would consider this Otto Link V mouthpiece to be one of the best Otto Link mouthpieces I have played over the years.  If I played an Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece like this in a store over the last 40 years, I would have bought it immediately.  That is how much I liked this Otto Link V tenor sax mouthpiece.

The Otto Link V tenor sax mouthpiece was very reed friendly for me.  It played best with reeds between strength 2 1/2 to 3 1/2.  I tried a variety of reeds on it including BSS (Boston Sax Shop), Roberto’s Winds, Rigotti Gold and Rico Royal reeds.  The sound clips below were recorded with the BSS reeds but I honestly could have used any of the reeds mentioned to record the sound clips.  They all played very well and all got suction when applying the suction test to the reeds.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tone of the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* mouthpiece was what I would consider a classic “Link” tenor saxophone tone.  The tone was thick, strong and dense sounding while sitting in the middle of that dark to bright saxophone tone spectrum I write about so often.

The tone had a ton of character in the sound that I found incredibly pleasant to listen to as I was playing.  I often associate that character in the tone to an Otto Link type of tenor saxophone sound like Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon and Coleman Hawkins.  Even modern players like Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Rick Margitza and Mike Tucker all play or played metal Otto Links and reflect that character in their sounds.

That is certainly a varied list of tenor saxophone players with a variety of tones but that list goes to show the versatility of the Otto Link design.  I have found that Otto Link tenor mouthpieces can offer a wide pallet of sounds and colors so that the player can shape their own sound to their own liking as is proven by the wide range of tenor saxophone tones created by that list of phenomenal sax players above.

As you can hear in the sound clips below, the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor mouthpiece sounds at home on a jazz ballad using a rich, fat and textured tone like Dexter Gordon or can be pushed to be much brighter and more aggressive like John Coltrane.  The beautiful quality of a great Otto Link mouthpiece is that the tone can be shaped and molded to the players desires and needs.  I would consider the Otto Link V tenor mouthpiece to be in that category of a great playing Otto Link.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece had very good intonation on my Selmer SBA tenor saxophone.  The articulation was clean and crisp while playing staccato notes or fast jazz lines.

The altissimo register was easy to produce and the notes in that higher register had a nice roundness and thickness to the tone that I really liked.   The low notes were rich and full sounding and the sub-tone effect on those low notes was beautifully lush and rich.

i would rate the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* saxophone mouthpiece as a 7 1/2-8 for volume on the 1-10 volume scale I think of when reviewing saxophone mouthpiece.  This is a respectful volume and while the Otto Link V is in no way a paint peeler 10 that can cut through any band, the volume is adequate for most playing situations with the right amplification in my opinion.

Of specific note, I found the differences between the sound clips with the BSS Silver box 2 1/2 reed and the BSS Black box 3 reed especially interesting.  You can hear how much darker the BSS Black box reed is than the silver box reed.  I enjoy having the choice between the BSS (Boston Sax Shop) black or silver box reeds just because of this obvious difference in brightness between the reed cuts.

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a terrific tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece that can play with a classic “link” jazz tenor saxophone sound that is full of character while giving the player easy expression and a warmth of tone with the ability to add brightness when needed.  Although the Otto Link V tenor mouthpiece is an obvious design change for JJ Babbitt, I believe they have stayed true to the heritage and history of Otto Link mouthpieces and designed a mouthpiece that plays and sounds like a great Otto Link mouthpiece from the past would or perhaps even better if that is allowed to be stated.  (I know vintage Otto Link experts will view this statement as sacrilege).

If you like the sound and look of the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by JJ Babbitt, you can find them for sale at Sweetwater.  I have agreed to be an affiliate for Sweetwater so if you purchase a Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale while your cost remains the same. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..). Sweetwater even offers the option to pay in three installments as well which is nice.

If you try an Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review,  I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers.  It makes a world of difference!

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-with no Effects-BSS #2 1/2 Silver Box Reed

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Body & Soul with Reverb-BSS #2 1/2 Silver Box Reed

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo with Reverb Added-BSS #2 1/2 Silver Box Reed

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-with no Effects-BSS #3 Black Box Reed

Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo with Reverb Added-BSS #3 Black Box Reed

Today, I am reviewing another tenor saxophone mouthpiece from SYOS mouthpieces in France.  This is the SYOS Gabi Rose signature model 8* deep purple tenor saxophone mouthpiece I will be reviewing.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS company hit the saxophone mouthpiece scene a few years ago and immediately caught the world’s attention by producing these really bright colored 3D printed saxophone mouthpieces.  I must admit, that at first, I was very skeptical of plastic 3D mouthpieces, but after reviewing quite a few SYOS mouthpiece (20 SYOS mouthpiece reviews to date) over the years (SYOS Mouthpiece Reviews), I have come to respect the SYOS business model and the quality and playability of the SYOS saxophone mouthpieces I have tried out.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (photo by Dan Visintainer)

This Gabi Rose signature model tenor saxophone mouthpiece I am reviewing today is bright purple and is an 8* tip opening.  Although, I requested the 8* tip and bright purple color for this mouthpiece review, the SYOS Gabi Rose model mouthpiece can come in any of nine tip openings from 5-9 and in a variety of ten attention getting colors.

The SYOS website describes the SYOS Gabi Rose as:

“This SYOS Gabi Rose tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a rollover baffle a little higher than usual, which gives an extra punch to the sound. With a medium chamber Gabi’s piece is bright and edgy without excess. It keeps some warmth and flexibility.” 

Gabi Rose plays with a 7* tip opening although I am reviewing the 8* tip opening today.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Characteristics

Before we get to the playing of the SYOS Gabi Rose tenor sax mouthpiece, let me give you a few tidbits of info from the SYOS website on these SYOS saxophone mouthpieces.

First of all, you have three choices when you visit the SYOS website and order a sax mouthpiece.  You can order a “SYOS Signature Mouthpiece” which is basically what the mouthpiece that the player whose name is on the mouthpiece plays.

If, however, you want to be unique and are on a quest to find your own unique sound, you might want to pick the second choice of ordering a custom mouthpiece from SYOS which I have to say looks like a pretty cool process.  Here’s what you do on the SYOS website:

A third option, is that you can order a SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpiece.  They make three mouthpieces for each saxophone (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone) called Smoky (darker and warmer), Steady (medium) and Spark (brighter and louder).  I have reviewed all of these SYOS Originals saxophone mouthpieces in the past and they were excellent.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a few comments about the material SYOS mouthpieces are made from in case you are curious:

We use ABS plastic to craft our mouthpieces: this material allows us to get the highest degree of precision, with an improved resistance and durability. And you can get that in 18 colors to build a perfect style on stage!

The plastic we use to make SYOS mouthpieces has been certified non-toxic in laboratory (EN 71 and CE 1907/2006 standards). In fact, the same kind of plastic is used to make toys for children, which can be put in mouth without any risks. At the opposite, with the “ebonite” plastic, some sulfuric acid releases are observed when the mouthpiece is old, which gives it a yellow-green color.

And finally, here is a quote about the manufacturing process and how the minute details affect your tone which I found interesting:

For wind instruments, it’s the internal geometry of the bore that gives all the acoustic properties. We work at 1/100th millimeter to adjust the shape and the length of the baffle, the chamber section and size, the tip opening, the facing length… We study and compute the effect of all these parameters on the sound, to predict the timbre of each combination of them.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Ok, so let’s get to reviewing this SYOS Gabi Rose 8* tenor sax mouthpiece I received. The mouthpiece came in the usual SYOS drawstring bag and was well protected in the package it came in.  SYOS did not send a slide on ligature with the mouthpiece because they are probably aware that I am not a big fan of slide on ligatures by this point. (I’ve mentioned it in almost every SYOS review…….)

The SYOS Gabi Rose tenor saxophone mouthpiece felt really light as you would expect a plastic mouthpiece to feel.  The table had a little bit of texture to it that I could feel with my fingers and you can see in the photos.  Whatever process they use to make these sax mouthpieces does leave some texture marks on the mouthpiece.  You can see fine lines going across the table and fine lines going down the baffle as if the machine that cut the mouthpieces left these lines on the plastic.  This texture does not effect the sealing of the reed to the mouthpiece on all the SYOS mouthpieces I have reviewed though so I personally wouldn’t worry about it.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Gabi Rose 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks well made.  The table, rails and tip rail look pretty even to the eye.  The curve of the tip rail matches pretty closely with the curve of my tenor saxophone reeds although the outside corners of the tip rail do extend a bit further than the width of the reed but it is nothing to be concerned with as the reed passes the suction test perfectly.

The baffle is what I would consider a medium high baffle that is about an inch long.  At that point, the baffle rolls over and then continues at a greater angle down towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber.  That baffle slope, through the chamber, has a slight curve to it from side to side and the baffle floor narrows as it descends towards the baffles termination at the rear of the chamber.

The beginning of the baffle behind the tip rail is interesting because it starts descending at a lower angle and then hits that curved line which is a little bit higher.  This creates an indentation in the baffle right behind the tip rail which is about 1/8th of an inch long.  I have sometimes seen this occurring when  players and or mouthpiece craftsmen add baffles to mouthpieces.  The baffle after that 1/8th inch line is almost like an added baffle in shape and size.

I would describe the mouthpiece chamber as a medium to medium small chamber.  From the bore end of the mouthpiece, the chamber looks smaller than a typical Otto Link sized chamber.  When you look from the front of the mouthpiece, it is pretty easy to see how the baffle cuts through the chamber floor to make the chamber even smaller.  The mouthpiece chamber is definitely smaller in diameter than the bore of the mouthpiece.

The sidewalls are scooped out nicely from the tip to the chamber area.  The sidewalls look to angle in slightly as they connect to the medium-small chamber on the sides.

There is a nicely engraved S (SYOS) on the top of the sax mouthpiece and a Gabi Rose signature on the side of the saxophone mouthpiece.  The tip opening is marked with a 8* on the bottom side of the shank of the mouthpiece.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The first tenor saxophone reed I tried on the SYOS Gabi Rose 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was a Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong tenor saxophone reed. The Rigotti Gold reed played great on the Gabi Rose mouthpiece and is the reed I used for the sound clips below.  The 8* tip opening (.115) played really well with the 2 1/2 Rigotti Gold reeds!

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the tone of the SYOS Gabi Rose signature 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece to be darker and warmer than many of the other SYOS tenor saxophone mouthpiece I have tried. I think the only other SYOS tenor sax mouthpiece I have played in this darker side of the tone spectrum was the SYOS Tivon Pennicott tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  Unfortunately, it has been so long since I tried the Tivon Pennicott mouthpiece that I can’t remember enough about it to really compare that mouthpiece to this Gabi Rose tenor mouthpiece.

While this mouthpiece did have a some brightness to the tone when pushed,  it still retained a beautifully fat tone that had a warmness that was complex and rich.  This balance of the warm, complex and rich with the slight brightness made the brightness more balanced and beautiful to listen to in my opinion.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Usually, mouthpieces with this type of baffle and chamber have a low end that is wanting, but the SYOS Gabi Rose mouthpiece had a gorgeously fat low range of the saxophone that I really enjoyed.  The fatness and warmth of tone really helped the fast lines to sound smooth and the notes flowed together like butter.

The higher baffle and medium-small chamber definitely gives this mouthpiece some nice power and focus when the mouthpiece is pushed.  The SYOS Gabi Rose signature model has a nice brightness when pushed while still remaining warm and fat but one of the best attributes of this mouthpiece is that the high notes and altissimo notes didn’t get all thin and weak sounding.  They still retained a thick, full core to their tone and were round and full sounding.

