Meyer Bros & Otto Link Connoisseur Mouthpieces

[@robinreidmusic]

I play a Meyer 5 medium alto piece, and an Otto Link 7* tenor piece both hard rubber and have played these pieces for 50 years. I have tried others and always come back to these two pieces.

[@FunkOsax]

You got an absolutely gorgeous sound on the tenor Otto Link Connoisseur EB. Just beautiful

[@ketong71]

I would like to hear the Meyer Connoisseur vs the current Meyer New York 100th Anniversary Edition. That would be interesting

[@rogeliogilgonzalez]

Please, what is the set up in each demo? Alto saxophone, tenor, reeds and mouthpiece opening? Thank you

[@michaelmatthews9462]

Connoisseur Alto and Tenor definitely have more bite in the sound compared to standard as you describe. Especially like the new Tenor link sound.

[@JespersenPhoto]

Really good comparison. You can actually hear the difference between the mouthpieces. Somehow I like the old standard pieces here. Especially the alto. But again, I like a dark saxophone sound ;)

[@nickpilgrim1966]

Is that a standard Rovner lig on the alto Jim? Very Cannonball ... Nice

[@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton]

Have you compared the "Connoisseur" to the Meyer NY "non-Connoisseur"? I have a 5 digit Mark VI alto, which has a dark sound. Probably the brightest of the bunch is called for. Thanks...

[@coin777]

Do they have the same consistencies problems like the standard? like 60% of them won't play?

[@NickWebbSax]

The connoisseurs both sounded like they were a lot more brilliant. They made the regular Mayer and Link sound almost fluffy in comparison. (To me :-) ).

[@EgilFurre]

You say the tenor Tone edge has a "fluffy" sound. Have you checked if the table is flat? I guess it's not and that is way you feel the mpc is fluffy, not the baffle shape.

[@badboikyoto3585]

Is it me, or is Jim putting more of his lower lip out there then usual? Also the Link on tenor sounded nice :)

[@markwiseman49]

Indeed, what an exceptionally gorgeous tone on the EB tenor mouthpiece. I have just gone back to Meyer after 30 years of meandering through lots of metal pieces, Yanagisawa for quite a few, but now gone back to a Meyer alto New York and (it was a risk, but I love it) a Meyer G on the tenor. Having heard the tenor EB, I want one. What tenor were you playing?

[@ryancrow2773]

Most likely his Andy Sheppard autograph

[@leanmchungry4735]

This is a well organised demo. For me bright NY Meyer alto pieces sound killer on darker vintage altos. The tone of the new Meyer Bro lacked complexity for me, it lacked depth, but I liked the tone of the EB tenor piece, it will be great to try these out.

[@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton]

I have a "dark" alto (1957 66xxx Mark VI). Your comments seems to suggest that the Connoisseur (which is "brighter" than the standard one) would sound "killer," yet you also state that it "lack(s) complexity [and] depth." So, which "bright" NY Meyer alto pieces DO you like on "darker vintage altos"? Thanks...

[@leanmchungry4735]

@@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton The best rubber alto mouthpiece I've played is the SK Modus.

[@JeffreySaxophoneTallNewton]

@@leanmchungry4735 I'll check those out; thanks.

[@kingy2063]

Hi Jim, appreciate this was a year ago, but can you recollect what the tip opening was on the standard Meyer ? It seemed, and you acknowledged , that it was a little more resistant and you looked like you had to push a bit. I ask as I'm in the market for a standard Meyer ( I have an Otto link, so I like "fluffy"), and was thinking 6M; I'm not in a position to get to a store to try so would like to get it right when I order. Many thanks.

[@AlexVolkhin13]

I have Meyer Connoisseur 5 and this is a great mouthpiece for the old sound. I do not know why everyone uses size 7-8 in tests. 5 size sounds great and right for this style. You need to use the ligature that comes with the kit, for such a mouthpiece it is pointless to use a leather ligature.

[@lukasalihein]

The original/older numbering system for Meyers was different. Cannonball Adderly played a Meyer 5 but in the modern numbering it is a 7. Which is to say that a modern 5 is much smaller than most of the OG players used, but is a great size for students and for people who like smaller tip opening.

[@AlexVolkhin13]

@@lukasalihein I haven't heard of it, but if it is, then it's funny. I do not know where to read about it. I really don't like the sound of the opening 7, it's too big. I do not know why number 5 sounds more correct. I also think it's a mistake to think that the small size of the opening is for students and some strange people. The small opening type sounds better for the old sound, but many persist in using 7, why? I don't understand it.

[@lukasalihein]

@@AlexVolkhin13 I didn't say strange people, I said people who prefer small tip openings, which is a valid preference. Of all the possible factors involved in getting a specific sound out of a horn the difference between a 5 and 7 tip opening is a pretty small variable. And if you get upset about what ligatures people are using - and insisting that they use stock Babbitt ligatures, which btw are very poor quality - you are drastically overestimating the importance of ligatures, and of equipment in general. Yes, older generations used smaller tip opening generally speaking but the most famous/classic Meyer alto had a tip opening of about 80 thousandths of an inch. Google it. I'm not telling you this to just disagree with you - I'm trying to get you to take off the blinders of a very narrow and misinformed perspective.

[@AlexVolkhin13]

@@lukasalihein I understand what you mean, but I've tried different ligatures and different sizes of mouthpieces. I realized what exactly works and wrote about it. There are a lot of videos where people play at size 80 and I've seen people play at size 80 live. It doesn't sound like that. I do not know what the problem is, but size 5 works better than 7, and this ligature that comes with it, it makes the sound sharper or more compact, it is more interesting. For example, I still consider Yanahgisawa saxophones to be a very bad instrument, the valves open well, but the sound itself is bad. I think it's the magic of marketing, modern saxophones sound really bad. Perhaps there is the same problem as with mouthpieces. Someone believes marketing, someone believes their ears and eyes.

[@lukasalihein]

@@AlexVolkhin13 I'm glad you know what works for you, and what you like. I suggest you consider that your preferences are not necessarily the preferences of everyone else though, nor are your experiences as a listener universal. I get a very dark vintage West Coast alto sound (mix of Getz/Pepper/Desmond) on a YAS-23 and a Vandoren V16 A9 (with a tip opening that equates to a Meyer 9), so... As far as ligatures go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJjLfnafi52bisk

[@richardjones990]

The difference on the tenor models is quite apparent, not so much on the alto. The Connoisseur on the tenor is outstanding.

[@XavierJordanMusic]

I was thinking the same thing

[@m.w.]

i think you could play a 20.-€ mouthpiece and it would sound great.....🤷‍♂️😀

[@giannistavarra6620]

Good

[@dominicvaldez616]

Ayoooo early gang 😎

[@davidpalma2801]

Goood

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

Classic Meyer - inert, can't separate harmonics well enough, inertia covers up mistakes, makes players lazy, and it doesn't allow them to go above a certain level of playing. Meyer Connoisseur - responds like a finely tuned sports car, even to the slightest changes of dynamics. Hand finishing & super thin rails allow players to hear all their little *MISTAKES*, imperfections. That matters. Good pros want to hear sounds they never knew their alto can make, and hear mistakes they never knew they were making.

[@stangetz534]

My-er

[@jakechastain8477]

At least this is a good informative video, getting real tired of those saxophone clowns. If they want to get be comedians they should do that although I don't recommend it mediocre sax players and mediocre comedians