Dukoff Mouthpieces
BD Dukoff Hollywood (1945):
Shown below is the first Bob Dukoff saxophone mouthpiece made in 1945. They had a one piece design made of brass with a round medium chamber and flat inner side walls. They had white bite-plates and serial numbers.
Bob Dukoff "Dukoff" (1945):
These mouthpieces are shorter than the BD model. They have a very large chamber with very deep rounded inner side-walls. In fact, what makes these mouthpieces so great is that they have such profoundly rounded inner side-walls, much like the NY Otto Links made in the 1940's. However, they have higher floors than their Otto Link counterparts so have more projection. These are fantastic playing mouthpieces; however, the facings vary widely from piece to piece. About 200 of this model were bought by a New York Distributor who put the Woodwind Co. name on them. Most have a serial number on the shank with white bite.
BD Dukoff Hollywood (1949):
These brass mouthpieces were produced in two halves that were silver soldered together (much like the Otto Link.) They had a large chamber and rounded inner side walls. Only about 200 of these mouthpieces were made. And, about 100 of these blanks were sold to Zimberoff, who produced a mouthpiece under their own name. The white bite-plates continued with these models.
This same mouthpiece was also sold under the name Zimberoff - House of Note. Some of these had the model name Vibra Metal.
Dukoff Ligatures and Caps:
All of the mouthpieces made in the 1940s came with one of the two ligature and cap combinations shown below.
Dukoff Hard Rubber "Fluted Chamber" Mouthpiece (1952):
These mouthpieces had lengthwise ridges inside the large chamber, inspiring its Fluted Chamber name. They had a large chamber and rounded inner side walls like the Florida Otto Link hard rubber mouthpieces. They also sound a lot like the Florida Link hard rubbers and can be very good playing mouthpieces.
This same mouthpiece was later made without the flutes. It is otherwise the exact same mouthpiece with a large chamber, rounded inner-side walls and good projection. Overall, it is an outstanding mouthpiece. This version was also sold under the name Zimberoff - House of Note.
Transitional Mouthpieces (1963)
These mouthpieces are nickel plated, solid caste brass. They came in two styles. One had the same chamber as the Super Power Chamber mouthpiece but did not say Super Power Chamber. The second style looks similar on the outside and is also nickel plated solid brass, but had a chamber much like a Brilhart. It had a small roll-over baffle, lower floor and an almost oval medium chamber. Most of these models had a serial number with the exception of a few pieces at the end of the run.
Super Power Chamber (1972)
The Dukoff Super Power Chamber mouthpieces where made out of metal Silverite. They were made from a single injection mold. The material is quite soft, requiring extra care. These are still currently in production.
Super Power Chamber (1975)
The Dukoff Super Power Chamber Ebolite Vibra-Com mouthpieces were pieces identical to their metal counterparts, but made from black plastic. A few clear plastic versions were also produced. The last of these pieces were made in 1994.
BD Hollywood (1998)
Both BD Hollywood models are now made in a one piece design of metal Silverite.
I just got an L9 (tenor) off eBay, and it is interesting mouthpiece. I would describe it as being quite volatile and if you lose concentration, it turns around and bites you. Good fun to play and can deliver wonderful tones.
