'Nothing better then a good old Florida Link .. I thought for years. Finally I ended up with a numerous amount of those Florida’s: USA, No USA, some in mint condition, some refaced, some modified with different kind of baffles. They all have that typical ‘Link-sound’ but they all have their own particular issue as well. Some are to thin in the upper register, some a little to dull in the lower register, some to edgy, some not edgy enough to cut through a big band, some difficult to articulate, etcetera, etcetera..

When I first met Ko, I played on a few of his mouthpieces and saw immediately that this guy was a pure craftsman. Nevertheless I didn’t like the pieces he brought with him. To small to my taste, to edgy, to much forcing me in a certain direction. Probably a matter of taste. We were just on a different track.

But half a year ago I met him again and he did let me play on one of his pieces that was based on a Link. Wow! That was amazing! Not exactly what I would choose for immediately but I realized that it would be great if he and I could work on a mouthpiece together. What if I would bring him my favorite Florida and start from there …. that would be really awesome!!

So I went to his place and again, I was impressed by his knowledge and craftsmanship. And above all, he was really trying to understand how my ideal mouthpiece should be like. In sound, in articulation, in projection, in everything. No ego, ‘just’ someone trying to realize what I was looking for. A real professional.

At this stage that holy grail is still work in progress but we (or actually ‘he’) are getting closer and closer. At the meanwhile he has put a wax baffle in my Florida 10. Again, beautiful made with care and it seems that he knows what I am looking for. It is this mouthpiece that I am playing on right now and it’s the best I had ever since.

I am so curious to the result of his new pieces. I can’t wait!'