The intonation was excellent and within normal parameters and the tone was even and balanced throughout the range of the saxophone.  The articulation was clean, immediate and nice and smooth when playing fast jazz lines with jazz articulation.

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The SYOS Gabi Rose tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great mouthpiece that balances on that fine line between a fat, warm tone with added brightness and power for jazz playing.  Check out my sound clips below of this SYOS Gabi Rose tenor sax mouthpiece and decide for yourself.

If you like the sound and look of the Gabi Rose signature model 8* tenor saxophone mouthpiece by SYOS, you can find them at the SYOS website.  (Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale when you use this link which helps support this website).

The SYOS website has a ton of artists and signature models available so if the Gabi Rose model isn’t your cup of tea, there are a ton of other saxophone mouthpieces to choose from.  Or, like I wrote above, you can be courageous and go for a custom sax mouthpiece made specifically for you.  The amazing thing is that SYOS has a 30 day return policy which is unheard of in the sax mouthpiece industry.

If you have played or end up playing a SYOS Gabi Rose Signature tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-No Reverb Added

SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Strong Reed-Short Altissimo Clip-Slight Reverb Added

Gabi Rose Playing the SYOS Gabi Rose Signature Series 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Today, I am excited to be reviewing the new Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece released by Selmer Paris a few weeks ago.   Ryan Lillywhite, the woodwind category manager at Conn Selmer, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing the new Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  After seeing the stunning photos he sent, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to test it out.  Just a week later, the Jazz Tribute 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece arrived at my doorstep, ready for an in-depth evaluation.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a description of the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the Sweetwater website description:

The Jazz Tribute signifies the importance of jazz to Selmer Paris, a company whose world-class saxophones are deeply interwoven with the history of the genre, while acknowledging the tenor’s status as the quintessential “jazz” horn. Although the Jazz Tribute excels in acoustic jazz settings, it is not a conventional design by any means — nor is it your typical “power blaster” metal mouthpiece. While hard rubber mouthpieces have traditionally been the go-to for playing comfort and a rich, full sound, tenor players have increasingly turned to metal mouthpieces for sheer power, projection, and the ability to cut through a busy arrangement.  But what if you could have it all? Enter the Jazz Tribute. Crafted from premium high-grade brass with a gleaming gold-plated finish, this mouthpiece offers exceptional durability, along with strong projection and sonic brilliance. But it’s the sophisticated engineering behind its design that helps it deliver remarkable fullness, roundness, and warmth that belies its metal construction.

Years in development, the Jazz Tribute benefits from a meticulous, cutting-edge design and manufacturing process informed by advanced materials science, computer-aided CNC machining, and 3D optical inspection to achieve an exacting level of precision. Drawing on its expertise in acoustical engineering and fruitful collaborations with professional tenor players, Selmer has produced a mouthpiece that both complements and exploits the distinctive voice of the tenor sax. The result is one of the most versatile metal saxophone mouthpieces ever created. Perfect for everything from small-combo jazz to a diverse range of modern music styles, the Henri Selmer Paris Jazz Tribute combines sonic density with extraordinary clarity and comfortable ease of play. It’s this outstanding versatility that makes the Jazz Tribute a standout among metal tenor mouthpieces. With the right reed and embouchure, it will accommodate just about any musical setting.

Located within Selmer’s Mantes-la-Ville workshops, digitally controlled facilities maintain uncompromising quality standards. Here, Jazz Tribute mouthpieces are meticulously milled on modified machinery formerly used by the Swiss watchmaking industry. To ensure unit-to-unit uniformity, this precision equipment is calibrated to tolerances of less than 0.03mm. In addition, a high-resolution 3D optical quality control machine scrutinizes every design parameter, guaranteeing the mouthpiece you get will be perfect and play flawlessly. The result of Selmer’s fastidious attention to detail is a mouthpiece that provides supreme playing comfort and optimal expressive malleability.

Available in three tip opening sizes to suit your playing predilections, the Jazz Tribute comes as a complete set with a specific ligature and mouthpiece cap. Inspired by the coveted ligatures of Maison Selmer, this exclusive ligature boasts a new beveled design that seamlessly adheres to the contours of the mouthpiece to exude elegant aesthetics and deliver superior performance. The cap, specially designed for this set, benefits from the same refined design ethos. A complete, high-performance package, the Selmer Paris Jazz Tribute represents a fabulous value among today’s high-end mouthpieces.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Selmer Paris Photo)

The Selmer Paris website also adds this information about the Selmer Paris Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

Inspired by the legends who shaped the golden era of jazz, the new Jazz Tribute mouthpiece is designed for today’s players who cherish jazz’s traditions while shaping its future.  This metal tenor mouthpiece stands out for its balanced sound, combining timbre and roundness. Ideal for jazz and modern music, it provides a rich sound density while remaining easy to play.  Made from high-quality brass with a gold-plated finish, this mouthpiece ensures exceptional durability and sound quality, along with remarkable brilliance and projection.

An exclusive ligature and cap are supplied with the Jazz Tribute.

This mouthpiece is available in 3 openings for a single table length (36 mm / 1.42 in.):

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Selmer Paris Photo)

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece is made of brass which is then beautifully plated in gold (I have actually heard that the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece is brass which is plated with copper first, then silver and then gold but I haven’t confirmed this yet).   It comes in three tip openings of  7* (.105″),  8 (.110″) and 8* (.115″).

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece comes in a nice black velvet bag that is inside a beautifully designed cardboard box with what looks like mouthpiece engineering drawings and measurements all over the box.  The tip opening of 7* is listed as well as the table length of 36 mm (1.42 inches). As was true for the Selmer Jazz Flow alto saxophone mouthpiece, table length, is referring to the facing curve length.  The Selmer Jazz Flow alto mouthpiece was advertised as 30mm long but when I questioned Ryan Lillywhite about this extremely long facing curve when preparing that review, he replied, “In a nutshell, normal humans use the .0015 gauge to read the length of a facing curve but Selmer Paris looks at their CAD model which tells you where the first micron starts to curve.  So if you had a .0000001 gauge it would get close to the 30 mm facing curve length.”  I reached out to Ryan Lillywhite again for this review and he informed me that the same is true of the Jazz Tribute tenor mouthpiece and if you measured it with a .0000001 gauge it would be close to the 36 mm facing curve length listed on the box.

All this being true for the Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece would mean that to us mere mortals who have to use a .0015 gauge to measure a facing length, the facing length of the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece would come out to about 29-30 mm which is a much longer facing curve on a tenor saxophone mouthpiece than I have encountered before (I have heard from two trusted sources that have measured the facing curve at 30 mm length).  Most of the tenor saxophone mouthpieces I have reviewed here at Neffmusic have been between 23.5 mm (shortest facing curve I have tried) and 27 mm (longest facing curve I have tried).  Needless to say, a 30 mm length facing curve is really long on a tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece chamber is listed on the box as round.  There is no description of the size of the chamber on the box but later in the review I describe the chamber size as large to extra-large.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Selmer Paris Photo)

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece has the “Henri Selmer Paris” logo beautifully engraved in black on the top of the mouthpiece with “Fabrique en France” (made in France) engraved below it.  The words “JAZZ TRIBUTE” are engraved on the side of the mouthpiece in what looks similar to the jazz font I use for writing music notation in Finale.  The tip opening of 7* is machine engraved on to the middle of the mouthpiece table. The black engraving on the rich gold plating looks very classy and absolutely incredible.

The shank of the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece is understated and simple.  Whereas many metal mouthpieces have engraving around the shank of some sort, there is no engraving or design on the shank of the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  The outside diameter of the shank is narrower than the main body of the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece and the understated curved design of the shank actually seems to draw more attention to the main body of the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (Selmer Paris Photo)

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece comes with a Selmer gold ligature that looks very similar to the older Selmer 404 silver ligatures that I love so much.  This new Selmer Gold 404 ligature (let’s call it that for this review) varies from the original Selmer 404 silver ligature in that it is beveled (angled) so that the top of the ligature sits further back on the top of the mouthpiece than the bottom of the ligature is on the reed.  When the ligature is tightened down firmly and at full tightness there is still room for the screws too tighten more if needed which is good in case the ligature stretches out over time like many of my Selmer 404 silver ligatures have.   The new Selmer 404 gold ligature fits smoothly and perfectly on the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece and looks great!

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece also comes with a beautiful gold Selmer mouthpiece cap that fits over the mouthpiece when it has a reed and ligature on it to protect the reed and mouthpiece.  I am personally a bit nervous about sliding a metal mouthpiece cap over any metal mouthpiece just because it increases the chance of damage to the tip of the mouthpiece in my opinion.  I have done gigs in dark nightclubs and after a few drinks during the gig, I went to put my metal mouthpiece cap on my mouthpiece and accidentally put some substantial dings into the tips of some of my favorite metal mouthpieces in the past.  I write all this just to make the point, “Be very careful when putting on metal mouthpiece caps” (Especially in the dark after you have had a few drinks…..).

Selmer Jazz Flow 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks amazing to the eye as you can see in the photos.  The gold plated brass is smooth and shiny and I don’t see an imperfection anywhere. The tip, rails and table look even, precise and perfectly crafted.  The mouthpiece tip rail and side rails are even and symmetrical.  The shape of the tip rail matched the shape of the different reeds I used on the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece very closely.

The baffle of the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a slight curvature from side to side so that the middle of the baffle is slightly lower than the outside edges of the baffle. The baffle travels about 3/8’s of an inch before it rolls over smoothly into a steeper decline towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber.

The chamber looks to be a large to extra-large sized chamber. Compared to a typical Otto Link Super Tone Master tenor mouthpiece chamber the Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece chamber is larger but not as large as a Theo Wanne extra-large chambered tenor mouthpiece or a typical NY Otto Link extra-large chamber.

The bottom of the mouthpiece chamber is scooped out slightly so that the bottom of the chamber is lower than the bottom of the bore of the mouthpiece.  The side rails are scooped out but travel inwards as they head towards the chamber area and then expand outwards as they enter the chamber area.  The roof of the chamber is nice and thin to accommodate the larger chamber.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The diameter and beak profile of the Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is very close to the diameter and beak profile of a typical metal Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  It felt very comfortable to me as I was play testing it.  The body size of the Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece is similar to a typical metal Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece as well.

I tried a variety of reeds with the Selmer Paris Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece including Rigotti Gold, BSS, Roberto’s Winds,  SYOS and Vandoren Java  tenor saxophone reeds.   I decided to record the sound clips on a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Box #3 tenor saxophone reed.

One important aspect I noticed about the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece I received is that it had a concavity to the table that went from the bottom of the window to right above where the tip opening is engraved on the bottom of the table.  I could see the effect of this concavity every time I took a reed off of the table as I would see a substantial amount of saliva or condensation in the middle of table from the bottom of the window all the way down the middle of the mouthpiece table.

With new reeds, it got suction and performed well, but with used reeds it was pretty rough going.   They would either not get suction at all from the beginning or lose suction five to ten minutes into playing.  I was thinking the concavity down the middle of the table was causing used reeds to not seal on the mouthpiece but I communicated with Benjamin Allen who thought it was more likely the extremely long facing curve length of around 30 mm that was causing the issue.  All of my used reeds have been used on mouthpieces with a much shorter facing curve and have formed to those curves so trying to find a used reed that would work on the Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece’s longer facing curve was difficult.  That being said, new reeds worked fine and sealed well so I would think if I spent some time flattening the used reeds they should work on the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece as well.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When first playing the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that the Jazz Tribute produced a darker more spread tenor saxophone sound at lower to medium volumes. At full volume, the tone would get a bit brighter and a bit more focused sounding but I would still consider the tone to be more on the darker and warmer side of the tenor saxophone tone spectrum.

