KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Today, I am reviewing another great tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by a young mouthpiece maker, refacer and great saxophone player from Russia named Kirill Poudavoff.  Kirill is a great young tenor sax player that is in his fourth semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Kirill sent me four examples of his tenor saxophone mouthpieces made of plastic after I asked if I could perhaps try out his mouthpiece work.  I have already reviewed the KPoudavoff Double Ring 7* model.  Today, I will be reviewing the KPoudavoff Florida 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is a copy of an Otto Link Florida Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece from the late 60’s.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you haven’t heard of Kirill Poudavoff yet, check him out in the video at the bottom of this review.  Kirill sounds more like Dexter Gordon than any other tenor sax player I have heard, which is very cool!

I would also like to add how refreshing it is to hear a young person like Kirill Poudavoff,  playing long notes and melodies while improvising.  I was listening to Kirill the other day, and like Dexter, he just played one note and held it for like 4-6 beats before continuing on with his idea.  I think it was a video from Wally’s in Boston.   I saw some Berklee students in the audience who looked totally confused and shocked as they thought, “Wait, you can play long notes when improvising?”.  I love long notes and you don’t hear a lot of young guys doing that.  For that matter, you don’t hear very many old guys doing it.  (If you don’t know what I am talking about, go listen to some Dexter Gordon………)

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Brass

When I asked Kirill if I could try out some of his saxophone mouthpiece work, I had no idea that he would send me four tenor saxophone mouthpieces to check out. Here is what he sent me:

• KPoudavoff Double Ring 7*- copy of an Otto Link 7* Florida Double Ring Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Florida 7*- copy of an Otto Link 7* Florida Super Tone Master
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff  Hollywood 7*- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff model
• KPoudavoff Zimberoff Hollywood 6* (Dexter’s Curve)- copy of a Dukoff Hollywood Zimberoff  (with Dexter Gordon’s 6* facing curve on it)

I will be reviewing all of these tenor saxophone mouthpieces separately, one after the other, so you can get a complete sense of Kirill Poudavoff’s work.

First, I have to start with the disclaimer that Kirill Poudavoff told me that he doesn’t make these plastic tenor saxophone mouthpiece models any longer.  Right now, at the time of this review,  he is only making the tenor mouthpiece models listed above in solid silver for 750 dollars each.  I have posted a few photos of the tenor mouthpieces in metal throughout this review so that you can see how the mouthpieces look in solid silver as well.

That being said, Kirill did say that these four plastic tenor saxophone mouthpieces were a good representation of his work and played similarly to the solid silver versions of these mouthpieces.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece in Solid Silver

The four KPoudavoff  tenor saxophone mouthpieces I received look to have the same outward size (diameter and length), shape and contours of the Otto Link and Dukoff Hollywood tenor saxophone mouthpieces they are copies of.

The KPoudavoff Double Ring and Florida models have the Otto Link ridge on top and the lines on the shank that match those Otto Link models.  The ridge on the top of the mouthpiece has “KPoudavoff” engraved into it instead of “Otto Link”.   The tip opening of 7* is engraved on the corner of the body to the right of the table just like it is on an original Otto Link Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

On initial examination, you can see the sanding marks on the plastic material of the mouthpiece where Kirill sanded the table and worked on the baffle area of the mouthpiece.  Although the sanding marks look rough, the baffle area and table feel very smooth to the touch.

I know these sanding marks will bother some of you,  but I am not bothered in the least.  In my mind, they don’t matter to me. What matters the most to me, is how the mouthpiece plays.  I have played some horrendous looking mouthpieces over the years that played phenomenally, so I don’t necessarily care how perfect a mouthpiece looks on the inside or outside.   I have also tried mouthpieces that looked absolutely stunning and perfect to the eye, that didn’t play well at all for me.  The lesson learned: Don’t judge a mouthpiece until you play it.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The point I am trying to make, is that Kirill worked on and sent me four examples of his work for free because I asked to try out his work.  I believe Kirill’s main focus is making a mouthpiece true to the original version while also making a mouthpiece that plays great.  The cosmetic stuff is not as important.  Don’t let these plastic samples sway you from what’s most important,  how do these KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces play?

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

Looking past all the sanding marks, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece looks to have relatively even side rails similar to an Otto Link mouthpiece. The tip rail looks well made and the curve matches fairly closely to my Rigotti Gold tenor saxophone reeds.  All the reeds I tried on the mouthpiece sealed well when using the suction test.

The KP Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great with Rigotti Gold saxophone reeds between the 2 1/2 medium strength to the 3 strong strength for me. The Florida tenor sax mouthpiece is not an altered “Florida” or a “Florida” on steroids, Kirill Poudavoff has expressed his goal of making these mouthpiece as close to the originals as he can possibly get them.  This is an admirable goal and refreshing to hear from a young up and coming mouthpiece craftsman.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I do have a great Florida Otto Link mouthpiece here in my collection and the KPoudavoff model looks very similar in regards to the baffle profile and chamber shape.

