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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.

SaxophonistBec – MouthpieceOuverture –
Opening		Anches – Reeds« Les Becs d’Autan » Recommended
Gene AMMONSBrilhart Ebolin4*Rico n°3
Bob BERGOtto Link Tone Edge
François Louis metal		La Voz MediumMB1
Seamus BLAKETed klum Tonamax 8* HR8*
Michael BRECKERBrecker 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* – 9La Voz MediumMB1 (Brecker brother sound)
Pilgrimage (90’s – 2000’s sound)
Don BYASOtto Link Tone Master
Berg Larsen		105Florida
Chris CHEEKOtto Liink Tone Edge Early Babbitt, very long facing curve, low baffle7Rico 3,5Slant
Al COHNOtto Link Tone Master with “AC” special facing”7Medium reedsFlorida
Eddie “Lockjaw” DAVIDOtto Link Double Ring, with
Extra long facing curve		10*Medium Hard reedsFlorida
Frank FOSTEROtto link STM Florida10*Medium Hard reedsFlorida
Stan GETZ1943-1957 : 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 – 4,5Slant
Benny GOLSONOtto link Tone Master / STM Florida, with extra long facing curve10*Custom-made Rico force 6 reeds, he nicknamed his reeds “ice sticks.”Florida
Dexter GORDON1940 – 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 – 8La Voz Medium – Rico 3Hollywood & Florida
Johnny GRIFFIN– Otto Link Improved tone master
– Otto link STM Florida		9<Florida
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 6Florida
Jimmy HEATH– Otto link : Tone master,
STM Florida
– RPC		7*VandorenFlorida
Joe HENDERSONSelmer Soloist DDLa Voz Medium
Bob MINTZER– Dukoff L/D 7
– Freddie Gregory Hard Rubber Mark II		7** with special facingRico 3/12MB1 / Pilgrimage
Hank MOBLEYOtto link : Tone Master, Super
Tone master, Tone edge		8-10*Florida
Chris POTTEROtto link : Tone Edge early
Babbitt 9/9*
STM double ring 8		8-9*D’addario select jazz
2H – 3M Filed		Florida
Joshua REDMANOtto link : Tone master Early Babbitt 7*,
STM Florida 9/9*, STM Double
Ring .103”		7 – 9*AlexanderFlorida
Sonny ROLLINS– Brilhart Tonalin,
– Berg Larsen Hard rubber
And metal
– Otto link : Tone master
STM Double ring and
Florida		10-10*Rico 2,5Florida
Wayne SHORTER– Otto link :
STM Double Ring 7
STM Florida 8 & 11
Tone Edge Early Babbit 8 –> 10
– Ria 10
– Lebayle metal		7 – 8 – 10Florida
Zoot SIMSBrilhart Hard Rubber n°4Slant
Ben WebsterOtto Link Four Star n°53 ½ RicoFlorida
Ben WENDELMorgan Jazz Vintage 116”
Otto link Reso Chamber 7*		7* – 8*Rico Jazz Select n° 3 M Filed
Rigotti gold jazz 3 light		Slant
Lester YoungOtto Link Four Star n°5
Brilhart Ebolin Streamline n°7		5 – 7Rico 2½ – 3Florida / Slant
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