When I describe a saxophone tone as more spread, I am describing a saxophone tone that is on the other side of the spectrum from a typical Guardala focused type of tenor saxophone tone.  That Guardala “high baffle”  focused type of saxophone tone is like a laser beam.  It is condensed, concentrated and often times, much more powerful.  A more spread tenor saxophone tone has more depth and width to the tone.  Many times, it has more character and warmth to it as well.  Instead of the tone being in a tight concentrated ball of projecting sound it is more spread like a cloud or blanket of sound that fills the room in a different way.  The Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece has this spread saxophone tone that I am describing.  That type of tone is great for jazz playing and especially sweet for ballad playing.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece had thick and lush low notes that sounded fat and full.  Whether playing the low notes at full volume or in sub-tone, I really enjoyed the warm and fat low end of the saxophone with the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece.

The high palm key notes of my tenor saxophone were full and round sounding as well.  Sometimes these notes can tend to sound thin and edgy when played softly but I found those notes to sound beautiful at softer volumes which I really enjoyed.  You can hear examples of those notes I am describing in the first phrase of the first sound clip below when I go up high.

The altissimo range was easily accessible with the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor mouthpiece as you can hear in the third sound clip below.  Interestingly, I found the altissimo range of notes to sound unique compared to other tenor saxophone mouthpieces I have reviewed here on the site.  I’m not sure how to explain it though.  It’s like the altissimo notes are more restrained or subdued.  Usually when I play in the altissimo range on the saxophone, some notes break away from me a bit or feel like they are about to.  The altissimo range on the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece felt like those notes were more “under control” or “locked in” if that makes sense.   Listen to the third clip below and see if you can hear what I am trying to describe.

The articulation on the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece was not as crisp and immediate as I find the articulation on tenor saxophone mouthpieces with a shorter facing curve and I assume that is because of the longer facing curve length.   In general, I find that shorter facing curve lengths lend themselves to a crisper more immediate style of articulation while the longer facing curve lengths lend themselves to a more legato and smooth style of articulation.  I think of Dexter Gordon’s style of articulation when thinking of the way longer facing curves articulate. (Matter of fact, Dexter Gordon reportedly had a 27 mm long facing curve according to Sebastian Knox,  which is a pretty long facing curve as well)

As an example of this articulation, when you listen to the first sound clip below, it is hard to hear the articulation in the lines I am playing.  I am articulating like I always do on these lines but the articulation is more muted and legato sounding to my ears.  It almost goes unnoticed when listening to the sound clip because of this.  I actually like this “understated” articulation and again……it reminds me of Dexter Gordon’s articulation.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece was very good up and down the saxophone and the mouthpiece was a great match for my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone.  The extra-large chamber size really brought down the pitch of the notes that can tend to be sharper on my SBA tenor saxophone with mouthpieces with smaller chambers and more baffle in them.

The evenness and smoothness of notes throughout the range of the saxophone when playing fast lines made the notes smooth and silky while playing fast.  The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece responded immediately to emotive manipulations such as dynamics, bends and vibrato. The combination of those two elements with the spread and fat tenor saxophone tone made the Jazz Tribute tenor mouthpiece a lot of fun on ballads.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was perfect for me at the 7* tip opening.  I would imagine the 8 and 8* opening to be even more spread sounding as that is usually what I experience when I go up in tip openings from a 7* but you would have to try those tip openings out yourselves to find out what they are like.

The Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece had an average amount of power and volume when pushed.  I would say that the Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece could get me to a comfortable 7 in volume when I really pushed it.  Although that volume is fine for most settings, small group jazz playing or even big band playing, I would not classify the Selmer Jazz Tribute as a tenor sax mouthpiece that would be great when competing with loud electronic instruments in funk, R &B or pop settings where you need to cut through the mix during a very loud gig.  The combination of a darker more spread sound is usually not best in those kinds of settings but you would have to try the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece yourself in those settings to find out if I am right or not.

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of tenor saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles and volumes.

The first sound clip below is a recording of me playing a bunch of random lines and ideas like I usually do with no effects on the sound.  This is just the sound of the Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece dry.  I try to run through a variety of bebop lines, jazz melodies, articulations and miscellaneous ideas up and down the range of the saxophone so that you can listen and get an idea of how the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece sounded and performed for me.

The second sound clip is of me playing the melody of “When I Fall in Love” with some reverb added to the sound.

The third clip is my typical altissimo range sound clip with reverb added so you can hear how the Selmer Jazz Tribute mouthpiece sounds with more volume up in that higher range of the saxophone.

The fourth clip was added shortly after I posted this review live.   I had the thought that if the facing curve was so long, maybe I should be playing the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece differently to adapt to the longer facing curve.  I put the same reed on it that I recorded the other clips with and took quite a bit more mouthpiece so my bottom lip was closer to that breaking point where the facing curve breaks away from the table and I got a lot more volume out of the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece. I was actually surprised by how much more volume. I’m wondering if my normal embouchure position was perhaps dampening the reed because of where the longer facing curve breaks.  It was a bit uncomfortable for me to take that extra mouthpiece in my mouth but the tone seems bigger to me. I think I like it more. What do you think?

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece that can play with a classic warm round jazz tenor saxophone sound that is full and fat sounding while giving the player easy expression and a warmth of tone with a bit of brightness added.  As the name states, the Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor sax mouthpiece is a tribute and salute to all the great jazz tenor saxophone players who came before.   I would certainly have loved to hear Coltrane, Dexter or Sonny Rollins on the Jazz Tribute to see how they would have sounded on it.

If you like the sound and look of the Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Selmer, you can find them for sale at Sweetwater. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Sweetwater so if you purchase a Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale while your cost remains the same. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..). Sweetwater even offers the option to pay in three installments as well which is nice.

If you try a Selmer Jazz Tribute tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review,  I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

*To hear the most detail from these clips it is best to listen to them from a computer with nice audio speakers or headphones rather than from an iPhone or laptop speakers.  It makes a world of difference!

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Box 3 Tenor Saxophone Reed-No Effects Added

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Box 3 Tenor Saxophone Reed-When I Fall in Love-Reverb Added

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Box 3 Tenor Saxophone Reed-Altissimo-Reverb Added

*I just added the clip below a few hours after I posted this review. It’s interesting because right before I posted the review, I had the thought that if the facing curve was so long, maybe I should be playing the Jazz Tribute mouthpiece differently to adapt to the longer facing curve. I put the same reed on it that I played above and took quite a bit more mouthpiece so my bottom lip was closer to that breaking point where the facing curve breaks away from the table and I got a lot more volume out of the Jazz Tribute. I was actually surprised by how much more volume. I’m wondering if my normal embouchure position was perhaps dampening the reed because of where the longer facing curve breaks. Let me know what you think of the added clip below…….

Selmer Jazz Tribute 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-BSS (Boston Sax Shop) Silver Box 3 Tenor Saxophone Reed-Taking more mouthpiece in my mouth-No Effects Added

Today, I am reviewing the new Otto Link LA model tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by JJ Babbitt.  The Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpieces are advertised as being a fusion between the classic Otto Link DNA and a modern, West Coast design as described in this quote from the JJ Babbitt website:

“The Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece is unlike anything ever offered under this iconic brand name, creating a fusion of classic Otto Link DNA with a modern, West Coast-inspired design. It’s a testament to JJ Babbitt’s century-long commitment to innovation, blending the warmth and robust low end of Otto Link’s traditional sound with a new layer of clarity, edge, and focused projection. Meticulously crafted to support the needs of today’s saxophonists, this mouthpiece excels whether you’re blending seamlessly into an ensemble or standing out with a powerful solo. Its design redefines the saxophone’s voice, inviting players to explore their unique signature sound while preserving the essence of Otto Link and expanding into new sonic territories with more cut, clarity, and character than ever before.”

That is quite the quote to peak a saxophone players interest!  I know I’m curious about the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece after reading that.  Let’s get to the review!

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I received the Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece directly from JJ Babbitt along with two of the new Otto Link metal tenor saxophone mouthpieces, the Otto Link Super Tone Master V 7* tenor sax mouthpiece and the Otto Link Super Tone Master Florida V 7 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  All three tenor saxophone mouthpieces were packaged well and came with metal ligatures and mouthpiece caps.

The Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece looked like you would expect a hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece to look.  There is a scroll band that circles the upper body of the mouthpiece and the top of the mouthpiece has “Otto Link” and “LA” engraved into the hard rubber in gold.  The tip opening of 7* is engraved on the corner of the mouthpiece body to the right of the table.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the JJ Babbitt website describes the new Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece (including the paragraph I used to start off the review):

“The Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece is unlike anything ever offered under this iconic brand name, creating a fusion of classic Otto Link DNA with a modern, West Coast-inspired design. It’s a testament to JJ Babbitt’s century-long commitment to innovation, blending the warmth and robust low end of Otto Link’s traditional sound with a new layer of clarity, edge, and focused projection. Meticulously crafted to support the needs of today’s saxophonists, this mouthpiece excels whether you’re blending seamlessly into an ensemble or standing out with a powerful solo. Its design redefines the saxophone’s voice, inviting players to explore their unique signature sound while preserving the essence of Otto Link and expanding into new sonic territories with more cut, clarity, and character than ever before.

Crafted from high-quality hard rubber, the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece retains the iconic Otto Link “core” sound that saxophonists have cherished for decades, offering a signature richness and depth in the lower registers ideal for smooth jazz lines and resonant tones. But when the music calls for more, the LA shifts into an extra gear, delivering a level of cut, edge, and focused projection unlike anything we’ve ever created. This mouthpiece transforms effortlessly from a warm, mellow timbre to a powerful voice that can pierce through any ensemble, providing the flexibility to command the stage with precision. It’s this fusion of classic Otto Link DNA and modern design that makes the LA a true revolution in saxophone sound.”-JJ Babbitt Website

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is a further description of the Otto Link LA mouthpiece that is further down the page on the JJ Babbitt website:

“The Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece is designed for ultimate versatility and innovation, transforming the saxophone’s voice with its ability to shift seamlessly between smooth, warm tones and a bright, dynamic edge. Whether you’re blending into the ensemble or cutting through the mix with a commanding solo, this mouthpiece adapts to every musical moment, setting a new standard in performance. It preserves the essence of Otto Link’s robust low end while exploring new sonic territories that offer more cut, brightness, and character than ever before, providing saxophonists with a tool that effortlessly transitions from subtlety to power.

With its robust, warm low end and powerful upper register, the Otto Link LA tenor sax mouthpiece stands apart from other designs by offering an extra “gear” that delivers punch, edge, and focused projection when pushed; something brand new for hard rubber Links. Its ability to produce a bright, cutting tone without losing the depth and warmth of its foundation makes it a versatile choice for a wide range of styles. Built for contemporary musicians, the LA blends traditional craftsmanship with modern design, resulting in a distinctly “West Coast” sound that is both versatile and forward-thinking. Elevating performances with both subtlety and power, the Otto Link LA is more than just an evolution; it’s a revolution in how saxophonists express their musical voice, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible while staying true to its iconic legacy.”-JJ Babbitt Website

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks well made and the table, side rails and tip rail look within normal parameters to the eye.  The side rails and tip rail do look a bit wider when compared side by side with some of the other modern hand faced hard rubber mouthpieces on the market but nothing that is unusually wide.

