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Re: Clarinetists playing Saxophone mpc

Author: KenJarczyk
Date: 2015-11-27 22:06

My immediate thought was that most of you folks posting must be younger. I'm reading Meyer - this, Otto Link - that.... There are differences.

All Meyers and Otto Links for quite some time now, are made by the Babbitt Mouthpiece Company, and a very good one does escape their Indiana factory from time to time, but they are not your Grandfather's Meyer or Otto Link.

The legendary Meyers were made in New York, are stamped "Made in New York," and would have been finished by the late Ralph Morgan's father. Those are treasures. Ralph Morgan had his father's specification sheets, and would make a player a Morgan Branded, but NY Meyer in Soul and Spirit mouthpiece. I have one, and it is indeed, the absolute best alto piece I've ever played. For "modern" measurements, he marked it a 7, but in historic thought, it would be a NY Meyer 5. When you read in interview magazines, quoting Phil Woods saying he plays (alas, now played) a Meyer 5, that is an old NY Meyer 5. I'm afraid the secrets of the NY Meyer left the planet forever, with Ralph Morgan. I do have a vintage NY Meyer 6 on Bari, and a NY Meyer 7 for Tenor. The Bari piece has been my mainstay since I copped it in 1973. The Tenor is safely guarded, but not used. The NY Meyer chamber is perfect for Alto and Bari, but in my thought, lacked a wee bit on the Tenor - which is why that vintage era of players used NY Otto-Link mouthpieces quite alot!

Ken Jarczyk
Woodwinds Specialist
Eb, C, Bb, A & Bass Clarinets
Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo

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