DURGA V Alto Mouthpiece

“Wow, is all I can say about this mouthpiece! It’s all I ever wanted in an alto mouthpiece. It’s got depth with plenty of edge and brightness! The response is immediate. I can actually use this piece for any style but particularly rock, jazz and blues. I highly recommend this mouthpiece for any professional player in these genres!” – Warren Ham (Ringo Starr, Olivia Newton John)

“This Theo Wanne Durga alto mouthpiece can subtone like crazy, bend notes like Johhny Hodges, get altissimo like Albright etc.  It can be lush and sultry AND it can bring the power and muscle if you need that as well…amazing flexibility.   I only wish I could take it to Europe on tour with me next week but I only play tenor on the gig …I almost want to bring my alto to practice on my leisure time …Hhhmmm lol!  Theo Wanne, this is a masterpiece sir!  The beauty of Theo Wanne pieces is that the core sound is so in depth that they give you the freedom to explore whatever colors you’re looking for.  I’m grateful beyond measure to endorse these quintessential gems that are Theo Wanne mouthpieces.” – Phillip Whack (Fred Wesley & the New JB’s, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Kenny Garrett)

“Theo Wanne pieces give me a big sound but more importantly, it’s still MY SOUND.” – Adrian Crutchfield (Prince)

“The DURGA alto is the best mouthpiece I’ve ever played on alto!” – Jamie Michael Harris (Michael Jackson, Mo Pleasure, Earth Wind and Fire, Bette Midler)

“Theo Wanne has long been at the cutting edge of sax mouthpiece and sound development. This Durga Gold Metal Alto Sax Mouthpiece is by far one of his best attempts for today’s demanding needs. It has a strong, powerful sound and can definitely be played in many settings. He now has a Durga 2, 3, and 4 models which he has put out there for an alternative point of view. These mouthpieces rank high by today’s standards and should be played to be believed. These mouthpieces can do it all. Why not play the best!” – Jimmy Haag (Dianna Ross,  Low Rawls, Tommy Dorsey)

“The DURGA alto sounds amazing and records SO well. I love the rich tone I get. You all rock! You and your pieces changed my life.” – Mike Parlett (Talented Productions Radio)

“The Durga is a fantastic mouthpiece. It’s extremely comfortable and “easy” blowing as well as being the most powerful hard rubber piece I’ve ever played. It provides a huge amount of sonic range and flexibility that really helps inspire expressiveness and makes it great for many different playing situations from R and B and funk to jazz. I love playing on it.” – Nelson Rangell (Gil Evans, GRP All Stars)

“BRAVO! The Theo Wanne alto mouthpieces have hit a home run! They REALLY are the best alto pieces that we have seen.”  – Dave Kessler (Kessler & Sons Music Stores)

“The DURGA Alto – HOLY %^&*. YOU GOT IT.  Man is it solid- and it does NOT have that metalish thing.  Way cool; the DURGA alto is a badass. You’re blowing my mind!”  – Tim Price (Aretha Franklin, Bob Weir, Lynyrd Skynyrd)

“I have been playing my DURGA 3 ART for over a year now and it just keeps getting better and better for me.  The DURGA gives me everything I have hoped for in a mouthpiece.  It has expanded my ability to get what I want out of my playing Intense power and incredible beauty when I want it.  The Durga is amazing, It lets me play what I want not what I can get.  Really all I have hoped for.  The ART material has really held up to hard playing.  I had been playing Bergs my whole life but there is no comparison to the DURGA.  You are an incredible designer and the love you have for the music comes out in so many ways.  The mouthpiece material and ligature are unique and also offer a whole new world to players everywhere.   I  truly love the ligature!  THANKS THEO!!!!!!!!!! Everyday I think of how lucky I am to have people like you in my life.  I admire what you have accomplished Theo. Keep up the great work making all of us saxophone players even happier!!” –  Gary Joseph Hassay

“I am  truly in love with the Durga Alto. It gives me the piercing tone of a metal mouthpiece with the rich feel of hard rubber. If you want to play with the big boys…You better have an answer!!!” – Antoine Night

“The Durga Alto gold 7 is by far my favorite mouthpiece and the best I’ve ever played! Besides the physical beauty of it, I love how expressive it is. I can play soft, sweet and clean, and instantly turn it up to strong with edge. All the while being in total control of my tone and intonation. It’s bright without being too thin, and gives me that contemporary sound I need to compete with louder instruments even when I’m playing in sub-tones.” – Lebron Dennis

“The alto DURGA is  more comfortable than a good pair of slippers (no time to get used is required), amazingly even and easy through all registers (altissimo surprisingly included), strongly powerful, bright and beautiful. Baffle, chamber and table are true masterpieces, and the Liberty ligature is very, very nice (the sound become incredibly more focused and compact just moving it one hole towards the beak.  The leather pouch and the Reed Replacer cap are great and very beautiful, too. The best designed mouthpiece I’ve tried, including Guardalas and other mouthpieces! Thank you very much, Theo”

“The DURGA alto is the best playing mouthpiece I’ve ever blown. I absolutely LOVE IT! I never expected to play something that can produce the exact sound I’m looking for at any volume or level of intensity and yet blow so easily. The craftsmanship, concept, everything… is unparalleled. Thank you so much!” – Ron Bertolet

“The DURGA alto may be the most pleasing mouthpiece for alto I’ve ever played.” -Daniel

“All I have to say is WOW! The DURGA alto is the ultimate metal alto piece. My search is finally over!” -Eddie L.