The side rails flare out towards the tip of the mouthpiece making them slightly wider than the reed in that area near the tip which I am not a big fan of because it makes lining up the reed on the table a bit more complex.  Due to the tip being slightly wider than the reed, you can line the reed up to the right, to the left, or just down the center. It is not really that big a deal once you find the location of the reed that works the best for you. My Early Babbitt Otto Link 7* has flared out side rails like this as well.

The tip rail is close in shape to the curve of my Rigotti cane saxophone reeds that I use (BSS, Rigotti Gold and Roberto’s Winds are all Rigotti cane reeds) but the Rigotti cane reed tip shape curves at a sharper decline on the outside edges of the tip than the curve of the tip rail on the Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  Regardless of this, all the tenor sax reeds I used for this review sealed well when performing the suction test and played great for me.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is what I would consider a medium-high baffle height.  It travels a little less than 1/2 of an inch and then descends at a greater angle towards the rear of the mouthpiece chamber. The entire run of the baffle from the tip to the chamber is curved from side to side.  The beginning 1/2 inch of baffle has a slight curve to it and then when the baffle begins its descent to the chamber, the curve is more pronounced. The mouthpiece side walls are scooped out as they head towards the chamber as well.

There is also an area in the baffle that has a curve at the 1/8 mark that follows the shape of the tip rail curve and then looks to roll-over slightly until it gets to that 1/2 inch point where it looks to roll-over again more substantially for the baffles sharper descent into the chamber area.

What I found most interesting about the Otto Link LA mouthpiece was that it is just not a clone of another hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece like an Early Babbitt or a Slant Signature model.   I have played a ton of hard rubber Early Babbitt tenor saxophone mouthpieces over the years and the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece has a unique design compared to an Early Babbitt mouthpiece in my opinion.

The Early Babbitt tenor saxophone mouthpieces are known for having that unique “clam shell” shape in the baffle area that is so recognizable in hard rubber Early Babbitt Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces.  The Otto Link LA in essence has what looks like two clam shell baffles.  One about 1/8 of an inch from the tip rail and another about 1/2 an inch from the tip rail. I appreciate JJ Babbitt not just rehashing an old design but coming up with new design for the LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

The mouthpiece chamber is what I would consider a medium to medium-small chamber and the bottom floor of the chamber looks to be scooped out slightly when the light hits it at the right angle.   The chamber looks to have the same diameter as the bore of the mouthpiece although the baffle is traveling through the chamber as it descends so that  descending baffle is taking away some of that chamber volume.  The roof of the chamber is pretty thick in my opinion.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with a variety of reeds.  For the sound clips below, I used a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 1/2 Silver Box reed, a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 Silver Box reed and a Rigotti Gold 3 light reed.

I tried a bunch of other reeds and strengths on the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece and although I can usually make a 2 1/2 strength reed work on a 7* tip opening,  I couldn’t find a 2 1/2 strength reed that worked well on this Otto Link LA 7* tenor sax mouthpiece.  All the 2 1/2 tenor saxophone reeds felt too soft for my tastes on the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece played with a thick tone that could be pushed to be much brighter when desired.  The LA mouthpiece also had tons of power and volume available when pushed.  JJ Babbitt did a great job with the baffle height and profile because this new LA tenor mouthpiece really can straddle that fine line between a respectable jazz tenor saxophone sound that is thick and full of character but also had a respectable “in your face” Michael Brecker type of tenor sax sound when pushed.

On my mouthpiece volume scale from 1-10, I would say that the LA model tenor saxophone mouthpiece gave me a solid 10 on that scale.  That is unusual because most of the hard rubber Otto Link mouthpieces I have reviewed in the past, didn’t go that high on the rating for volume.  I would have to check my past reviews but I don’t remember any.  Maybe an Early Babbitt?  I’m not sure.  I would imagine that this increased volume and power is due to the baffles unique configuration and the  medium-small chamber.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tone of the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece was thick, full, fat and textured at lower and medium volumes but with more air added the tone could get more focused and brighter while still remaining thick and full sounding.  That is important because many mouthpieces that can be pushed to get much brighter can tend to get thinner and edgier in tone.  The LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece was an exception to this.

The intonation on the Otto Link LA model tenor mouthpiece was very good and within the normal parameters on my Selmer Super Balanced Action tenor saxophone.

The altissimo range of the saxophone was easy to achieve and get around in.  I think the higher baffle profile really does make it easier to get the altissimo notes and play with expression up in that higher register of the saxophone.

The low notes were full, thick and sub-toned beautifully.  At full volume, the low notes sounded thick and full of character and while sub-toning they had a beautiful velvety quality to the tone that was nice and lush sounding.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The range of the saxophone was smooth and even and the Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece sounded smooth on fast lines throughout the range of the instrument.  Articulation was fast and crisp and the tone could be easily manipulated with bends and vibrato.

Each of the clips below provides a slightly different take and sound related to the different strength of reeds used.  Check out all three clips and listen to the differences in sound that each of the reeds provides.  I included clips on all three reeds because I like aspects of all three clips and find the differences interesting to listen to.

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a classic hard rubber Otto Link kind of tenor saxophone sound that can be full and thick with character, on jazz standards or in an ensemble, but can also provide the player with tons of volume and brightness when pushed for more modern music.

That being said, the LA Otto Link is a tenor sax mouthpiece in its own category.  I don’t think I have played a hard rubber Otto Link that can sound so authentic on jazz standards but also perform so well on an R&B solo.  In my experience, usually a typical hard rubber Otto Link will either lean towards a dark and warm sound or it will lean towards a brighter sound. The hard rubber Otto Links I have tried usually lean one way or the other and I have usually ended up selling them because they are either too dark in tone or too bright in tone. The Otto Link LA hard rubber mouthpiece gives you the best of both worlds in one mouthpiece in my opinion.

I will say that as I tried the Otto Link LA 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece for this review, I imagined being able to try this mouthpiece back in the 80’s & 90’s when I was searching for a tenor saxophone mouthpiece.   I would have been incredibly excited to try an Otto Link hard rubber tenor sax mouthpiece like this back then.  The Otto Link LA mouthpiece is very different than the many hard rubber Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces I tried out in the 80’s through the 2000’s that is for sure.  Otto Link did a great job with this new LA series tenor saxophone mouthpiece!

If you like the sound and look of the Otto Link LA model tenor saxophone mouthpiece by JJ Babbitt, you can find them for sale at Sweetwater. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Sweetwater so if you purchase an Otto Link LA tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, Neffmusic will receive a small commission on the sale. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you…..). Sweetwater even offers the option to pay in three installments as well which is nice.

If you are lucky enough to play an Otto Link LA model tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-No Effects

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Rigotti Gold 3 Light Reed-Altissimo with Reverb Added

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Silver Box 3 Reed-No Effects

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Silver Box 3 1/2 Reed-No Effects

Otto Link LA 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece – Boston Sax Shop Silver Box 3 1/2 Reed-Altissimo with Reverb Added

Today, I will be reviewing the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece from the new Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces that was released in the fall of 2024.  I recently posted a review of the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece so will probably make references to that mouthpiece in this review as a way to compare the two alto sax mouthpieces.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Essentials Collection of saxophone mouthpieces by Theo Wanne are described as offering “exceptional quality and superior craftsmanship, while still being affordable”.

The Theo Wanne Essentials collection includes three models for alto and tenor saxophones including the Concert, Jazz and Contemporary models and two models for soprano and baritone saxophones including the Concert and Jazz models.

Before we get to the review, here is some info from the Theo Wanne website on the Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces:

“Traditionally, saxophone mouthpieces were either budget-friendly but low-quality, or high-quality but expensive. The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION changes all of that, by offering exceptional quality at an accessible price point. Theo’s lifelong goal has always been to deliver the best of both worlds—superior craftsmanship and affordability.”

The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION features a comprehensive range of saxophone mouthpieces designed for Soprano through Baritone, catering to every type of player. Each mouthpiece is meticulously crafted side-by-side with Theo’s renowned Signature Collection at our state-of-the-art factory in Bellingham, Washington, USA.

Key highlights include:

Theo Wanne Essentials Saxophone Mouthpieces for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophone

About the Essentials Collection

A Mouthpiece for Everyone:

Quality and Innovation:

Theo Wanne Essentials Full Line of Saxophone Mouthpieces

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company.  The Jazz 7 alto sax mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details of the mouthpiece inside.  Inside the box is a black velvet drawstring bag that holds and protects the Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece during shipping.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece doesn’t come with a ligature included.  I used a Theo Wanne Enlightened alto sax ligature that I have in my collection of ligatures that worked great.  The Essentials Jazz alto mouthpiece is a little bit thinner in size compared to a standard alto saxophone mouthpiece like a Meyer.  I tried a bunch of alto saxophone ligatures on the Essentials Jazz mouthpiece and although they all had to be tightened a bit more to hold the reed, they all worked on the Essentials Jazz alto sax mouthpiece without issues.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Essentials Jazz alto sax mouthpiece material looks and feels similar to the Black A.R.T. material that the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece are made of.  I’m not sure if this is the same material or something different because “Black A.R.T.” is not mentioned in the description of the Essentials line of mouthpieces.  It sure looks very similar except that the material of the Water mouthpiece is more shiny so maybe it is different.   In the description later in the review, the material is describes as a “proprietary bio-safe polymer”.  Regardless of the materials name, the material the Essentials mouthpieces are made of looks and feels solid and stable.  Theo describes the material as having a similar weight and density when compared to hard rubber.

The shank of the Essentials Jazz 7 alto sax mouthpiece has a gold band around it that has “THEO WANNE” engraved into the top of the band and “Made in USA” on the bottom of the band.  The Theo Wanne logo is painted in gold on the top of the mouthpiece.  Since it is painted and not engraved, I would think it would wear off over time from the frequent placement of the ligature on the mouthpiece every time the mouthpiece is played.

On the body of the mouthpiece is engraved a serial number on one side of the table, and “JAZZ” on the other side of the table.  Beneath the table is engraved the tip opening of 7.  This 7 tip opening equates to a .081 tip opening.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is some more information from the Theo Wanne website on the new Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece:

ESSENTIALS: Jazz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Jazz Alto is the quintessential mouthpiece for all genres of jazz and big band music. Not too bright, not too dark and with just the right amount of projection.

It is available in 2 popular tip openings:

Size 5: 0.071″ or 1.80mm

Size 7: 0.081″ or 2.06mm

Material: A.M.P. – Proprietary Bio-Safe Polymer

Baffle: Roll-Over Baffle

Chamber: Medium Chamber

Ligature Fit: Standard Hard Rubber Alto Ligature (Check Out Our Theo Wanne Selection)  *ligature not included

What’s Included

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto sax mouthpiece tip, rails, baffle, table and chamber all look well made and functional. The side rails and tip rails are surprisingly thin considering this new A.M.P. manufacturing process that Theo is using to create these Essential saxophone mouthpieces.  The table looks flat, even and well made although the reed does hang off the rear of the table slightly.  The window of the Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece has a more traditional rounded curve to it at the bottom.  When comparing the window to the Essentials Contemporary model which I also received,  the Contemporary model window has more of a flat section on the bottom of the curve and the window of the Jazz model is slightly shorter than the Contemporary model window.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece has what I would describe as a medium baffle.  The Theo Wanne website describes the Jazz alto mouthpiece baffle as a roll-over baffle but man do I have a hard time seeing that roll-over while looking at the mouthpiece.  The baffle looks pretty straight to my eye although I can see a slight concave curve to the baffle that reminds me of a ski slope that starts a bit steeper at the top and then curves to a lesser angle of decline and then flattens out a little as it travels down the one inch from the tip to the baffle edge that is scooped out at the entrance to the chamber area.

