I recently picked up a Pearls alto mouthpiece made by Liu Shizhao on eBay. It was advertised as a Dukoff clone, and I had seen one sold by Westcoast sax on Facebook awhile back where he compared it to Liu's Studio mpc (the one Neff reviewed), saying it was essentially the same piece.
But here's the thing. It's not EXACTLY a Dukoff, and it's definitely not based on an MB studio.
It's clearly cloning a modified Dukoff...
With this weird prounounced tip rail...
And then I notice on FB that Liu mentioned offhand in a comment reply that "it's a copy of a vintage Saxworks. But without a biteplate, and it's in silver plated brass."
I've never seen the mythical Saxworks Sanborn model, but the Pearls seems to meet the description. Here are some pictures of the tip rail and baffle below (these are off the eBay pics. I can take others if anyone wants). Is this a clone of a Saxworks Sanborn (itself based on a modified Dukoff)?
It is hand finished, it's beautiful, and it plays great, and if true, I got it a stupid good price (cheaper than a new Dukoff, used but apparently mint). It's definitely a paint peeler and bright. I wouldn't describe it as thin, though. I'm not sure what Liu charges for these new. There's almost no information about them out there beyond Liu's Facebook page.
But here's the thing. It's not EXACTLY a Dukoff, and it's definitely not based on an MB studio.
It's clearly cloning a modified Dukoff...
With this weird prounounced tip rail...
And then I notice on FB that Liu mentioned offhand in a comment reply that "it's a copy of a vintage Saxworks. But without a biteplate, and it's in silver plated brass."
I've never seen the mythical Saxworks Sanborn model, but the Pearls seems to meet the description. Here are some pictures of the tip rail and baffle below (these are off the eBay pics. I can take others if anyone wants). Is this a clone of a Saxworks Sanborn (itself based on a modified Dukoff)?
It is hand finished, it's beautiful, and it plays great, and if true, I got it a stupid good price (cheaper than a new Dukoff, used but apparently mint). It's definitely a paint peeler and bright. I wouldn't describe it as thin, though. I'm not sure what Liu charges for these new. There's almost no information about them out there beyond Liu's Facebook page.