DRAKE CONTEMPORARY 8
First Impressions: Straight out of the box I was a bit surprised at how little the mouthpiece weighs. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, maybe the weight of a Link, but it's pretty much the same weight as hard rubber. Visually it's a very pretty piece. I chose the basic black, and I can see right at the hard edges where the glaze didn't really "take", but it's nothing to be concerned with. The copper shank insert is rather pretty, though I don't think I'll spend much time looking at it. It provides a firm yet smooth grip, and I imagine this is why it's there. It also gives it a little extra weight. I get the odd feeling this mouthpiece would float in water if it weren't for the copper insert. Unfortunately it is not coated and turned one of my neck corks green after being left on a few days (from copper, not microbes).
Reed friendliness: It likes Fibracell 2.5s and the single 2 I have. It likes Vandoren Blue Box 2.5s. That's all I have laying around. I would EXPECT it to like them, as my Link 8* likes them and the tips and facings are very similar.
Response: Spot on. Not so fast I feel like it's running ahead of me, but crisp. Altissimo response is the best of any stock (not refaced) piece I've ever had.
Tonal/Dynamic Flexibility: It has a lively but not aggressive sound at moderate volume levels, subtones nicely down to about mp, and really sizzles when I lean on it. Like many mouthpieces, the dynamic range in altissimo is pretty much limited to between mp and a strong mf or f (depending on note), but this is better than I get from some pieces where they play altissimo at one and exactly one volume level and close up otherwise.
It can get "ducky" if I try to play really soft, but if I'm in a position where I need to play really soft, this is probably the wrong mouthpiece to start with.
Other: (specify) I got the immediate sensation that the facing curve is exactly right. Not almost right, or "I'll get used to it" right, but spot on. I've played some refaced pieces (no I don't know who did them) that didn't feel this right. I have absolutely no urge to tinker with this mouthpiece, not even with clay baffles.
It is ceramic, so I do worry about potentially chipping or nicking it and treat it very carefully. The critical areas (tip, rails, table, baffle) are all unglazed and slightly more vulnerable to damage as a result, but that is necessary to get the dimensions to the necessary precision. They are also white (as is the entire chamber) but none of that is visible with a reed attached. It's actually helpful for getting the reed lined up straight -- when I can't see any white material, it's pretty close.
Conclusion: Well worth the price at $160, as this is what I would pay for a new Link that doesn't have such perfect rails and tip. It is not insanely bright but it certainly has an edge to it. If you've ever stuck a clay baffle in a Link STM, it's a lot like that. It has replaced the Link STM as my "daily driver", to the point that I took the wedge out of the STM. They were very similar in terms of sound (the Drake is superior in response) so I figured I'd get my dark piece back.
If you want something like a wedged, refaced Link, and want to spend less than a car payment for it, the Drake Contemporary should be on your short list. If you just want a refaced Link without the wedge, consider the Double Ring.