The sidewalls are straight and angle slightly inwards as they approach the chamber entrance. The sidewalls continue straight through that scooped out bottom of the baffle area and then the sidewalls open outward when they contact the mouthpiece chamber area underneath the bottom curve of the window.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece chamber after the scooped out baffle bottom and widening sidewalls looks to be about the same diameter as the bore of the mouthpiece.   Theo Wanne describes this chamber as being a medium chamber and if the standard for a medium chamber is a Meyer medium chambered alto saxophone mouthpiece, this mouthpiece does seem like a medium chamber after that scooped baffle end.  The roof of the chamber is nice and thin under the mouthpiece table.

Before I even played the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece, I knew that it would be less bright than the Essentials Contemporary 7 mouthpiece I had just reviewed.  The baffle is quite a bit lower and the chamber looks slightly larger than the Contemporary model in that the scooped baffle starts slightly higher on the jazz model giving more space in that chamber area.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece played great with a variety of reeds and passed the suction test with every alto saxophone reed that I tried on it.  I ended up using a BetterSax Jazz Cut Unfiled #3 alto saxophone reed for this review because it played very well.  This is the same exact reed I used on the Essentials Contemporary mouthpiece review.

As anticipated, the Essentials Jazz alto sax mouthpiece produced a fatter and warmer tone than the Contemporary model.  The tone was a little more spread (although still moderately focused sounding) and seemed to have a bit more depth to the tone in place of some of the concentrated focus and brightness of the Contemporary models tone.  The tone reminded me of playing a really great Meyer than leaned to the brighter side but with more focus and power than a typical Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece played pretty evenly and smoothly throughout the range of the alto saxophone.  I loved how smooth and flowing the fast lines sounded as I was playing but also when listening back to the sound clips.  The articulation on the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece was clean and crisp and playing bebop lines sounded great as you could articulate the offbeats while keeping the line connected and smooth sounding.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation of the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto mouthpiece were within normal parameters on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone.  I would say that the intonation was excellent.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece had a substantial amount of power and volume available to it.  In comparison to the Contemporary model, I thought that the Jazz model was maybe one level lower in volume so if the Contemporary was a 9 to 9 1/2 on the 1-10 volume scale, the Jazz model would be an 8 to 8 1/2.  An 8 or 8 1/2 is pretty respectable and could certainly cut through in a lead alto sax big band setting without being as bright and edgy in tone as the Contemporary model alto saxophone mouthpiece.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece had a fuller and thicker low end compared to the Essentials Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece.  I had no problem popping out the low notes at full volume which produced a nice and thick full bodied tone down low.  In my opinion, the low notes were comparable to those produced by an alto sax mouthpiece like a Meyer or Vandoren V16 alto mouthpiece.  Sub-toning was effortless and made the low notes more velvety and lush sounding.  My tendency is to over use the sub-tone effect down low but one thing to notice in the sound clips is how soft the fade out could get at the end of those lines down low when sub-toning on the Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece.

I usually don’t play the altissimo register on the alto saxophone because of my hearing issues and didn’t for this review but the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz mouthpiece would function well in that range of the saxophone with that medium baffle and bit of a squeezed chamber entrance.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of alto saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles.  I demonstrate the sound of the Essentials Jazz alto mouthpiece with all my usual lines and melodies so if you want to compare it to my other sound clips and reviews, you should be able to find many of the same lines to compare this sound clip to.

The first sound clip is recorded dry and the second sound clip has reverb added.  I play “On the Sunny Side of the Street” with reverb on the second clip as I do in the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary mouthpiece review so you can compare the sound clips and hear if you prefer one alto sax mouthpiece over the other as far as sound.

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great medium baffle alto saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a beautiful sounding alto saxophone tone that leans to the bright side while still being well rounded and versatile.  The Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece gives the player a focused fat sound while also giving a good amount of brightness and power when needed. The Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece can be used for contemporary music but is also a great choice for jazz, big band and small group settings.  Theo Wanne and his team have done a terrific job designing a versatile mouthpiece perfect for jazz alto saxophonists while still being relatively affordable compared to most of the other options out on the market today.

If you like the sound and look of the Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theo Wanne’s website (save 15% by using this link). I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne so if you purchase a Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece from this link (save 15% by using this link), Neffmusic will receive a small commission on the sale.  This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you.

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,  Steve

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece – BetterSax #3 Jazz Cut Unfiled Reed – No Effects

Theo Wanne Essentials Jazz 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece – “On the Sunny Side of the Street” –  BetterSax #3 Jazz Cut Unfiled Reed – Reverb Added

Today, I will be reviewing the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece from the new Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces that was released in the fall of 2024.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Essentials Collection of saxophone mouthpieces by Theo Wanne are described as offering “exceptional quality and superior craftsmanship, while still being affordable”.

The Theo Wanne Essentials collection includes three models for alto and tenor saxophones including the Concert, Jazz and Contemporary models and two models for soprano and baritone saxophones including the Concert and Jazz models.

Before we get to the review, here is some info from the Theo Wanne website on the Theo Wanne Essentials collection of saxophone mouthpieces:

“Traditionally, saxophone mouthpieces were either budget-friendly but low-quality, or high-quality but expensive. The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION changes all of that, by offering exceptional quality at an accessible price point. Theo’s lifelong goal has always been to deliver the best of both worlds—superior craftsmanship and affordability.”

The ESSENTIALS COLLECTION features a comprehensive range of saxophone mouthpieces designed for Soprano through Baritone, catering to every type of player. Each mouthpiece is meticulously crafted side-by-side with Theo’s renowned Signature Collection at our state-of-the-art factory in Bellingham, Washington, USA.

Key highlights include:

Theo Wanne Essentials Saxophone Mouthpieces for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophone

About the Essentials Collection

A Mouthpiece for Everyone:

Quality and Innovation:

Theo Wanne Essentials Full Line of Saxophone Mouthpieces

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne company.  The Contemporary 7 alto sax mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details of the mouthpiece inside.  Inside the box is a black velvet drawstring bag that holds and protects the Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece during shipping.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece doesn’t come with a ligature included.  I used a Theo Wanne Enlightened alto sax ligature that I have in my collection of ligatures that worked great.  The Essentials Contemporary alto mouthpiece is a little bit thinner in size compared to a standard alto saxophone mouthpiece like a Meyer.  I tried a bunch of alto saxophone ligatures on the Essentials Contemporary mouthpiece and although they all had to be tightened a bit more to hold the reed, they all worked on the Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece without issues.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Essentials Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece material looks and feels similar to the Black A.R.T. material that the Theo Wanne Water classical alto saxophone mouthpiece are made of.  I’m not sure if this is the same material or something different because “Black A.R.T.” is not mentioned in the description of the Essentials line of mouthpieces.  It sure looks very similar except that the material of the Water mouthpiece is more shiny so maybe it is different.   In the description later in the review, the material is describes as a “proprietary bio-safe polymer”.  Regardless of the materials name, the material the Essentials mouthpieces are made of looks and feels solid and stable.  Theo describes the material as having a similar weight and density when compared to hard rubber.

The shank of the Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece has a gold band around it that has “THEO WANNE” engraved into the top of the band and “Made in USA” on the bottom of the band.  The Theo Wanne logo is painted in gold on the top of the mouthpiece.  Since it is painted and not engraved, I would think it would wear off over time from the frequent placement of the ligature on the mouthpiece every time the mouthpiece is played.

On the body of the mouthpiece is engraved a serial number on one side of the table, and “CONTEMPORARY” on the other side of the table.  Beneath the table is engraved the tip opening of 7.  This 7 tip opening equates to a .081 tip opening.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is some more information from the Theo Wanne website on the new Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece:

ESSENTIALS: Contemporary Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Contemporary Alto is designed for players needing a mouthpiece that is big, bright and cuts through when power and projection is needed. Great for rock, pop, smooth jazz, worship and other contemporary styles. Lead alto players love it too!

It is available in 2 popular tip openings:

Size 5: 0.071″ or 1.80mm

Size 7: 0.081″ or 2.06mm

Material: A.M.P. – Proprietary Bio-Safe Polymer

Baffle: Medium-High Step Baffle

Chamber: Medium Chamber

Ligature Fit: Standard Hard Rubber Alto Ligature (Check Out Our Theo Wanne Selection)  *ligature not included

What’s Included

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto sax mouthpiece tip, rails, baffle, table and chamber all look well made and functional. The side rails and tip rails are surprisingly thin considering this new A.M.P. manufacturing process that Theo is using to create these Essential saxophone mouthpieces.  The table looks flat, even and well made although the reed does hang off the rear of the table slightly.  Interestingly, the window of the Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece has a slightly squared off curve to it at the bottom.  When comparing the window to the Essentials Jazz model which I also received,  the Jazz model window has more of a traditional rounded curve on the bottom and the window is longer than the Contemporary window.

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece has what I would describe as a high baffle.  The Theo Wanne website describes the Contemporary alto mouthpiece baffle as “medium-high”.  The baffle looks pretty straight to my eye as it travels the one inch from the tip to the baffle edge.  There is a curve within that space that you can see in the photo above.  Although I don’t see a change of angle after that curve, I think I feel a slight change of angle after that curve when touching that area with my pinky.

After the baffle edge approximately one inch from the tip rail, the baffle travels down towards the chamber at a greater angle.  The bottom of the baffle has a scooped out area reminiscent of a Berg Larsen type scooped out baffle bottom.  That scooped out baffle bottom is hidden in darkness in the photo above and the photo below, but you can see it clearly in the third photo below with the lamp behind the mouthpiece.

The sidewalls are straight and angle inwards as they approach the chamber entrance. The sidewalls continue straight through that scooped out bottom of the baffle area and then the sidewalls open outward as they approach the chamber area underneath the bottom curve of the window.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The mouthpiece chamber after the scooped out baffle bottom and widening sidewalls looks to be about the same diameter as the bore of the mouthpiece.   Theo Wanne describes this chamber as being a medium chamber BUT if the standard for a medium chamber is a Meyer medium chambered alto saxophone mouthpiece, this mouthpiece seems like more of a medium-small chamber to my mind.  It really depends on where you believe the chamber starts.  If it is after the first edge in the baffle, then I would describe this chamber as medium-small.  If the chamber starts after the scoop in the baffle bottom, I could see how that might be considered a similar size to a Meyer medium chamber area.   The roof of the chamber is nice and thin.

Before I even played the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece, I had a pretty good idea that this mouthpiece would be pretty bright sounding.  The combination of that high baffle, flat sidewalls and medium-small chamber was a recipe for a bright, focused and powerful alto saxophone sound.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece played great with a variety of reeds and passed the suction test with every alto saxophone reed that I tried on it.  I ended up using a BetterSax Jazz Cut Unfiled #3 alto sax reed for this review because it played very well.

