Battle of the Slants - Jim's Blindfold Challenge

[@Danox94]

The Link was my favorite. Strong and solid but always classy.

[@sheskimusic]

I really like his insight and description of what he’s hearing/feeling. Very eloquent in his use of adjectives

[@iandoesallthethings]

Timestamps for quick comparison: 5:10 Slant Sig 10:36 Otto Link "Vintage" 16:40 Drake SOS 22:05 Retro Revival Tru Slant 27:42 Marmaduke 34:17 Aizen

[@elliott.soprano]

The saxophone is?

[@TheJazz625]

I quite enjoyed that. I'm a slant style player myself, love the sound. But these mouthpieces sounded so different!

[@dr.a4707]

An excellent review of several high quality classic slant pieces. A genuine attempt was made here to objectively showcase only the sonic qualities of each of the contenders. I was unfamiliar with a couple of the brands in this challenge and was pleasantly surprised at their performance. After carefully listening to this video three times, I found several of these mouthpieces sounded quite muffled. With some, the dark vintage characteristics came across as though a rag had been left in the bell. In contrast, the Marmaduke and the Theo Wanne seemed by my ear to display very similar sonic qualities and offered a balance of richness, evenness, and clear articulation. I would give the "Blue Ribbon" to the Theo Wanne Slant Sig 2 due to its slightly superior balance of tonal qualities, even intonation and precise articulation.

[@zebra3stripes]

First time I've ever heard a sax player ask, "Hey, man, what's MY setup?"

[@stangetz534]

Great video. The New Vintage Link scored highest. Its the mouthpiece I have at the moment in 5*. It is the cheapest one , too - I think.

[@jgoedhart]

great reviews! why not doing that with the Meyer NY copies as well? Would be interesting!

[@sorenfuhrer401]

I play one of those new vintage tone edges. I ordered four in 7* and they all played differently, one being clearly superior to the others. I am very happy with it and nice to see that it can hold up to those more expensive alternatives one sometimes is intrigued to buy :)

[@PonchMuniz]

You guys are too funny!

[@larrycoop5087]

While it’s nice to see the rankings of six tenor mouthpieces, it’s even better to hear how Jim describes the characteristics of each. This will help me when I compare and buy a new mouthpiece. I hope these times help: 05:09 Theo Wanne Slant Sig 10:38 Otto Link Vintage Tone Edge 16:40 Drake SOS 8L 22:08 Retro Revival Tru Slant 27:42 Marmaduke 8ML 34:18 Aizen LS

[@bobblues1158]

This is fun . Please do this again. Thank you. Interestingly enough , my scores were the same as yours.

[@marks.6656]

I have been lucky enough to play three of these six pieces and ultimately decided that the best Slant sig I have ever tried is a Kanee Florida Lg chamber. It is a nice case where the best piece is not the most expensive.

[@Anonymous-u8r8j]

The best slant copy imo actually wasn’t mentioned here. The Getasax slant is amazing. I have had my gs slant 9* for 2 years and it has a perfectly warm sound. It is free blowing with a tiny bit of pushback. The perfect mouthpiece, and it only costs $199

[@vicbulbon8821]

I got one too and I love it, but holy, you play on a 9? What reeds do you use and what sort of sound do you have? I got a 6 and might have wanted a 6* but 9* is hard to imagine.

[@Anonymous-u8r8j]

@@vicbulbon8821 I play on rigotti gold 2.5 strong. I get a sound that is kind of like Dexter Gordon but maybe a bit more spread. However if a push it, I can get a brighter, more modern (but still not paint peeling) sound.

[@djllamma4834]

this duo should do more videos in future

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Retro Revival Tru Slant sounded really nice to me with that fullness and extra edge, sad it played a little tough for him.

[@andreasgilgenberg5588]

love the Retro Revival Tru Slant most

[@pedrodavidrodrigues3481]

It is interesting and kind of cool to know that the best vintage otto links are made by otto link hahahaa

[@iandoesallthethings]

Thanks for this. Any chance of doing the same for STM style metal pieces?

[@joshuafranklin1169]

Y’all set me right with this Jody jazz

[@roygossjr]

Budget daredevil, lmao

[@ThirdEyeFX]

You could tell if the mouthpiece feels right to you right away. I think the drake suited him best because it was the most musical. His point about the reed being able to make a big difference is true. Even though this video was an hour long it was an enjoyable watch for me because I love everything about saxophones and the dialog was cool.

[@key_leefield]

Could you do a video like this but over classical tenor mouthpieces?

[@Unknown-hk1cg]

Selmer concept and s80 mouthpieces are just both too dominant. Other mouthpieces have their strengths, but the selmer mouthpieces just play with a superior sound while being well rounded in other areas.

