Does anyone play a HR link on bari?

[Christian W]

Does anyone play a HR link on bari?

I

[OnyxSax]

I do. I play a very old Berg 105/1 on my Conn Chu Baritone. I like the sound, warm and full. It produces a surprising amount of power considering how moderate the tip opening and facing are.

[Christian W]

I actually meant "HR Otto Link"

[RS]

Stock rubber Links on bari get a nice mellow sound but with very little cut and not much power. A wedge or baffle insert can help produce more power and cut. Or you might try a rubber RIA which has the big chamber of the Link with the baffle of a no. 1 or 2 Berg.

[Ritchie]

I do, and my opinion is it has enough cut and power (e.g. for bigband use). Although I am not quite sure about the piece I have as far as modifications go, because I bought it used and the window looks quite large. But I am sure the baffle is left in its original shape, it is a very light roll over and after it there is the typical concave profile. I've got a hard rubber Meyer (medium chamber) which has a higher baffle but has much less edge and power than the Link. The Meyer is a mellow mouthpiece! I bought a Jody Jazz because everybody talks about the Links lacking power and I wanted to be prepared for louder situations, and I liked it for a brief while. But even with the spoiler inserted it has not more power than the Link, but lacks the complex sound the Link has. (Link is a #8, Meyer a #9, Jody Jazz a #12, if you care). I tried some metal Bergs and Yanagisawas, too, but did not like them. Seems like this Link is the piece I keep coming back to.

[Christian W]

Ritchie.

I agree. I play tested a Link HR 9* yesterday against a Runyon Quantum 10, and a Selmer old soloist D. The Link seems to have the best balance between tone, edge, projection, and focus. The Quantum was more spread and perhaps a touch louder, and the Soloist was just really fat and spread. I think I really like the Link, although I have not decided fully yet.

thanks for your comments everyone.

btw Ritchie, I am looking at this Link HR's window right now and the window is 2 inches long from the bottom curve to the tip. How long is yours?

[Bootman]

The problem with using a soft mpc on Bari in any real world situation is that your sound will get lost in the Bass and the LH of the Piano. You need power, focus and volume to get the Bari to cut. The HR Links are at best a medium loud mpc, finding one that plays well will be a real challenge, especially if you factor in balanced rails, even tip and consistency of finish.

You can play soft on a loud mpc but you can't play loud on a soft mpc!

[Christian W]

Boots: Not that I hear this Link HR as soft, but I guess compared to the hariy beasts of mouthpieces that you use, your comments are true. This Link would be too soft in true rock or R n B situations, but then again, unlike your years of experience in these situations, I wouldn't know cause I don't have the experience playing in these situations, and I probably never will as I am not into this type of music.

I also don't think I will be playing in Big Bands all that much as we both know how pathetic the Sydney live music scene is in this regard. Thus, my thinking on my Bari mouthpiece choice is coming down to tone alone. The groups I will play Bari in will be small ensembles, normally without piano, or bass, so I know I don't need the type of power, volume and cut that you talk about.

Also, looking at this Link, the rails are balanced, and it has an even tip etc. I was actually surprised when I tried this mouthpiece as I never intended on playing it. I just went in to try some new reeds out at the store, but then I saw this older looking Link box, and I tried the mouthpiece, and I was pleasantly surprised. I checked the rails etc and I couldn't beliece my eyes.

anyway, I will show it to you sometime soon.

thanks for your comments.

[kevvieg]

I had a Link 10* that I got really cheap. I was going to get it modified, but it screamed as is. Unfortunately, it fell out of my case on a gig in Nova Scotia, so it's lost forever. Now I have a Link modified by Phil Barone. It is a hard rubber 8*. There is NO WEDGE and no great baffle, but it has a great Brignola kind of sound (Brignola on the Strathon sound, not on the Sugal sound). I keep coming back to it, and I have no problem projecting with La Voz MH or RJS 3 Hards. I have tried Runyons and just don't like the thinness of the tone on bari (though I like my runyon on soprano)

[OnyxSax]

I actually meant "HR Otto Link".

Sorry Christian, I had a long day when I read the post. Link, Berg, oh well...

I do like my Berg, though

[Ritchie]

Christian, the window of my Link is about 5,2 cm (=2 inches), so I guess it has not been modified.

[Mike Ruhl]

Boots: Not that I hear this Link HR as soft, but I guess compared to the hariy beasts of mouthpieces that you use, your comments are true. :lol: Boot has gotten to be something of a hairy beast himself, lately.