As anticipated, the Essentials Contemporary alto sax mouthpiece produced a brighter tone that was focused and could be very powerful.  I thought for sure,  that the Essentials Contemporary alto mouthpiece would be good for one thing, a bright “Dave Sanborn” kind of sound, but the Contemporary 7 alto sax mouthpiece surprised me in that it sounded great on the jazz lines and melodies I tried playing on it as well.  It was brighter than a typical Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece type of design but while I was playing the Essentials Contemporary mouthpiece, I was thinking that it could be a pretty terrific lead alto saxophone mouthpiece due to it’s brighter tone and the power and volume it could produce.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece played pretty evenly and smoothly throughout the range of the alto saxophone.  I loved how smooth and flowing the fast lines sounded as I was playing but also when listening back to the sound clips.  The articulation on the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece was clean and crisp and playing bebop lines sounded great as you could articulate the offbeats while keeping the line connected and smooth sounding.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation of the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto mouthpiece were within normal parameters which was a relief because many times high baffle mouthpieces can mess up the intonation on my Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone.  My guess is that Theo Wanne has worked hard to create a balance between this high baffle and the chamber size so that the intonation is still excellent.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I don’t know how Theo did it, but the low notes on the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece were excellent as well.  I had no problem popping out the low notes at full volume which produced a nice and thick full bodied tone down low.  The low notes weren’t as hefty and rich as those produced by an alto sax mouthpiece with a larger chamber and lower baffle but they were pretty full sounding nonetheless.  Sub-toning was also effortless and made the low notes more velvety and lush sounding.  My tendency is to over use the sub-tone effect down low but one thing to notice in the sound clips is how soft the fade out could get at the end of those lines down low when sub-toning on the Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece.

I usually don’t play the altissimo register on the alto saxophone because of my hearing issues but I thought I would venture a little bit up there on the second sound clip.  The Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary mouthpiece performed great up in the altissimo register of the saxophone.  The notes were bright and at times edgy but still fat and round sounding.  I could push more edge into the sound and get more of that “Sanborn” sound if I wanted to as well.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

On the sound clips below, I try to give a good range and variety of alto saxophone sounds and textures so that you can hear how the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece performs in different styles.  I demonstrate the sound of the Essentials Contemporary alto mouthpiece with all my usual lines and melodies so if you want to compare it to my other sound clips and reviews, you should be able to find many of the same lines to compare this sound clip to.  The first sound clip is recorded dry and the second and third sound clips have reverb added.

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great high baffle alto saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a brighter more powerful alto sax mouthpiece that doesn’t just pigeonhole you into an automatic “Dave Sanborn” sound but gives you more power and brightness while still having a fat sounding tone.  The Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece can be used for contemporary music as the name suggests but is also flexible enough to be used for jazz, big band and small group settings (not for classical music probably…..).  Theo Wanne and his team have done a terrific job designing a mouthpiece perfect for modern music while still being relatively affordable compared to most of the other options out on the market today.

If you like the sound and look of the Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 alto saxophone mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theo Wanne’s website (save 15% by using this link). I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne so if you purchase a Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece from this link (save 15% by using this link), Neffmusic will receive a small commission on the sale.  This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews, articles and transcriptions coming to you.

If you are lucky enough to play a Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary alto saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,  Steve

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece – BetterSax #3 Jazz Cut Unfiled Reed – No Effects

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo – BetterSax #3 Jazz Cut Unfiled Reed – Reverb Added

Theo Wanne Essentials Contemporary 7 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece – “On the Sunny Side of the Street” –  BetterSax #3 Jazz Cut Unfiled Reed – Reverb Added

Today I am reviewing another great alto saxophone mouthpiece made by Phil Engleman at Phil-Tone Mouthpieces.  I have reviewed quite a few Phil-Tone saxophone mouthpieces on this site already and am always interested when Phil announces a new Phil-Tone saxophone mouthpiece model.  Phil Engleman’s mouthpiece work is always top notch and he has created some phenomenal mouthpieces over the years.

A couple of months ago,  Phil announced that he had a new Phil-Tone alto saxophone mouthpiece called the Topaz model.  He announced it on SOTW (Sax on the Web) with this quote:

“The Topaz is done!   Over the past 20 years I’ve probably worked on a thousand Meyer alto saxophone mouthpieces. I think that my Topaz mouthpiece beats them all, including my LeSon model. The Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece has everything you could want from an alto sax mouthpiece in this genre; power, depth, clarity, and focus with an even tone through the range. The palm keys ring and the bell keys are round and bold. Like every Phil-Tone mouthpiece it is handmade and adjustments made with saxophone in hand.”-Phil Engleman (Phil-Tone Mouthpieces)

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece with Engraving (the one I’m reviewing today came without engraving)

Here’s a quote from Phil Engleman about the new Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece from his website:

The Topaz is the newest addition to the Phil-Tone hard rubber family. It has all the depth and power you could ask for in a NY vintage style mouthpiece handmade and playtested without the crazy vintage price tag. If you love that Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods or Art Pepper vibe, you owe it to yourself to try the Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece. -Phil Engleman (Phil-Tone Mouthpieces) 

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece 

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece I received to review is made of hard rubber.  The hard rubber is very shiny looking as well as very smooth to the touch. The exterior of this Topaz alto sax mouthpiece is pretty plain looking.  I think Phil was in a hurry to get this Topaz mouthpiece out to me to review because there is no “PHIL*TONE” or “Topaz” engraved on it like there is in the first photo with the red background in this review.  (I took that red photo from the Phil-Tone website so you can see what the finished mouthpiece looks like.)

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece I received has a 6 tip opening.  According to Phil, that measures out to a .076 tip opening which is perfect for me (I usually like .076-.080 tip openings on alto saxophone mouthpieces).  The mouthpiece diameter is similar in size to a typical Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece diameter.  Any ligatures that would fit on a Meyer alto mouthpiece will fit on this Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece.  I used a Vandoren Optimum alto saxophone ligature for the sound clips below.

The Phil-Tone Topaz mouthpiece tip rail is very close in shape to all of my alto saxophone reeds and the reeds I tried on the mouthpiece all responded well when applying the suction test to this mouthpiece.

The table looks flat and even and the side rails and tip rail look even, thin and balanced.  Phil Engleman’s mouthpiece work is always terrific so seeing this quality work on the Topaz alto sax mouthpiece is of no surprise.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I would  describe the Phil-Tone Topaz mouthpiece baffle as a medium baffle.  The baffle on the Phil-Tone Topaz mouthpiece has a smooth rollover at about the 1/4 inch point and then descends straight down at an angle towards the rear of the chamber where the bore begins.   There is no edge or ledge to the baffle but it is just a smooth slope from the tip rail to where the baffle starts the straight sloped decent into and through the chamber.

As I compare the Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece to a couple of Meyer Bros Connoisseur alto sax mouthpieces I have, the baffles look very similar between the mouthpiece but what is uniquely different between the mouthpieces is that the angle of the baffle descent and the floor of the Topaz mouthpiece baffle is a bit higher than the floor of the Meyer Bros mouthpieces.  This makes the floor of the chamber higher and explains why I describe the chamber as medium-small in the next section of the review.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece has what I would consider a medium-small chamber.  When compared to a Meyer Bros Connoisseur alto mouthpiece, the Topaz has a thicker roof chamber, the scooped sidewalls come inward more as they near the chamber entrance and the floor of the chamber is higher.  These three elements add up to equal a smaller chamber than the typical medium chamber that Meyer medium chamber alto saxophone mouthpieces have.  Although the chamber is smaller than a typical hard rubber Meyer medium chamber alto saxophone mouthpiece,  I have also seen alto sax mouthpieces with smaller chambers so that is why I would describe the Topaz mouthpiece chamber as being medium-small in size.  The chamber shape has a squeezed chamber look to it as the opening is smaller but then the chamber opens up within the chamber to become bigger to match the bore diameter it is attached to.

The beak height felt very comfortable and feels very similar to a hard rubber Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece beak height to me.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece played great with the first reed I put on it which was a BetterSax Jazz Cut #3 unfiled alto saxophone reed.  It played so well that after about 15 minutes of warming up and noodling around, I decided to record the sound clips below.

I believe this is my first review trying the BetterSax saxophone reeds and this BetterSax Jazz Cut #3 unfiled alto sax reed played great for me on the Topaz alto sax mouthpiece!  (Possible BetterSax reed review in the future?….)

I found the Phil-Tone Topaz mouthpiece to be a focused and powerful mouthpiece when pushed to full volume.  The tone is bright and crisp while still being fat and full sounding and the Topaz can get plenty of volume and power when pushed.  At softer volumes, the tone becomes more beautifully concentrated and focused.  I have described some mouthpieces as having a “singing quality” to the tone and the Phil-Tone Topaz alto sax mouthpiece is included in that list as well.   I had so much fun just playing the simple melodies on the second clip and listening to the character of each note while playing, that I forgot to add any improv or much embellishment to most of the clip which is very unusual for me.  I didn’t realize this until I listened back to the clip.  This clip should satisfy all of you who post comments like “Why do you have to play so fast?”, “Can’t you play a melody?” etc…… 

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece plays like a great NY Meyer alto saxophone mouthpiece.   At one point, I remember thinking that it reminded me a lot of a terrific NY Meyer that I tried out years ago and was thinking of paying a ridiculous amount of money for.  It has that tight focused tone that I can only describe as resonant and full of energy and sparkle.  Even at softer volumes, the tone sounds like it as that energy kind of hidden underneath the surface of the sound and bubbling to the surface at times.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

I think this quality is a combination of the rollover baffle with that medium-small slightly squeezed chamber.  I’ve played other alto sax mouthpieces with even smaller chambers with this focused energy quality of tone I am describing, but many times, those smaller chambers just seem like too much.  Like the tone becomes too focused and concentrated at the expense of fatness and character.  The Phil-Tone Topaz seems like the perfect chamber size for an alto saxophone mouthpiece that gives the player that focused energy in the sound while still allowing some spread, depth and more fullness to the sound when desired.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece was great in regard to intonation.  My Selmer Reference 54 alto saxophone has some issues with being sharp in the middle register and up in the palm keys but those notes didn’t seem as sharp as they usually can be when trying out an alto saxophone mouthpiece so I see that as a major plus in the intonation category.

The Topaz mouthpiece responded great to any expressive manipulations such as dynamics, bends and vibrato.  The focused concentrated tone allowed the mouthpiece to be immediately responsive to any changes in air, embouchure or voicing.  I really enjoyed applying vibrato to the slow melodies clip because the vibrato responded so quickly and seemed so easy to manipulate and shape even as I faded out on the notes.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece had plenty of power and brightness. I believe it could handle the lead alto job in a big band when pushed due to it’s focused brightness when pushed.   Lay back a bit and the tone gets immediately sweeter and smoother.  I would say on my 1-10 volume scale I would give the Phil-Tone Topaz mouthpiece an 8 out of 10 which is pretty good for a “Meyer” type of alto saxophone mouthpiece in my opinion.

The articulation was immediate and fast and the articulation could easily be manipulated to be smoother and more flowing or more crisp and edgy if needed.

The range of the saxophone was even and smooth as I played fast lines on the Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece.   Although each note still has it’s unique character and sound, the note qualities matched each other enough to cause the melodies and fast lines to sound connected and smooth.

As usual, I did not attempt to go into the altissimo on the Topaz alto mouthpiece just because those range of notes really tend to irritate my current hearing issues and it is not a fun experience for me.  I would not anticipate any issues at all with altissimo playing with the Topaz alto sax mouthpiece as that nice rollover baffle and medium-small chamber size should assist altissimo playing  perfectly in my mind.

The low notes were full sounding to my ears but didn’t seem as fat and rich sounding as alto saxophone mouthpieces with medium or large chambers in my opinion.   That being said, I loved how the Phil-Tone Topaz alto sax mouthpiece subtoned down low.  It could easily produced a rich and velvety low note while subtoning.  You can hear this subtone quality a few times in the sound clips below.

I will write,  that I really enjoyed the palm key notes on the clips below.  Many times when I describe a mouthpiece as having a bright and crisp tone, the high palm key notes can tend to get too edgy and thin for my tastes, but I didn’t experience that with the Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece.  There was still a nice round fullness to the notes up on the high end of the saxophone that made them beautifully pleasant to listen to.