In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece that I have already reviewed, as I look at both tenor sax mouthpieces side by side, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece looks to have a longer rollover baffle than the Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece.  It’s hard to tell because of the texture of the plastic material, but I think the Double Ring mouthpiece has a slightly deeper chamber floor than the Florida mouthpiece chamber floor.  I’m not 100% certain of this, but that is what it looks like when comparing both tenor saxophone mouthpieces side by side.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece played great for me and not surprisingly, like a terrific metal Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece.   The Florida mouthpiece had a round and focused sound that I would associate with a great playing Florida Otto Link Super Tone Master type of sound.  It wasn’t at all tubby or too spread sounding like some modern metal Otto Link Super Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpieces can be.

For me, a great Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece has a balance between a fat, round sound full of character and warmth with a nice core to the sound. Usually, the tone of these Otto Link “Super” Tone Master tenor sax mouthpieces sits in a neutral position between dark and bright with some mouthpieces leaning to the darker and warmer side and some leaning to the brighter side. I found this KPoudavoff Florida 7* mouthpiece to lean to the brighter side of a tenor saxophone tone, especially in the upper register of the saxophone. (I found the KPoudavoff Double Ring mouthpiece to lean to the darker and warmer side)

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

The intonation on the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece was excellent on my Selmer Super Balanced Action (SBA) tenor saxophone.  The low notes were thick and full sounding and sub-toned beautifully.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece was very even and smooth throughout the range of the saxophone and the fast lines sounded great.  In comparison to the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, which seemed like it had more of a warm smoothness within those fast lines, the Florida mouthpiece seemed to have more of an aggressive and crisp smoothness within those fast lines.  Almost like the Double Ring mouthpiece sounded like it was being played on the other end of the room and the Florida mouthpiece was being played right in front of me with the bell of the saxophone pointed right at my face.

The KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece was definitely brighter and more focused in tone for me than the Double Ring mouthpiece which sounded warmer and more spread in tone in comparison to the Florida mouthpiece. This was most apparent with the harder Rigotti Gold 3 medium reed as I put more air through the saxophone.  The Florida mouthpiece just had more of that “in your face” brightness and volume to the tone when compared to the Double Ring tenor sax mouthpiece.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

I’ve included two sound clips of the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece like I did for the Double Ring mouthpiece review.

The first one is with a Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed.  I loved this reed because of the thick, solid core and character you can hear in the tone.  The upper register had a nice brightness and crispness to the tone.  You can also hear more edge in the tone when I push the volume of the mouthpiece.

The second sound clip is with a softer Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 medium tenor saxophone reed.  This reed seemed to give me a fatter more lush sound in the lower end of the saxophone.  Although I loved the low notes on this softer reed,  I think the softer reed made the high notes a bit thinner and edgier than I usually like.  I preferred the thicker sound of the upper register with the Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reeds.

There is enough difference between these two sound clips in tone and response that I thought it was important to include both clips, especially since some listeners like the sound of softer reeds and some like the sound of harder reeds.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In my opinion, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece is a great tenor saxophone mouthpiece for those looking for a mouthpiece that is similar if not exact to a vintage Otto Link Florida “Super” Tone Master tenor saxophone mouthpiece.  It has a full sound that leans to a brighter and more focused tenor saxophone sound.

Although the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece is definitely brighter than the Double Ring tenor mouthpiece, the tone of the Florida mouthpiece can still be manipulated and shaped to the sound the player hears in their head.  If your tenor saxophone sound concept is brighter, like John Coltrane, you can definitely go that way with the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece.  If you like a fatter and darker tenor saxophone sound, you can go in that direction as well with this tenor mouthpiece.  The great advantage to an Otto Link style tenor saxophone mouthpieces is that they allow you the freedom to shape and mold your own sound just the way you want it.  That is why so many tenor sax players have played on Otto Link tenor mouthpieces over the years.

I wrote in the KPoudavoff Double Ring tenor saxophone mouthpiece review that I probably wouldn’t use the Double Ring mouthpiece on a loud Top 40 kind of gig because I didn’t think it delivers enough volume and brightness for that type of gig.  The KPoudavoff Florida tenor mouthpiece and it’s added rollover baffle is definitely getting closer to that brightness and volume line that could be used in that loud type of playing situation.  I am never quite sure of that until I get a mouthpiece out on a gig but here in my home, the KPoudavoff Florida tenor sax mouthpiece really has some nice power and brightness when pushed.

Of course,  the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece would be right at home on a straight ahead jazz gig.  I would love any of these four KPoudavoff tenor saxophone mouthpieces on a jazz gig of any sort.

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

If you like the sound and look of the KPoudavoff Florida tenor saxophone mouthpiece by Kirill Poudavoff, you can order one from Kirill himself by contacting him via his email at kpoudavoff@gmail.com.  Thanks again to Kirill Poudavoff for sending me these great tenor saxophone mouthpieces to play and review here on my site.

If you are lucky enough to play a KPoudavoff Florida 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

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 3 Medium Reed

KPoudavoff Florida Otto Link Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review – Rigotti Gold 2 1/2 Medium Reed

Kirill Poudavoff playing “More Than You Know” on his Florida Otto Link Metal Copy Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece (he is also accompanying himself on piano)