![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2019\/NewFloridaTop.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFlorida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n I reached out to JJ Babbitt a couple times to see if I could get a mouthpiece to review but both times they didn’t have any available to send me as they seem to have their hands full just filling existing orders.\u00a0 Luckily, a member on SOTW (Sax on the Web) offered to send me his mouthpiece to try for this review.<\/p>\n I thought that this was an original “off the shelf” mouthpiece but I found out after it was already in the mail that this sax mouthpiece was refaced by Jimmy Jensen at Tenor Madness for the customer who bought it.\u00a0 Although, the mouthpiece is a 7* and was at a .105 tip opening, the customer wanted it at a .103 tip opening so Jimmy set it up for him. (I hope to find another new Florida Otto Link that is original to review in the coming weeks……)<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The new Florida Otto Link mouthpiece looks beautiful upon opening the box.\u00a0 The gold plating looks thick and rich looking.\u00a0 The mouthpiece comes with an Otto Link ligature and a gold mouthpiece cap.\u00a0 I thought the mouthpiece cap was pretty cool because it looks like metal but is actually gold plastic so it looks great but is nice and light and won’t scratch or damage a mouthpiece when you slide it on (I have put my share of nicks in mouthpieces by being clumsy with metal mouthpiece caps when I was younger…..).<\/p>\n I must admit that when trying the new Florida Otto Link tenor mouthpiece for the first time my excitement quickly turned into annoyance.\u00a0 First,\u00a0 I was hoping the new mouthpiece would have a better ligature than the ligature Otto Link mouthpieces have come with over the last 30-40 years.\u00a0 The ligature looked solid, well made and better than the usual modern Otto Link ligatures so I thought I would give it a try.\u00a0 I slid it on over the reed but when I went to tighten it with the screw the pressure plate that the screw controls turned with the turning of the screw and was now crooked on the reed.\u00a0 That was annoyance number one.<\/p>\n Later, I tried the ligature again and found that I could center the plate by working with the screw and holding the plate with my finger but it was honestly more of a hassle than I like to deal with so I decided to use my trusty Selmer 404 two screw silver ligature that is simple and has never let me down.<\/p>\n The second annoyance was when I tried to slide the mouthpiece on to my neck cork.\u00a0 \u00a0It was really tight on the cork.\u00a0 Now, vintage Florida Links are normally one of the sax mouthpieces that have a smaller bore and are pretty tight on a saxophone neck cork so I got out two of my vintage Florida Links and tried them on the cork.\u00a0 They were snug on the cork but could easily be pushed on to where they played in tune.\u00a0 I tried the new Florida Link mouthpiece again and it was quite a bit tighter.\u00a0 Enough so that I couldn’t push it on to where it was in tune and was afraid I might bend the neck if I used any more force.<\/p>\n I had to take it off and lather the cork up with cork grease to be able to slide it on to where it would play in tune for me.\u00a0 This is not that big a deal once the cork is compressed but when you review as many mouthpieces as I do, it is a bit of a pain to have your cork compressed that much.<\/p>\n Although I found these two things frustrating for me, I took a break and came back to the new Florida Link a couple of hours later after lunch with a fresh more optimistic perspective.<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is how the JJ Babbitt website describes the new Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece:<\/p>\n Introducing the FL (Florida) Otto Link for tenor saxophone, in celebration of our 100th anniversary. Developed over several years, the new FL Otto Link is a superb blend of professional musician input and skilled JJ Babbitt craftsmanship. Created through minor adjustments in virtually every aspect of the mouthpiece \u2013 inside and out \u2013 the FL expands the opportunity for players to recapture the distinctive sound that players are looking for.<\/em><\/p>\n Here is what professionals say:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cA warm big sound throughout [its] range, yet with some edge, if I want it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt is amazing!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThese are the first current production pieces that truly recreate the best of the vintage mouthpiece sound\u2026dark and powerful, with just the right amount of edge. I most appreciate how well the mouthpiece plays top to bottom, with great intonation and response.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe new FL Otto Link has a rich, warm sound, [plus] quick response and flexibility through the entire range of the horn.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n You might notice as you read the description above that it doesn’t state that these new Florida mouthpieces are exact copies or reproductions of the original Florida Links from the 60’s.\u00a0 It just states in somewhat vague terms that these new mouthpieces were “developed over several years, the new FL Otto Link is a superb blend of professional musician input and skilled JJ Babbitt craftsmanship. Created through minor adjustments in virtually every aspect of the mouthpiece \u2013 inside and out \u2013 the FL expands the opportunity for players to recapture the distinctive sound that players are looking for.”<\/em><\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n As I examined the new Florida Otto Link next to my other vintage Florida Links I quickly saw some obvious difference between the two models.<\/p>\n First of all, the new Florida Link mouthpieces have a much thicker backend to the body of the mouthpiece.\u00a0 You can see this clearly when comparing the new mouthpiece side by side with the vintage Florida Otto Links.<\/p>\n I also saw this clearly when I slid my Selmer 404 ligature onto the new Florida Link.\u00a0 I have used a Selmer 404 ligature on most of my metal Otto Link mouthpieces whether they be vintage or newer Otto Links for the last 20 years.\u00a0 It usually slides on very easy.