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece is a great alto saxophone mouthpiece for those of you who are looking for a medium bright and focused alto saxophone sound reminiscent of Cannonball Adderley or Phil Woods.  In my opinion, the tone can be powerful enough for lead alto work but also blend enough for sectional playing when needed.  The Topaz alto sax mouthpiece can be played bright and powerful for solos or beautifully delicate for ballads.  The tone has depth, as well as character, and the Topaz mouthpiece would be a great choice for any student or professional player.  Listen to the clips in the review and decided for yourself if it might be the perfect alto sax mouthpiece choice for yourself.

If you like the clips below and the Phil-Tone Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece interests you, contact Phil Engleman via his website at Phil-tone.com.   Phil is very knowledgeable about sax mouthpieces and will answer any questions you might have about the Topaz alto mouthpiece or any of his other mouthpiece models.  Thanks for letting me try the Topaz alto saxophone mouthpiece, Phil!  It was a pleasure!

If you have played or end up playing a Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments about this review, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece (Reverb Added)-Better Sax Jazz Cut Unfiled #3 Reed

Same Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Clip as Above (No Reverb Added)-Better Sax Jazz Cut Unfiled #3 Reed

Phil-Tone Topaz Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece (Simple Melodies with Reverb Added)-Better Sax Jazz Cut Unfiled #3 Reed

Today, I am excited to review the Les Becs d’Autan Florida model tenor saxophone mouthpiece in a 7* tip opening.

I received an email from Phillipe at Les Becs d’Autan where he described the Les Becs d’Autan Florida model mouthpiece as an “Exact reproduction of a “No-USA” Otto Link Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece, CNC-machined from the brass with the highest copper content (for a rich sound), refaced and hand-mirror-polished by hand, gold or silver plated with a Green/Black marbled German ebonite bite plate. Carefully and precisely recreated without any modifications. Designed to remain faithful to the spirit and quality of the historic model, down to the smallest detail.”-Phillipe (Les Becs d’Autan mouthpieces)  

After reading this description, how could I say “No thanks” to reviewing this Florida model tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Les Becs d’Autan?  Could you say “No thanks”? Yeah, I didn’t think so……

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

After sending off my email eagerly asking to review this mouthpiece, I received an email back from Philippe asking me for more details in order to prepare the mouthpiece:

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Les Becs d’Autan Florida model tenor sax mouthpiece arrived about 4-6 weeks later.  The mouthpiece looked beautiful upon opening the box.  The mouthpiece was well protected in the packaging it made the journey from France to the USA in.

The gold plating on the Les Becs d’Autan Florida model tenor mouthpiece looks thick, shiny, rich and excellently done.  The green and black marbled bite plate looks beautiful and exquisitely crafted.  You definitely want to put a clear mouthpiece patch over this bite plate so you can see that cool green marbled design.

On first inspection, the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks very similar to the Otto Link design and body it is replicating.  When it is sitting on my shelf with my other metal Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces, it is hard to tell which one is the Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece without looking closer at the green bite plate and engraving.  The shape and size of the mouthpiece body looks identical to an Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece design even including the ridge on the top of the mouthpiece body.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The tip rails and side rails look thin, even and precise.  The tip rail curve is very close in shape to the reed tip curves of my BSS, Rigotti Gold and Vandoren Java Green tenor saxophone reeds I used on this mouthpiece.  I detected no issues in regard to mouthpiece suction (when performing the mouthpiece suction test) or in reed response.

The table looks flat and even and the window looks similar if not exactly the same shape and size of an Otto Link metal tenor saxophone mouthpiece window.

The mouthpiece side rails are scooped out as they lead to the medium sized chamber which is typical for Florida Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces.  The roof of the chamber underneath the table is nice and thin.  When looking into the chamber from the tip of the mouthpiece, you can see a ridge where the bore starts at the back of the chamber area which is a sign that the chamber is slightly larger than the bore of the mouthpiece.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle has a noticeable ridgeline that you can see when you look at the baffle in the right light.  You can see it in the photo above and more distinctly in some of the photos of the chamber further down this page where that ridge really stands out.  I have only had two No-USA Otto Link tenor sax mouthpieces through my hands all these years and neither of those had this noticeable baffle ridge but those two mouthpiece were refaced before I bought them so who knows what they looked like originally.

I did just do a Google search for No-USA Florida Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpieces, and I do see some with that same baffle ridgeline when photographed in the right light so there was probably variations in the baffles of these Otto Links as there are in modern day Otto Link mouthpieces as well. Interesting!

*I just found this important bit of info on Theo Wanne’s Mouthpiece Museum page:

“The first Otto Link No-USA tenor saxophone mouthpieces had a very high and deep arced roll-over baffle. This made them very bright. Since this roll-over was completely done by hand, the sound from one mouthpiece to the next varied greatly . The later versions had less of a round, and a bit more of a step shape.”-Theo Wanne 

I think, from this description, that the Les Becs d’Autan tenor saxophone mouthpiece might be a copy of a later No-USA Florida Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  Thanks for the clarity Theo Wanne!

You can see the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece next to the No-USA Florida Otto Link mouthpiece it was copied from in the photo below.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece on Top

Otto Link No-USA Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece on Bottom

Philippe included a letter with the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor sax mouthpiece and I’ve included a portion of it below just to convey his obvious passion and heart when it comes to making Les Becs d’Autan saxophone mouthpieces.

“Hi Steve,

Here’s my latest model of metal mouthpiece for tenor saxophone: the Florida 7*/48 gold-plated hand-mirror polished.

As you know, I’ve been following your reviews closely for several years now, and I must say they’ve often inspired me. Your precise and honest look at the material is a real reference for saxophonists. That’s why I’d love to get your opinion on this mouthpiece through a review.

As a passionate French craftsman, this mouthpiece represents the culmination of many hours of work and a love for detail and the history of the saxophone.  My aim, over and above creating a high-performance mouthpiece, is to offer musicians real emotions with a genuine hand-crafted replica of a legendary model that is increasingly expensive and increasingly rare, for a much more affordable price.  I hope that it will capture your interest, and that of your community of saxophonists.”-Philippe (Les Becs d’Autan website)

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the Les Becs d’Autan website describes the new Florida model tenor saxophone mouthpiece:

“The Les Becs d’Autan “Florida” mouthpiece is meticulously handcrafted with precision and care. This model is a faithful reproduction of the highly sought-after numbered “Early” Otto-Link STM Florida No-Usa mouthpieces from the 60s. With its large chamber inherited from the Otto-Link STM Florida Double Ring mouthpiece of the ’50s and a subtly reinforced baffle, it offers a unique and versatile sound, appreciated by jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, Chris Potter, Joshua Redman…

The sound is broad and buzzy, with the impression of a “natural reverb” built into the mouthpiece. It is homogeneous throughout the range of the instrument, in all nuances. This mouthpiece really lets you shape your own sound, and feels like it’s following you through whatever you want to play. It’s also compatible with all your reeds, thanks to its perfectly flat top. The dynamic range is quite impressive and extensive: low nuances are truly whispers and loud nuances are roars. Highs and lows are very easy in direct or subtone sound… The true vintage Otto-Link sound!

Like the mythical mouthpiece from which it takes its inspiration, the “Florida” is sold new, already traditionally hand-refaced by Philippe, checked and tested before shipping, guaranteeing the highest level of finish and playability.

Manufactured to the highest standards of quality and performance, the “Florida” is the perfect choice for discerning saxophonists seeking a rich, traditional, free-blowing sound with excellent projection.

Treat yourself to an exceptional musical experience with the superior build quality and sound of the “Florida” – Metal Tenor Sax Model.”-Les Becs d’Autan website

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I was looking forward to playtesting the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I was also excited to try a 48 length facing curve because I have been thinking of having that 48 length facing curve put on a Florida Otto Link (it now has a 50 facing curve length) tenor saxophone mouthpiece I own, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to have it refaced again.  By playtesting the Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece with that 48 length facing curve, I could test if I really liked that 48 facing length as much as I thought I did.

I have found that shorter facing curve lengths (such as 47 or 48) on tenor saxophone mouthpieces allow me to use a softer reed while still feeling some healthy resistance to blow against while playing.  For example, in four of the clips below, I am using a strength 2 1/2 reed.  Conversely, a 2 1/2 reed on a 50 length facing curve would most likely feel too soft and flimsy for me but on this 48 length facing curve the 2 1/2 Hard Roberto’s Winds reed felt very comfortable.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me.  I was a little worried by looking at that rollover baffle that it was going to be too bright for my tastes but I really enjoyed where it sat on that scale from dark to bright in the tenor saxophone tone spectrum.  I would say that this Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor sax mouthpiece leaned to the darker side of that tone spectrum.  While playing,  the tone seemed to remain mostly warm and fat while up in the second register and altissimo register the tone didn’t get annoyingly bright and edgy for me.

I also felt like the tone of the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece balanced nicely between being focused and spread sounding. I have played Otto Links that were laser-beam focused and others that were way too spread in tone for my tastes.  For me, a spread tone can be large and fill the room, but to my ears, it is hard to hear the center or edges of that spread sound. It’s like the notes are filling the whole room with a wash of sound but I have trouble hearing the details of that sound if that makes sense.  The Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece seemed to sit in the middle of those two extremes.  It has a big sound that I would describe as spread but also a beautiful focus to the tone that allows me to hear more of that centered core of the sound I like to hear.

I also loved how each reed I tried on the Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece gave a different vibe and tone in my opinion.  I usually don’t included six sound clips in a review, but each of those reeds played really well on the Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece and I felt they each offered slightly different sounds, textures and responses.  I loved bits and pieces of each sound clip and decided to offer all six of them for your discerning ears as well.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I would say that the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great example of a terrific Florida Otto Link style tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  In my opinion, it straddles that midway point between dark and warm to brighter and in-your-face in a great way.

For jazz ballads, it can be so warm and lush sounding with the foo foo sub-tone sounding so beautiful.  The tone is round and full sounding with the tone having a character and weight to it that is substantial.

By hardening your bottom lip and blowing a bit harder it can morph into a more in-your-face brighter tone while still retaining that core “Link” sound and roundness of tone.  Don’t get me wrong, it is not at all similar in tone or power to a Guardala or Ponzol M2 tenor sax mouthpiece, but it is a great playing Otto Link style mouthpiece that can be pushed in that brighter direction when needed.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I found the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece to give me a similar volume as I would typically get from a great Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece.   On my volume scale, a great Otto Link style tenor mouthpiece usually gives my an 8 out of 10 for volume. The truth is,  that writing that doesn’t mean much to those of you who haven’t played a great playing Florida Otto Link tenor mouthpiece.  I will say that for me, a great playing Otto Link style tenor mouthpiece can bridge a bunch of styles of music.  You can kill it with a warm and sultry jazz tenor sax tone on a ballad or rip into a brighter R&B solo like Clarence Clemmons or Michael Brecker.  Again, to reiterate, not like a Guardala mouthpiece or other high baffled tenor sax mouthpiece but could I push it in that direction?  Yes.  That being written from the comfort of my home office is one thing, the true test is how the Les Becs d’Autan Florida mouthpiece performs on a stage with a loud band and whether this mouthpiece has the volume and brightness to cut through the mix in that setting.  The only way to test that, is to try playing it in that setting for yourself.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece was excellent and the tone was even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone when playing fast jazz lines.   The articulation was responsive and crisp and the mouthpiece responded immediately to vibrato and bends.

