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You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Low Baffle Reviews / Hard Rubber Otto Link 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

Hard Rubber Otto Link 7* Tenor Mouthpiece

August 13, 2009 by Steve 11 Comments

This mouthpiece is the best hard rubber link I’ve ever played.  I won it off Ebay for 200.00 bucks.  That was the opening bid and no one else bid on it.  It’s a little confusing because the seller said it was a John Reilly reface but when I received the piece it had engraving on it that said “BP .107 #105”   I didn’t know what this was.  I received some pieces back from Brian Powell and I noticed that he engraved them just like this which leads me to believe that Brian Powell refaced this.  Maybe John refaced it later but from my experience playing Brian’s work I can’t believe someone would have it refaced again.  I love the piece so much and am so impressed with it that I sent my JVW Early Babbit Link to him to reface.  This piece has the classic link sound but has tons of power when pushed.  You can really wail on this piece and it’s not picky about reeds at all.  Any Java 2 1/2 works great on it. I emailed Brian and he said he did work on the piece and that it was one of those recent Otto Link pieces that is suppose to be a copy of the old ones.  I do know that the slant of the beak is higher than on my Early Babbitt link.  Let me know what you think.
listen…

https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/Powell%20HR%20Link1.mp3

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Brian Powell, otto link, 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. AvatarIain Ferguson says

    December 6, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    Steve,

    This piece has a huge sound…fat and warm but has that little bit of buzz.
    If it is indeed a ‘New’ Vintage Link, I’m getting one tomorrow (that’s if they send them over to here in the UK)

    Reply
  2. AvatarMike says

    April 4, 2010 at 12:09 am

    Hey Steve you ever find out what piece this is?
    BTW, hate to poke but you ever get that Marc Jean lig for alto yet?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      April 4, 2010 at 11:38 pm

      I did. I love it. It’s my favorite lig right now. Steve

      Reply
  3. AvatarMarius says

    April 5, 2010 at 2:49 pm

    Hi Steve.
    Do you have o good metal mouthpiece for tenor Sax for sale?
    I am loking for one between $ 250-300 . do you have one? Thanks

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      April 5, 2010 at 10:40 pm

      Not in that price range. If I get something good I’ll let you know. Steve

      Reply
  4. AvatarMike says

    April 5, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    Thanks for the official imput!
    Wow so even better than the Optimum? If you don’t mind spending time for a last question, what exactly do you love about it and what makes it superior? I’ve been dying to get the perfect lig. It sounds ridiculous but I’m a gimmicky guy. When I saw the wooden sticks on the Marc Jean lig I had to find out about it. I just need to find a lig that will cool my jazz and classical jets. But I’m sure you sound great with a rubber band!

    Thanks,
    Mike

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      April 5, 2010 at 10:38 pm

      It just seems like the reed is more alive and vibrant than with the optimum.

      Reply
  5. AvatarFrancois says

    July 17, 2018 at 5:10 pm

    Hi Steve
    Have you ever played a Brilhart tonalin 5* tenor mouthpiece (1946)? Do you have an opinion on it compared to an Otto Link 6* hard rubber maybe? I’ll appreciate your feedback greatly.
    Thanks so much.
    Francois

    Reply
  6. AvatarPhilipe says

    March 29, 2019 at 5:08 pm

    If You can find a good shaped one they kick ass. I have a Ben Allen reface and a dr James Bunte reface. They feel so good and play nice and soft

    Reply
  7. AvatarRalph Jarmon says

    March 17, 2023 at 2:55 am

    This is for me, the best-sounding demo of the index of mouthpieces you’ve played and that I’ve listened to. My Otto Link hard rubber tone edge 7 rolled off the table about half a year ago and I have been playing a very poor substitute in the meanwhile. I’m finally making a diligent effort to find a replacement. I’m confused as to which new vintage version of the original Link mouthpieces this one is. I know they have a Florida, New York, and perhaps others. The only indication you note is that the slant of the beak is higher than that of your Early Babbitt link. I don’t know if an internet woodwind shop rep will be able to identify what model this one is based on your short reference. I would appreciate any other reference to the model whether it’s a serial number or another marking. I’d like to purchase this specific model and then decide whether or not I want to resurface it and what changes I’d like to achieve. I’ll say it again this is the best-sounding mouthpiece I’ve heard to date right out of the gate. Thanks, Ralph

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 17, 2023 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Ralph, Unfortunately, I don’t really remember this mouthpiece so I can’t help you with the model. I’m not even sure why I didn’t take any photos of it at the time. I know in the early days, I would take only one or two photos but I didn’t take any of this mouthpiece. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Steve

      Reply

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