Mouthpieces

Mechanics talk about engine rebuilds, golfers talk about handicaps and other things, trombone players talk about slide sprays, singers talk about …. well, who knows, but saxophone and clarinet players talk about reeds and mouthpieces. You go anywhere on the web and you will find smart-arses telling you that the set up you have is fine, it’s all about you and not the mouthpiece, you’re just wasting time and money, bla bla bla bla.Yes, we know all that.Â None of this matters because saxophone players (far more than clarinetists) will always be looking for the holy grail of mouthpieces.Â I’ve been playing professionally since I was 16 – I don’t need an amateur honker to tell me any of that!. What I need is a rehab clinic for reed players.I’ve got a draw full of pieces that I never play. I’ve been using ( if you’re not a sax player – link away now!) a Master Link 4*** (5 opened up to an 8ish) for ages now. It’s a killer piece. Blows like a dream, powerful, ‘big balls’ full sound. It’s what Ben Webster used for years. I’ve also got 5 other Links and a few Berg Larsons but who’s counting?Anyway, I’ve just found a vintage HR Link on eBay and I couldn’t believe my fingers as they clicked the Buy button. What the hell do I need that for? My set up is great (ah but you never know). I’d have to start messing around with reeds (yeah, but just think if this will make doubling easier) working out intonation problems with the horn (maybe there won’t be any this time)…….. you can see how the devil-on-the-shoulder conversation went! It’s the same for all of us. We all know better, it’s just more work, more confusion, more money. But you just never know…

Tags: Links, Player setups, reeds, saxophone mouthpieces