The altissimo register was great and all the notes in that higher register responded as expected.  I did have some altissimo issues on the softer Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Soft reed at first that made it hard to reach the altissimo notes but after a bit of playing, I figured out the altissimo voicing needed as you can hear in the altissimo clip for that reed.  In my opinion, that struggle was more an issue of using too soft a reed than anything to do with the mouthpiece.

One of the best aspects of playing the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece for me was the low notes.  I just felt like they were so rich, warm and full sounding that I really just enjoyed sitting on those low notes while playing.   This, in my mind, is a key characteristic of a great playing Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece. Those hearty, full of character low notes that just vibrate and ring around the room whether played at full volume or a sultry sub-tone.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I’ve included three sets of sound clips for you to check out. The only difference between the clips is the strength of reed I used.

The first two were recorded with a BSS (Boston Sax Shop) #3 Silver Box tenor saxophone reed.  I recorded a clip of my usual lines and licks I play in every mouthpiece review for the first sound clip.  The second sound clip is more of an R&B altissimo style clip with reverb added.

The second set of clips (clips 3 & 4) is with a Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Hard tenor saxophone reed. I really enjoyed playing on this reed as well.  It felt similar to the BSS #3 reed as far as strength to me but where the BSS 3 seemed to have more thickness to the sound, the Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Hard reed seemed to have more focus to my ears.  I also recorded an altissimo clip with this reed with reverb added as well.

Lastly, the third set of clips (clips 5 & 6) is with the Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Soft tenor saxophone reed.  This reed felt a bit soft for me but there are some lines, tones and sounds in this clip that I really liked as well so I left it in.  As mentioned above,  I also included an altissimo clip with this reed as well.

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Les Becs d’Autan Florida 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor saxophone mouthpiece that is inspired by a vintage No-USA Florida Otto Link.  An original, vintage No-USA Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece is hard to find,  and when you do find one online, they are incredibly expensive,  so having an option to buy an excellent mouthpiece along the same lines as a No-USA Otto Link at a much more affordable price is nice.

The body and design of this mouthpiece is in the Otto Link style but the true test is how the Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor mouthpiece performs for the player.  You have heard tenor sax players claim that there is nothing better than a great playing Otto Link tenor mouthpiece and in my mind this is what this mouthpiece is.  It is a beautifully crafted tenor sax mouthpiece that in my mind captures that amazing vintage Otto Link quality even though it doesn’t have the Otto Link name engraved on it.

Phillippe at Les Becs d’Autan did an absolutely incredible job creating this tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  His artistry and craftsmanship are evident from his work.  I am looking forward to seeing more of his mouthpiece work in the future.

If you like the sound and look of the Les Becs d’Autan Florida 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece, you can find them at the Les Becs d’Autan website.

If you try a Les Becs d’Autan Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review,  I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop 3 Silver Box Reed

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Boston Sax Shop 3 Silver Box Reed-Altissimo Clip with Reverb Added

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Hard Reed

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Hard Reed-Altissimo Clip with Reverb Added

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Soft Reed

Les Becs D’Autan Florida Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Roberto’s Winds 2 1/2 Soft Reed-Altissimo Clip with Reverb Added

Today, I will be reviewing a Claude Lakey Original 7*3  tenor saxophone mouthpiece that I was able to borrow from Ellis Music (a local music store here in Vermont).  The last time I tried a Claude Lakey mouthpiece on the tenor saxophone was in college about 37 years ago.  I remember the mouthpiece I tried out on my tenor sax back then was (in my opinion) too loud, too bright and too edgy for my tastes at the time.   Since that time, I have not crossed paths with another Claude Lakey tenor saxophone mouthpiece until now.   I decided to give this Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece a thorough testing to see what my conclusions are 37 years later……

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Last year, I posted a review of three Selmer S80 classical tenor saxophone mouthpieces which were all on the darker side of the tenor saxophone tone spectrum.  Today,  I will be jumping to the opposite side of that tone spectrum by trying out one of the brighter tenor saxophone mouthpieces out there on the market, the Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  Let’s get ready to rumble.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Here is how the Claude Lakey Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece is described on the website at ClaudeLakey.com:

“The Original Tenor mouthpiece showcases the classic Claude Lakey bright sound. Handcrafted for quality, this staple member of our Originals collection was designed by Claude himself to help players reach new highs and lows on their tenor saxophone. The innovation poured into this mouthpiece pioneered a better jazz mouthpiece that can give you a great range with lots of freedom. 

While traditionally Claude Lakey mouthpieces have been known for their work in jazz ensembles, that’s not the only genre where you can find this mouthpiece useful. The Original Tenor sounds great in rock, funk, or house music settings as well. The bright, crisp sound can be heard cutting through an ensemble, or blending in to a small section. The versatility and control you have with the Original Tenor is astounding, and you will soon find it is your favorite mouthpiece to play in multiple settings.”-Claude Lakey Website

Here is a breakdown of the Claude Lakey Original tenor saxophone tip openings

• 4*3 (.101) A great mouthpiece for students who need a little resistance. Easy to control.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece is made of a composite material (fancy words for plastic).   The mouthpiece has a built in white tooth guard on the beak of the mouthpiece that is unique to Claude Lakey mouthpieces.  These mouthpieces usually have a white engraved ring design around the end of the shank but that white ring is missing on this Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece for some reason.

The words “Claude Lakey” are engraved in a box on the middle of the mouthpiece table and the tip opening is engraved on the side of the mouthpiece as “7*3”.  The engraving on the table of the mouthpiece pretty much guarantees that the table has a concavity to it at least where the engraving is.  This is neither good nor bad as many great playing mouthpieces throughout the last century have had concave mouthpiece tables but many players these days like perfectly flat mouthpiece tables.  Whether a concave or flat table, I don’t care as long as the mouthpiece plays well.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece was in relatively good condition although this mouthpiece had been used as a trial mouthpieces for students who wanted to try them at the local music store so there is some wear and tear on this mouthpiece with dings, nicks and ligature scratches on the body of the mouthpiece.

The diameter and beak profile of the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece is very close to the diameter and beak profile of a typical hard rubber tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  I used a Vandoren Optimum ligature for the sound clips below and the mouthpiece played well with a Vandoren Java green box #3 tenor saxophone reed.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The Claude Lakey tenor sax mouthpiece tip, rails and table look and responded well when playtested.  The reed got suction easily when performing the suction test.  The left side rail of the mouthpiece seems to flare out and become wider as it nears the tip rail.   I don’t see this same flare with the right side rail.  The tip rail looks a bit vague and worn but the reed sealed well so everything was working as it should.   I don’t know how long this mouthpiece has been used for playtesting so the rails could have some wear to them if thousands of players have been trying this mouthpiece out for years or it could have come like that from the factory.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The baffle of the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece is what I would consider a medium high and long baffle.  The baffle terminates at a high height at the entrance to the mouthpiece chamber.  If you look at the photo above from the bore end of the mouthpiece, you can see how high the baffle terminates.  This makes the entrance to the chamber area much smaller and more narrow.  As you look at the photo above, you can see how much smaller that chamber entrance is compared to a typical Otto Link tenor saxophone mouthpiece where that chamber entrance would be a full circle.  The mouthpiece sidewalls are straight and the roof of the chamber is of a medium thickness.

The medium high and long baffle, coupled with that squeezed chamber entrance, leads me to believe that this Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is going to be one bright mouthpiece……..

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Upon first playing the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece, my first impression was that this mouthpiece was very powerful and very bright indeed.  Along with the power and brightness in the tone, there was also a buzz and edge that increased as I played louder and higher.  Even in the beginning of the first sound clip, you can hear the brightness of tone increase as I play a line up into the higher register of the saxophone.

The tone is in your face and has a grittiness and edge to it that reminded me of that muscular sax player Tim Cappello in the 80’s who was always playing the saxophone without a shirt on (He was in that movie “The Lost Boys” if that helps).  I guess if I looked like that,  I might not wear a shirt while performing as well……..

The squeezed throat at the chamber entrance definitely made the tone laser beam focused and intense.  I’m not even sure the recording captures exactly how powerful, bright and focused this mouthpiece can be but while I was playing it at louder volumes it actually hurt my ears while playing.  I would say the volume was about a 13 or 14 when pushed on my 1-10 volume scale.  You can really hear that volume, brightness and edge on the altissimo sound clip below but I don’t even think the recording captures how loud the Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor sax mouthpiece was in my studio.  In fact, I had to turn the gain on my mic all the way down to as low as it would go just to get the levels on these soundclips which are still pretty hot.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

When playing my typical jazz lines in the first clip below the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece wasn’t what I would describe as even throughout the range of the saxophone. I had a hard time keeping some of the notes from jumping out in volume and brightness from note to note.  That is probably more of an issue with me not being use to playing a mouthpiece with a smaller chamber entrance like the Claude Lakey 7*3 mouthpiece has.  Any slight changes I would make in air on a large chambered mouthpiece like an Otto link seemed like they were magnified on this mouthpiece.  You can hear this clearly at the 1:50 mark of the first clip where I start playing “My One and Only Love”.  You can hear how some notes really jump out as much brighter and louder than other notes in the melody.

The intonation was surprisingly good on the Claude Lakey 7*3 tenor mouthpiece.  I had anticipated the middle register and upper register of the saxophone to have issues with being sharp because of the high baffle and smaller chamber but I didn’t really find that to be as much of an issue as I thought it would be.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The low notes on the tenor sax were a little more difficult for me to play at full volume without honking them out but they were easy to sub-tone which is kind of a way to cheat to make the low notes speak easier on higher baffled mouthpieces.

The Claude Lakey 7*3 responded well to manipulation of the notes via vibrato and bending.  I didn’t find the articulation as clean and fast as on other mouthpieces but it was ok.   It just seemed a tad sluggish to me on the fast jazz lines.

The altissimo range of the saxophone was really easy to get as you would imagine from a higher baffled mouthpiece.  I will say, that for me, this kind of mouthpiece really needs some reverb in the sound on a gig.  Without that reverb, I think the high notes would be too loud, too bright and too edgy in a dry sound setting.  I’m sure that, through practice, you could control that and tame it down a bit but I only had this mouthpiece for a few hours so didn’t have the time to learn how to best control it.

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor sax mouthpiece for those of you looking for a tenor sax mouthpiece that will help you be incredibly loud, really bright and give you the option of adding a lot of edge to your sound.  I typically would not suggest a mouthpiece like this for a high school student just because it could possibly be dangerous in the wrong hands. What I mean by that, is that at a time when they are playing in a concert band or jazz band in high school, you want them learning how to blend and fit into the sound of the section and not sticking out because they are drowning out everyone else in the band.  Could a player make the Claude Lakey 7*3 work in those settings?  Maybe.  But it would have to be mastered and tamed by someone with a temperament that is discerning and self controlled to handle such power wisely.

For the adults, I would personally not suggest the Claude Lakey 7*3 for jazz playing but more for a playing setting where you have to compete with really loud electronic instruments. I’m imagining the sax player from “Lost Boys” again……..  Could it work for jazz playing?  Perhaps….  If you dig a brighter jazz tone on the tenor sax like Michael Brecker had.  He played jazz on a Guardala tenor sax mouthpiece, so anything is possible….  You can listen to the clips and decide for yourself.

If you like the sound and look of the Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece, you can find them on Amazon at a very reasonable price.  *Neffmusic also gets a small commission from each sale using this link which helps support this website,  so thank you in advance if you use the link.

If you try a Claude Lakey 7*3 Original tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any thoughts, comments or questions on this review,  I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.  Thanks,   Steve

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Green Box 3 Reed-No Effects Added

Claude Lakey 7*3 Original Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Vandoren Java Green Box 3 Reed-Altissimo Clip-Reverb Added