• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT

Search Neffmusic

You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews / Early Babbitt HR Otto Link 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

Early Babbitt HR Otto Link 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 13, 2009 by Steve 8 Comments

Holy Cow!  This piece is great.  I just got four pieces back today from Brian Powell.  This is the Jon Van Wie refaced link that has a clip posted of it last year.  This piece always played nice but didn’t have any guts to it.  I really couldn’t dig in with it.  I played another hard rubber link that Brian had done and I was so impressed I sent him this Jon Van Wie link.  That’s a big gamble because Jon Van Wie isn’t around anymore and once a mouthpiece is  changed there’s no going back.  Man, am I happy though.  Every piece I sent Brian I played today and everyone is killer compared to before.  I mean before they were all good but now they play that much better.  I’m sold on this guy.  Brian Powell.  I hate to post good things about him because I know the next time I send him a piece the wait will be even longer but he deserves it.  The piece still has the beauty and ring it had but even more so! It has a great presence to it also. I can feel the sax vibrating under my fingers and the sound is huge.  Let me know what you think. I can’t wait to play on it some more and get use to it.
listen…

https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/BPEB.mp3

Filed Under: Tenor Medium Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brian Powell, early babbitt, tenor mouthpiece

Steve

About Steve

Steve Neff has been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for over 30 years. He is the author of many best selling jazz improvisation methods as well as founding the popular jazz video lesson site Neffmusic.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarTrevor Swift says

    November 22, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    Had my quarterly top up of your mouthpiece clips Steve and this is the one for me!
    Put all my previous favourites of your clips into the shade really.

    Excellent!
    How much ? 😉

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      November 22, 2010 at 9:59 pm

      I still have this piece. I have a list of probably 8 people that already asked for it if I ever sell it. I’ve thought about it as I always play metal.

      Reply
  2. AvatarAntonio Sanchez says

    February 27, 2011 at 11:19 pm

    Hi Steve,

    Great sound!
    How is the shape of this piece baffle. The photo does not show it. Is it a horse shoe type?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      February 28, 2011 at 10:20 am

      Hi Antonio, You can see the baffle right in the picture. Do you mean the chamber? The chamber is round. Steve

      Reply
  3. Avataritalo says

    December 6, 2013 at 10:12 pm

    Sir thank you very much for the review.. i vould like to know if it is posible, where can i get one Early Babbitt HR Otto Link 7* Tenor Mouthpiece.
    Best REgards
    ITALO MENCONI

    Reply
  4. AvatarJeremy Carter says

    March 30, 2014 at 10:14 am

    Sounds great Steve. Thick and husky tone. I just ordered an early Babbitt link. I can’t wait to get it.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      April 16, 2014 at 8:32 am

      Jeremy, Let me know when you get it and what you think. I hope it is perfect for you. Steve

      Reply
  5. AvatarArya Boustani says

    February 10, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Sounds beautiful and punchy at the same time. I may even say it is the best sound I heard in your test clips. It is so wonderful to have Brian Powell. He adds so much to the history of great sax sounds.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to italo Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Steve Neff

Cart

Subscribe to the Neffmusic Newsletter for the latest reviews and best deals delivered straight to your inbox every month. Join now and you will also receive my 40 Ultimate Michael Brecker Licks free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to


Thanks for joining!


NEFFMUSIC PRINTED BOOKS

Testimonials

Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony

I want to thank you again, because, not only are you an inspiration to listen to, you are a fine teacher!

I have been teaching sax and other winds for over 20 years, and you give me that “push” to give my students more!

Mark Peotter

Mark Peotter

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin

Steve, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter

I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.  I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more bite sized way.

Milton
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff

After reading your story I will never feel quite right about complaining about any of my MINOR health issues!!    God bless Steve and I really hope that your health doesn’t stop you from fulfilling your calling.    These books have been such a help to open up my jazz vocabulary…   Thanks so much for sharing your story and for providing these great teaching tools…   John Leclerc   Saxophonist / composer/ EWI player and professional working musician of 35 years….

