{"id":105982,"date":"2022-02-25T11:13:05","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T16:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/?p=105982"},"modified":"2025-03-08T12:42:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T17:42:11","slug":"theo-wanne-durga-5-gold-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/2022\/02\/theo-wanne-durga-5-gold-tenor-saxophone-mouthpiece-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Theo Wanne Durga 5 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, I am reviewing the Durga 5 gold tenor saxophone mouthpiece made by Theo Wanne<\/a>.\u00a0 Last year, I reviewed Theo Wanne’s darkest tenor saxophone mouthpiece which is the Ambika 3 (Ambika 3 Review<\/a>), as well as Theo Wanne’s brightest tenor saxophone mouthpiece called the Shiva 3 (Shiva 3 Review<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Durga 5 is ranked second in brightness next to the Shiva 3 tenor sax mouthpiece but being second in this case does not imply that it is in any way inferior to the Shiva 3 because, as Theo describes it,\u00a0 “No other mouthpiece in history has been designed like this; it will blow you away since it can both scream and play a soft ballad. It is so much fun to play! Its huge sound makes everything before it sound thin and\/or stuffy by comparison.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Granted, Theo Wanne is probably a bit biased about his own mouthpieces, but I’m looking forward to playing this Durga 5 and forming my own opinion about it……….<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Theo Wanne Durga 5\u00a0Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Theo Wanne Durga 5 tenor sax mouthpiece was shipped with the usual high standards of the Theo Wanne mouthpiece company.\u00a0 Each sax mouthpiece comes in a perfectly designed box with stylish gold printing on it with all the details about the sax mouthpiece inside.\u00a0 Inside the box is a beautiful black leatherette Theo Wanne mouthpiece case with the Durga 5 tenor saxophone mouthpiece well protected inside. The Durga 5 tenor sax mouthpiece I am reviewing today has an 8 tip opening which is measured at .110.<\/p>\n

The Durga 5 mouthpiece has a built in ligature included called the \u201cLiberty Ligature\u201d that is already attached to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece comes with a detailed information card with specific directions on how to adjust the built in ligature, the affects on the saxophone tone when the ligature is in different positions and directions on how to change the pressure plates on the ligature.<\/p>\n

The Durga 5\u00a0 comes with a reed replacer cap which is on the mouthpiece where the reed goes and the ligature is tightened down on the reed replacer cap to protect the mouthpiece in shipping and when you are not playing it.<\/p>\n

Although the reed replacer cap is a cool idea, the Durga 5 tenor mouthpiece does not come with a \u201cregular\u201d mouthpiece cap that you slide on the mouthpiece over the reed and around the ligature. At the time of this review, there is a page on the Theo Wanne website that has new Theo Wanne mouthpiece caps for sale (save 15% by using this link)<\/a> so hopefully he will start including these with his mouthpieces in the future.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Theo Wanne Durga 5 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

As you can see above, the Liberty ligature on the Gold Durga 5 tenor saxophone mouthpiece is connected to the mouthpiece through screws on the ligature that tighten into holes on the sides of the Durga 5 mouthpiece.\u00a0 The mouthpiece comes with a hex screwdriver that can be used to loosen these screws and move the ligature forward or backwards in relation to the reed and mouthpiece table.<\/p>\n

The Durga 5 tenor sax mouthpiece has five positions (holes) that can be used to adjust the ligature.\u00a0 I personally liked the ligature in the middle hole setting as it puts the ligature plate towards the rear of the saxophone reed allowing the reed to vibrate and flex freely but not so far back that I feel it might not put enough pressure on the reed to seal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Theo Wanne Durga 5 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even before you look at the Theo Wanne Durga 5 mouthpiece itself, everything about the Theo Wanne packaging and presentation just speaks to quality and high standards.\u00a0 Just the process of opening the package and unpacking the mouthpiece brings about an excitement and anticipation that this mouthpiece you are about to play is going to be amazing!<\/p>\n

Here is how the Theo Wanne website (save 15% by using this link)<\/a> describes the new Durga 5 tenor saxophone mouthpiece:<\/p>\n

“The DURGA 5 tenor mouthpiece has a fuller, richer, and more expressive sound. It is powerful and warm sounding simultaneously with an added core and thickness to the sound. \u00a0The sound is just downright sexy!<\/em><\/p>\n

The DURGA 5 mouthpiece does everything the DURGA 4 mouthpiece did, just better.\u00a0 Indeed this was our intention, as the DURGA has become a classic in the saxophone world and we didn\u2019t want to change the base sound signature. We just refined it by adding a fullness\/core to the sound.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The secret to the DURGA 5 comes from Theo\u2019s latest research and development, which has centered around updating the unique DURGA baffle with a very special chamber called the Medium-Stadium-Chamber\u2122<\/strong>. This new chamber is completely new, and works with the physics principle of \u2018boundary layer effect\u2019 much like a golf ball\u2019s dimples. This allows the mouthpiece to get all the benefits of our True Large Chamber AND the extra core of a smaller chamber at the same time.<\/em><\/p>\n

No other mouthpiece in history has been designed like this; it will blow you away since it can both scream and play a soft ballad. It is so much fun to play! Its huge sound makes everything before it sound thin and\/or stuffy by comparison.”-Theo Wanne Website<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Theo Wanne Durga 5 Gold Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n

The DURGA tenor is also being used on tour with\u00a0Marcus Anderson (Prince),\u00a0Adrian Crutchfield (Bette Midler), Tim Izo Orindgreff (Black Eyed Peas), Mark Douthit (Elton John)\u00a0and by such Superstars such as\u00a0Dino Soldo!\u00a0 The DURGA 5 has evolved from the DURGA 1, 2, 3 and 4 with more fullness and core to the sound, extending the dynamic range of your horn, and a greater sense of \u2018freedom of expression\u2019.<\/em>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

SOUND<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n