\u00a0 On the new Florida Link mouthpiece, the rear body of the piece is so thick that I had to unscrew the rear screw of the Selmer 404 ligature all the way until it was about to fall out to be able to slide the ligature back towards the rear of the table.\u00a0 Even unscrewed to that point, I couldn’t get the ligature all the way to the butt of the reed.<\/p>\n Secondly, the beak of the new Florida mouthpiece immediately felt higher to me than my other vintage Otto Links.\u00a0 It was enough of a difference that it felt a bit uncomfortable and odd to me because I am so used to the beak heights of my vintage Florida Link mouthpieces.\u00a0 I took the mouthpiece off and compared it side by side with my vintage Florida Links and it did look higher to my eye which confirmed what I felt.\u00a0 I don’t think this is a deal breaker for me but rather just something I would have to get used to if I owned one of these new mouthpieces.<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n When comparing the baffle and chamber of the new Florida Link mouthpiece to the vintage Florida Link mouthpieces I have to start with the acknowledgment that I have seen many Florida Links with variations between there baffle shapes and chamber shapes.\u00a0 Even when comparing the two vintage Florida Links I have right now, the baffles and chambers have variations between them.<\/p>\n The baffle of the new Florida Link has a nice rollover to it and looks pretty darn close to the height of my vintage Florida Link baffles. There is a difference in that the vintage Links have a smooth rollover which makes the rollover harder to see as it is a gradual smooth rollover.\u00a0 The new Florida Otto Link baffle has a more abrupt crooked change in the baffle as you can see in the picture below.<\/p>\n The chamber of the new Florida Link looks to have slightly deeper floor in the chamber than my vintage Links do. \u00a0The sidewalls are scooped out as they are with the vintage pieces.<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n Another difference I noticed is that the new Florida Otto Link chamber seems a bit longer than the vintage Otto Link chambers.\u00a0 \u00a0What I mean, is that when I compare the new Link with the vintage Links the bore past the chamber starts farther back on the new Florida Otto Link than on the vintage Florida Otto Links.\u00a0 I think this might have the affect of making the chamber a bit larger than on the vintage Florida Links although this is just speculation on my part without measuring the chamber volume of each mouthpiece.<\/p>\n The other difference I see is that the table of the new Florida Link is thicker than on my vintage Florida Links.\u00a0 When you look at the chamber from the tip of the mouthpiece you can see the thickness of the table while looking at the roof of the chamber.\u00a0 I do have to say that the two vintage Florida Links I own now have been refaced so this thinness in their tables might be due to the refacer’s work. (I have actually never owned an original vintage Link…….too expensive……)<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n The 7* Florida Link seemed to play well with a Rigotti Gold 3 Light or 3 Medium reed for me.\u00a0 I used the Rigotti 3 Medium reed for the recording below.<\/p>\n I found the new Florida Otto Link to to be in the middle of the dark to bright tone spectrum.\u00a0 It has some nice brights and highs in the sound but the thick slightly spread nature of the tone balances well with the highs.<\/p>\n I did find that this mouthpiece seemed to put the tone out in front of the saxophone.\u00a0 \u00a0Some mouthpieces I play seem to fill the room and the sound seems like it is right next to my ears.\u00a0 \u00a0Other mouthpieces seem to put the sound out in front of the sax so it seems a bit further from my ears.\u00a0 I usually attribute this to the spread quality of the tone.\u00a0 \u00a0I would classify the new Florida Otto Link tenor sax mouthpiece as having a tone that leans slightly to the more spread side of things.\u00a0 This is interesting to me as I really dig my vintage Florida Links because they are more focused in tone.<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n I found the new Florida Otto Link to give me the same volume I typically get from a great Otto Link style mouthpiece.\u00a0 I felt like I could push it to about 80% of my full volume but then it felt like it hit a wall for me and I couldn’t push it past that point without the tone getting crass and breaking up a bit. This is typical for me and why I usually don’t use a Link type mouthpiece on super loud gigs.<\/p>\n This also might just be me not being 100% used to the mouthpiece yet.\u00a0 \u00a0Usually I can spend a few weeks with a mouthpiece before I review it but I have only played this one for a few hours and have to get it back to the owner who so graciously let me borrow it.<\/p>\n At the end of the day, I really dig the new Florida Otto Link tenor mouthpiece and wish I could spend more time with it.\u00a0 I think it is a different beast than the vintage Florida Links I have tried in that this piece feels and sounds more spread to me than the focus of those old Florida Link mouthpieces.<\/p>\n This mouthpiece is hands down better than any other modern Otto Link STM I have tried over the last 30 years.\u00a0 It doesn’t have that dreaded tubbiness I have found in some of those mouthpieces and the tone has a richness and complexity to it that reminds me of some great NY Otto Links I have played that have a larger chamber.<\/p>\n It’s almost like it mixes the thick full character of tone of a great NY Otto Link large chamber mouthpiece with the focus and brightness of the vintage Florida Otto Links.\u00a0 To combine that balance of both concepts is a hard thing to do but I think JJ Babbitt has created a mouthpiece that does just that.<\/p>\n Florida Otto Link Metal 100th Anniversary Model Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece<\/strong><\/p>\n If you like the sound and look of the new Florida Otto Link from JJ Babbitt you can find them at Kessler & Sons Music<\/a> or Tenor Madness<\/a> as well as other stores. \u00a0If you play one or have any other thoughts or comments, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.\u00a0 \u00a0Thanks,\u00a0 \u00a0Steve<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n