The mouthpieces of legends – What mouthpieces did the great jazz saxophonists use?

From Dexter Gordon’s Dukoff Hollywood to Coltrane’s Otto Link : a journey to the heart of the masters’ sound.

Every great saxophonist has sought their own voice. And behind every voice is a mouthpiece—a small piece of metal or ebonite that has shaped the history of the saxophone. This article takes you on a journey through time and sound to discover which mouthpieces gave rise to the most legendary tones of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Behind every sound is a craftsman.
Behind every breath is a story.
Understanding which mouthpiece the great saxophonists used to create their sound will help you find your mouthpiece… your voice.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional information or saxophonist setups to add to this table.

Saxophonist	Bec – Mouthpiece	Ouverture – Opening	Anches – Reeds	« Les Becs d’Autan » Recommended
Gene AMMONS	Brilhart Ebolin	4*	Rico n°3
Bob BERG	Otto Link Tone Edge François Louis metal		La Voz Medium	MB1
Seamus BLAKE	Ted klum Tonamax 8* HR	8*
Michael BRECKER	Brecker Brother Period : Dukoff L9, Otto link STM Double ring, Guardala Studio & Sandard (MB1) 1980< Guardala MB 1990< Guardala custom with long roll over baffle (= MB1 Pilgrimage)	8* – 9	La Voz Medium	MB1 (Brecker brother sound) MB1 Pilgrimage (90’s – 2000’s sound)
Don BYAS	Otto Link Tone Master Berg Larsen	105		Florida
Chris CHEEK	Otto Liink Tone Edge Early Babbitt, very long facing curve, low baffle	7	Rico 3,5	Slant Florida
Al COHN	Otto Link Tone Master with “AC” special facing”	7	Medium reeds	Florida
Eddie “Lockjaw” DAVID	Otto Link Double Ring, with Extra long facing curve	10*	Medium Hard reeds	Florida
Frank FOSTER	Otto link STM Florida	10*	Medium Hard reeds	Florida
Stan GETZ	1943-1957 : Berg Larsen metal, Tone Master Otto link 4*, Brilhart Tonalin streamline 7 1957< Otto Link Tone Edge Florida no-usa 5*	5*	Rico 3,5 – 4,5	Slant Florida
Benny GOLSON	Otto link Tone Master / STM Florida, with extra long facing curve	10*	Custom-made Rico force 6 reeds, he nicknamed his reeds “ice sticks.”	Florida
Dexter GORDON	1940 – 1952 : Otto link Four Star 4 & 5, Tone Master 6 Hawkins Special given by Illinois Jacquet. 1952 – 1971 : Dukoff Hollywood 6* large chamber (1949) with “Dexter Gordon special facing curve” 1971< : Otto Link STM Florida 7* – 8	4 – 8	La Voz Medium – Rico 3	Hollywood & Florida
Johnny GRIFFIN	– Otto Link Improved tone master – Otto link STM Florida	9<		Florida metal
Coleman HAWKINS	– Otto link : Master link, four star, Tone Master, STM Double ring, Florida STM – Berg larsen metal	Otto link : “Hawkins special facing” 5 à 6		Florida metal
Jimmy HEATH	– Otto link : Tone master, STM Florida – RPC	7*	Vandoren	Florida metal
Joe HENDERSON	Selmer Soloist D	D	La Voz Medium
Bob MINTZER	– Dukoff L/D 7 – Freddie Gregory Hard Rubber Mark II	7** with special facing	Rico 3/12	MB1 Standard / Pilgrimage
Hank MOBLEY	Otto link : Tone Master, Super Tone master, Tone edge	8-10*		Flrodia metal
Chris POTTER	Otto link : Tone Edge early Babbitt 9/9* STM double ring 8	8-9*	D’addario select jazz 2H – 3M Filed	Florida metal
Joshua REDMAN	Otto link : Tone master Early Babbitt 7*, STM Florida 9/9*, STM Double Ring .103”	7 – 9*	Alexander	Florida metal
Sonny ROLLINS	– Brilhart Tonalin, – Berg Larsen Hard rubber And metal – Otto link : Tone master STM Double ring and Florida	10-10*	Rico 2,5	Florida metal
Wayne SHORTER	– Otto link : STM Double Ring 7 STM Florida 8 & 11 Tone Edge Early Babbit 8 –> 10 – Ria 10 – Lebayle metal	7 – 8 – 10		Florida metal
Zoot SIMS	Brilhart Hard Rubber n°4			Slant Florida
Ben Webster	Otto Link Four Star n°5		3 ½ Rico	Florida metal
Ben WENDEL	Morgan Jazz Vintage 116” Otto link Reso Chamber 7*	7* – 8*	Rico Jazz Select n° 3 M Filed Rigotti gold jazz 3 light	Slant Florida
Lester Young	Otto Link Four Star n°5 Brilhart Ebolin Streamline n°7	5 – 7	Rico 2½ – 3	Florida metal / Slant Florida