 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DanL
Date: 2010-08-30 00:11
I own a Bb Soprano mouthpiece, marked A. Gigliotti, made by Otto Link. The model is marked AG2. It's about 25 years old. Does anyone know anything about this? The folks owning the Otto Link name presently don't know anything, and the folks who own the A. Gigliotti name don't answer their phones and never respond to emails.
Any thoughts would be great!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-08-30 01:07
I used to have one. It wasn't too bad. Made from the old "good" rubber compound (Rod Rubber), and not molded if I remember correctly. I thought it was ok, just not the facing for me.
Alexi
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-08-30 01:12
PS - Also, if I recall correctly, Gigliotti liked a VERY close, long facing. Which means if this mouthpiece is pretty much untouched, you may be able to get it refaced by someone you prefer to have it better suit you.
Alexi
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-08-30 01:32
If it's an Otto Link Gigliotti with an AG2 marking on it, then as far as I can remember it's more than 25 years old. Anthony Gigliotti (principal clarinet in Philadelphia 1949-96) started having his mouthpieces made by Otto Link in the mid-1970s - I have a prototype from about 1974, and I think the mouthpieces may have gone into production the following year. Gigliotti moved his mouthpieces to the Babbitt company after only a few years with Link, maybe even in the late '70s, but I'm fairly certain it was considerably earlier than 1985. I have one of those Link AG2s as well as several Gigliotti P and P34 mouthpieces that were made by Babbitt soon after the switch. I wish I could put my finger on a time reference that would let me be more sure of the chronology. They were originally designed as copies of one of Gigliotti's Henri Chedevilles, although as production continued small changes were made (the Link company's unwillingness to continually tinker with the templates was a major reason, I think, for the move to Babbitt). If your AG2 has its original facing, it's close-tipped with a medium-length curve. Gigliotti himself eventually played for many years on his "P" (for "Personal") facing, which has a longer curve. I think the AG2 facing was essentially the same as the P34, although the blank itself had been tweaked somewhat.
Karl
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Author: DanL
Date: 2010-08-30 16:54
Wow!
Thanks everyone for your input! Now that I think about it, I guess I have had my Otto Link/Gigliotti AG2 mouthpiece since the mid-late 1970's. It sat unused for many years and when I returned to playing, I found it had developed a 'chirp' and so I had it refaced by a wonderful fellow out in Michigan (Robert Scott). It now plays well, and I'm so satisfied, I'd love to get another just like it.
Does anyone have any ideas on where I might find another Otto Link / A. Gigliotti AG2 mouthpiece???
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-08-30 19:27
DanL wrote:
> Does anyone have any ideas on where I might find another Otto
> Link / A. Gigliotti AG2 mouthpiece???
I do know of one website that is popular on this board for occasionally being able to locate older and rarer clarinet items.....what was it called? i-ocean? U-penninsula? The name escaped me........
lol.
"That" auction site is probably your best bet. But if you liked how Robert Scott refaced your mouthpiece, I say contact him personally and see if he has any refaced mouthpieces laying around, or recommendations.
Alexi
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-09-02 02:58
Bob Scott, also well known as Scotty, is very good at refacing mouthpieces. He's been doing this since the late 1960's. I've known him since 1972. He's a wonderful man.
As far as the Babbitt blanks go, Tony has some very good mouthpieces coming out of there.
The reason you probably weren't able to find a family history is Anthony's family is fighting about who has the rights to his estate, including the mouthpieces. If you call Babbitt, they probably will be pretty secretive and offer little or no information to you.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2010-09-02 03:09
I'd probably put "fighting" long in the past tense.
His family got nothing - only his widow. She totally shut out the rest of his family from what reports I've read. Didn't even allow his kid's mother to attend Tony's funeral.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: arnsas
Date: 2013-04-08 16:35
Greetings: I do have an early Giliotti/Link AG3 MP in very good condition. If you are still looking, drop me a line. Regards, Arnold.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-04-09 12:37
Otto Link is now a JJ Babbitt brand. This was probably the reason for the switch. When I was in the factory, Mr Babbitt mentioned that Gilliotti was very picky about how accurate the facings were. Other makers I know that use JJ Babbitt to produce their mouthpieces check all the facings after they receive them to make corrections. The Hite name is know owned by JJ Babbitt. This is one reason I don't recommend Hite mouthpieces now. One level of quality control is missing.
Steve Ocone
Post Edited (2013-04-09 19:33)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-04-09 16:44
She moved the business to Florida several years ago. I don't know where it's being run from now or by whom.
Karl
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2013-04-11 19:56
This story is very tragic.
The second wife and her boyfriend were arrested because they had kept their nephew from Taiwan locked up in the basement of their house and beat him.
They were sentenced to prison time.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/anthony-gigliottis-family-reaches-out-to-teen-as-tai-ling-gigliotti-awaits/1094586
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2013-04-11 21:59
Tony Gigliotti's Curtis Diploma was found in a roadside flea market in NJ - FOR REAL.
She had no regard for his belongings/family whatsoever.
I didnt want to bring up the tremendous abuse that Tony's adopted child went through (was her Nephew!!), but yes, was tragic.
She paid whatever price her Lawyer could work out.....
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
Post Edited (2013-04-11 22:00)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-04-11 22:26
One correction that may be relevant - according to the news coverage at the time (I went back and re-read some of it when this thread reappeared last week), the boyfriend was given probation. His online music store (which I deliberately won't name here) may still be operating and selling the Gigliotti line. Her sentence, according to the coverage at the time in 2010, was 10 years.
Karl
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