John Leclerc
I’ve been downloading your lessons for 4 months now (20 lesson) and I have noticed tremendous growth in my playing thus far! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site!
Bob
Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
I’m an experienced player in the pop/soul/funk areas of music and, previously, classical.  Over the decades I’ve been playing, I’ve always felt that I could do what I needed in those styles of music.  However, recently I began to feel limited by my use of the same old licks. When I discovered Steve Neff’s website, and heard the audio examples based on the exercises in his books, I realized they were what I needed.  I purchased all of them and have been working on them since.  It’s very hard work… Read more
Paul
I just wanted to write a thank you note to you for this website. I play and teach saxophone, but I have always been intimidated by the gear aspect. Your website has helped me become a lot more knowledgable. Your knowledge is staggering! I’m telling all my students about your website. Pierre
Pierre
I can’t say enough about my membership at Neff Music. Steve has taken the mystery out of playing the saxophone well and improvising both jazz and rock music. Like most struggling players I have a load of all sorts of books on my shelf just gathering dust. Books that I didn’t understand or know how to put to use…or just have the time to go threw them. Steve’s lessons really simplify things and he puts it in a way that I can understand. They inspire me to keep pushing and having him as my guide or… Read more
Ken
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)
I like so many other subscribers feel so encouraged by Steve’s learning techniques; you will enjoy reading the comments of praise others have left as you too will feel that you share a common view and path. I feel very lucky to have come across Neffmusic and that feeling will remain with you as you search through a treasure trove of learning materials on offer, you will quickly find the lessons that you are suited to. You will instantly recognize the unparalleled quality of Steve’s teaching … Read more
Stephen

Featured Video Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99 Original price was: $19.99.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book) Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99

Now over 600 video and audio lessons to choose from!

Free Lessons

  • Free Lesson on The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering Altered Pentatonics
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Blues Scale Volume 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale and Language Book 1 & 2
  • Free Video Lesson on Approach Note Velocity Book

Recent reviews

  • Mastering Altered Pentatonics (Digital PDF Book) Mastering Altered Pentatonics (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Jim Ramsey
  • Practicing Double-Time Licks Lesson Practicing Double-Time Licks Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Az Samad
  • Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson by Noah
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) by Andy
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Russ
  • Sale! Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99 Original price was: $19.99.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
    Add to cart
  • Sale! Mastering Altered Pentatonics (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering Altered Pentatonics (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $26.98 Original price was: $26.98.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
    Add to cart
  • Mastering Major Diatonic Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering Major Diatonic Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)

    Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)

    Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson

    Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 1-Minor Chords (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 2-Dominant Chords (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Blues Scale Vol. 2-Dominant Chords (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale-Book 2 (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale-Book 2 (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book)

    Mastering the Minor ii-7b5 V7b9 Bebop Scale (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson

    The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson

    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
    Add to cart
  • The Best Major II-V-I Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    The Best Major II-V-I Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 4.94 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • The Best Minor II-V-I Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    The Best Minor II-V-I Patterns (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart
  • The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)

    The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
    Add to cart

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Percy on JS Custom Nova 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Percy W. on Windy City Woodwinds 56 Mark II Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Kanoa on NJS Hummingbird 8* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Percy Williams on JS Custom Nova 6 Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Top rated products

  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1 The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Invitation Tune of the Week-Invitation
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Product tags

alto sax alto saxophone approach notes audio lesson bebop scale beginner beginner saxophone blues blues licks blues patterns blues scale blues scales diminished scale dominant chords ear training fundamentals II-V-I improvisation jazz improvisation jazz lines jazz patterns jazz sax jazz saxophone jazz standard jazz standards licks Mastering the Blues Scale Michael Brecker modern improv modern improvisation online lesson patterns playing outside practice habits reading music sax basics sax lessons saxophone scales smooth jazz steve neff tenor sax tenor saxophone video lesson video lessons
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • SUPPORT

Neffmusic © 2005–2026