[@dylanmenzies3973]

Otto Link is beautiful, theres a reason the name has lasted..Theo Wann next - probably a name that will also last a long time.

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Amazing

[@cjfl1962]

Can you please tell me what's the neck strap Jim is using?

[@richardolson8651]

great stuff

[@emilionavarraofficial]

What saxophone is he playing?

[@PaddieFunk]

Great video, I just wish the sound quality was better, i feel like the sound of the saxophone was at times too distant. A mic specifically for the saxophone would sound better and provide a better comparison between the specific nuances of each piece.

[@dannybaca2354]

Just put the mic in the right place!

[@SaxophoneDanLive]

Are they all 8 openings?

[@Chemical_Sax]

What is the difference between a slant style and a regular style mouthpiece

[@troykaufman5262]

So a "slant" type mouthpiece means it is based on the design of the original Otto link "slant signature" mouthpiece, called this because the words Otto link were written diagonally (hence the slant) across the back of the mouthpiece. So any mouthpiece based on the old hard rubber links are called slant style pieces, in the same way that a lot of Alto pieces like the vandoren v16, Jody jazz hr*, or Theo wanna NY Bros are Meyer style pieces.

[@rameshrao3792]

if you did a random 2nd round in the same sitting without letting Jim know - eg: I have 10 mouthpieces for you and in reality there are only 6 there, likely would have some variation in the observations. BTW I think you meant 2kHz or 2000Hz and not 2000k. Good review overall - thanks!!

[@cliffwhite2812]

The aim isn't to test the method of testing, the aim is to listen to Jim's opinions.

[@DynamixWarePro]

What is a Slant style anyway? 37:25 "cracked altissimo" and "cracked my altissimo" Sounds like a good name for a band and their first album, haha. Out of all the mouthpieces I liked the sound of the Otto Link the best and then the Aizen next. You have done videos on alto and tenor mouthpieces, but not soprano and baritone mouthpieces, so could you make videos on those?

[@BHound1981]

I believe in the '50s, the Otto Link Tone Edge mouthpieces had "Otto Link" written on them at a 45 degree angle across the back of the mouthpiece, so they had a "slant signature" or a slant sig.

[@DynamixWarePro]

@@BHound1981 Thanks. I have seen old Otto Link mouthpieces with that signature and makes sense then. I was just on the Theo Wann website which mentions the same thing.

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Nice

[@joshwhite9996]

We get the message😂

[@joeblankenship377]

I'm very happy with my Otto Link Tone Edge on alto.

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Playing

[@sadiqmuhammad396]

Otto link all tw

[@geminisax6115]

Yes .the first two mouthpieces were the best

[@ethandunlop7395]

I didn’t know this video was 50 minutes dang

[@saxworldwide]

We may have drifted a little bit in this. We're going to ensure our next ones are a little more condensed!

[@cliffwhite2812]

Please don't shorten Jim's video. Many of us have a much longer attention span than youngsters and can fully appreciate and enjoy listening to Jim play and talk.

[@ethandunlop7395]

Sax .co.uk I watched the whole thing I enjoyed it was very good

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Heart

[@McQzv]

Bold video title 🇨🇳

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Please

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Dude

[@stilo2703]

Is the otto link he played a true vintage slant or a "new vintage"?

[@TheAvgCommentator]

"New Vintage" for sure.

[@stefanomoretti3664]

some of the mouthpieces would probably have performed better with another ligature and/or reed... The otto link vintage sounds stuffy with this ligature...

[@richardjones990]

It interesting that Jim gave the Aizen LS a 7.7 but to me it was not very good at all. To my ear the Theo sounded very close to the vintage Otto Link. Thanks for this review.

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

Well, to me Aizen was rather brilliant. Perhaps the best of the lot.

[@TheMusicalEvents]

For me Marmaduke cut it, than Link...

[@chepegaming3717]

Don't this guy remind you of Faze Rain?

[@darach3153]

Cringing cuz i thought Jim was gonna knock all da mouthpieces

[@Gruezi583]

drake sos was my favorite

[@ZeldaBoyMinecraft]

Justin N. mine too

[@LuanneFose]

Yes, Drake SOS has such a great sultry jazz sound that you just want to curl up within it!

[@instralikesoranges1659]

Me

[@6strings5904]

Bit long!

[@instralikesoranges1659]

First

[@tpinballwiz]

This video does not have to be this long :/ I mean really

[@deanmoriarty6100]

Contrary, it is great it is so long, I love it. So many useful information!

[@jessesheehan4051]

please the recording quality of the sax is so bad you cant tell much. why not use a proper close mic.

[@joer3481]

Omg. Bla bla bla bla.....