I just got one recently for pure curiosity and I am really surprised by the performance and capabilities of this pieces. Everything I own is basically Otto links (Navarro Maestra, Rs berkeley Chris potter.) From the moment I looked at the DSJ I realized it wasn't a Link so I didn't try to compare it to those. This piece is good on its own. It has a really good fat focus to the sound that can cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter. I truly don't like when people compare everything to certain designs, cause there will ALWAYS be trade offs with any model or material on earth. Yes Links can give you more depth and layers of sound, but they won't give you the easiness to focus and "cut", you might get on a different design. This piece as a contemporary design really kicks the butt of many high-priced ones (on the same all round contemporary designs) and some other link-on steroids as well. It doesn't have the complexity of your favorite Otto link/link inspired piece!!!OTTO LINK: Basically I mean low/medium rollovers and medium large/large chamber, to include ted klums that aren't actual link copies...I hope you get the idea...Well to be fair no other design in history has the same sound either. So Berg Larsens, Guardalas, Dukoffs, selmer soloists , etc... can only be be compared to the same kind of MPs.
After reading a big part of all this thread I am seriously wondering if part of the extra high price of certain sax gear comes from the fact that sellers know that if they use a lower price for the products most people will say it's not good enough or doesn't come even close to this or that. I don't want to divert the thread but I bet my house Silverstein wouldn't sell as many ligs if they were actually "fairly priced". Just yesterday I heard some one next to me saying that standard lig sounded dull compared to the Cryo. :faceinpalm:
D'addario you will unfortunately have to put this one over the $400 so more people realize is a good piece and not only for its price. Honestly do the Shiva, Durga, Mantra and some other steroid-super loaded MPs on the market actually sound better, have more colors and more to push against or core to the sound, or are more versatile (jazz/comercial) than the DSJ???!!! IMO there are 3 mouthpieces (same ballpark) on the market that are superior to this one, navarro bop boy, and bebop special, 10mfan Robusto. They won't do more that the select, but they do have more colors and it' easier to drive them into certain area.
To summarize: The DJS mp as a "traditional point of view" is a good mouthpiece specially for the price, I wouldn't put it at the level as Navarros, Ted Klums, Phil tones, etc...
but it can serve well the working musician, but "as a modern" more R&B, and general playing it's definitely one of the best options on the planet, no matter the price. I will swallow my pride and I will admit that in this modern category it's better than my Gaia which is the MP I use for R&B...