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

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MEMBER’S AREA
    • JOIN
    • FAQ
    • MEMBER LOGIN
    • Member Monthly Lessons
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT
You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews / Tenor Low Baffle Reviews / Ted Klum Focustone Tenor Mouthpiece

Ted Klum Focustone Tenor Mouthpiece

August 14, 2009 by Steve 5 Comments

I received this piece in a trade deal for one of my metal Florida Links.  It was a hard deal to make but I did it because I was so curious about the “Focustone” mouthpieces. I’ve tried Ted Klum’s work before down at Roberto’s in NYC years ago and once when Bob Ackerman came up to NH with a bunch of mouthpieces.  His mouthpieces have always played well for me and I could tell he did great work.  This “Focustone” is silver (even though the picture looks gold). It has a high rollover baffle in it but isn’t super bright sounding.  I can see why he calls it the “Focustone”.

Ted Klum Focustone Tenor Mouthpiece

It has very centered focused sound kind of in the middle of bright and dark.  I would say this is the closest thing I have played to the Florida Link mouthpieces that I have owned.  One bad thing about this piece is that it is so hard to find a ligature to fit it because it is smaller than a normal  Otto Link. I went through all 40 ligatures I have and couldn’t find one to fit it.  I finally tried my soprano ligature which fit well but the plate was not totally flat on the reed.  Besides that, this is a great tenor mouthpiece and was a pleasure to play.
Listen………
https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/Focustone.mp3

​

Filed Under: Tenor Low Baffle Reviews, Tenor Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: Bob Ackerman, florida link, Focustone, Ted Klum, 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. AvatarJackLi says

    August 6, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    Hey Steve i love the sound of your Focustone I’m wondering do you know which model is it?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      August 8, 2010 at 3:20 pm

      I’m not sure. I didn’t know he had different models.

      Reply
  2. AvatarJackLi says

    August 22, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    I think he just makes them out of slightly different material, and some are completely hand made and some aren’t

    Reply
  3. AvatarCharles Weiss says

    March 27, 2015 at 2:52 am

    Hey Steve,
    You sound great on the Focustone!
    What reeds are you playin’?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 30, 2015 at 10:59 am

      Thanks Charles, I can’t remember. I usually say in the audio clip or in the review. If I didn’t then I have no idea. Probably either Rigotti Gold, Woodstone or Vandoren Java’s…………..

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Primary Sidebar

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

You can follow the discussion on Now THIS is How You Solo on a Blues! Tim Green Alto Sax Transcription without having to leave a comment. Cool, huh? Just enter your email address in the form here below and you’re all set.

Manage subscriptions

Featured Video Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • 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
    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson
    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $9.99

Now over 600 video and audio lessons to choose from!
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY AND SAVE BIG ON EACH LESSON!

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

  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Timothy
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Ray Holland
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Lloyd Whitty
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Murray Middleman
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Paul

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Steve on Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Jeff Coffin on Drake FG (Freddie Gregory) Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Helen on 100 Must Know Jazz Tunes Consensus List
  • Joao Tavares on GetASax GS SLANT 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on 10mFan Supernova Alto Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Top rated products

  • Triad Pair Blues Audio Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Major Triad Intermediate Workout Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Monthly Silver Lesson Subscription
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $30.00 on the 1st of each month
  • Triad Pairs 4x4 Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Amazing Grace Lesson
    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 © 2005–2023