“A great Alto Sax Mouthpiece!  I purchased a Durga (gold) mouthpiece and it is by far the best mouthpiece I have played on in over the past 40 years and it also looks great too!” – Will T.

“I received my Durga 3 and just want to say what a beautiful mouthpiece it is. The sound is amazing and I really like the way the ligature stays on while placing the reed. I’ve had been learning on metal Otto Link and Dukoff mouthpieces going back and forth experimenting. I’ve only been playing Alto for 4 months (but I’ve been playing piano for 50 years) but I know what kind of sound I’m aiming for and this is going to enable me to hone it in.” – Gregg Hatten

“I used to play beechler’s for many years, from the white diamond, to the bellite, to lastly the arb. But let me tell you that the metal DURGA is a perfect combination of all those and even more. It has a thick, bright but at the same time sweet tone. It’s just amazing from every aspect. By the way altissimo is super easy…” – Alex DeFrancisco

“A must buy! I used to play on a Peter Ponzol M2 .90 for years. I just wanted another MP with a little more kick. From the first note I played on the Durga I fell in love with the sound and power. The Durga has a nice bright (Not too bright/thin), full, and refined sound to it. If you think this MP is a little on the expensive side, don’t worry it is well worth the price tag. I have the control I have always wanted plus the power. I have never had any problems with the Durga. The Durga is an AWESOME MP!!!” – Monty (WWBW Review)

“Best Mouthpiece I’ve Owned! I have been using the Theo Wanne Durga alto saxophone mouthpiece for about two years now. I have tested out many other mouthpieces but this one is hands down the best mouthpiece I have ever used. I play many different genres such as pop, gospel, RnB, funk, jazz and fusion. I was looking for a mouthpiece that was bright enough to pierce through and sit on top of the band during high-energy performances; this mouthpiece definitely gave me this ability. The mouthpiece is so versatile that I can even tone it down to use for small jazz gigs. I love the tone I am able to get from it and the control is amazing. I can go from a dark smooth sound to an explosive edgy sound in seconds, with little to no effort.” – Gianluca Gibbons (WWBW Review)

“Theo…congrats on the new hard rubber Durga for alto. HOMERUN!!” – Jason Parfait

“The sound I get from the DURGA 4 is distinctly different. It produces great overtones(that ringing sound every sax player loves to hear) and it is a piece that I don’t have to worry about it getting in the way of my playing. I don’t have to worry about playing the mouthpiece; can focus on my playing my horn! The response, precision and clarity that I am able to get from my horn is something that I’ve never heard with any other piece!” – Jahvelle Rhone

“I have been playing in my Jazz band, The Northwest Jazz Conspiracy, for a couple years now and my good buddy who plays 1st Tenor came up to me last week to ask me where I got my mouthpiece and that my sound is crazy good :). That Durga 4 does wonders! Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks for putting out awesome products. They have seriously changed my playing for the better.” – Joel Johnson

“I was reluctant to buy the Durga 4 Gold mouthpiece because it seemed like it was relatively the same piece as the DURGA 3, which has been my go-to mouthpiece, A lot of people say that it takes about 3 to 6 months to figure out if a mouthpiece is for you or not, however, for me after 3 notes, I knew that the DURGA 4 is for me. I loved the Durga 3 but this just seems a lot more comfortable in my mouth, due to a slimmer profile, easy to play, and more free blowing, And I can play a slow Ballad, or rock and anything in between. I am so glad I bought the Durga 4. Wow”

“I received the Durga metal alto mouthpiece and I am blown away. If anyone is looking for a metal mouthpiece but worried that the cost of a professional model may not deliver an advantage for dollar spent, I would highly recommend the Durga. It seems to do everything from classical by allowing the reed to vibrate at the slightest air thru the full range or a rich jazz sound to a raspy screaming sax sound that reminds you of revving a race engine. The adjustable ligature can modify the facing and paired with reed strength, embouchure, and air gives an awareness of what the capabilities of an excellent mouthpiece. I am looking forward to exploring the versatility this mouthpiece can provide. This is my second Theo mouthpiece and I am very impressed. Thank you again for sending the Durga.” George Caillier

“When I first played my new Durga 4 alto mouthpiece It was simply too bright and had an artificial sound. I did not have much time with it at first as we were taking care of our grand-kids 4 days a week and they live 2 hours away. When I had more time to work with the new MP, the first thing I realized was that it blows so freely that the Legere 2.5 Signature reed was way too soft. I ordered a 2.75 (still too soft) and a 3. Wow, what a difference. I may even move up to a 3.25 or a 3.5. It is that easy to blow. I played the sax professionally since I was a kid studying under Blue Lou Marini’s dad in college. I left band directing and music altogether back in 83 due to acute hearing loss. With the latest in hearing aid technology I decided to give it a go again a few years ago. I joined Nigel McGill’s Sax School. Yesterday, I posted an alto rendition of Danny Boy on his website and the rave reviews of my sound are pouring in from all over the globe. Everyone says I have a sweet, mellow, rich sound. This comes from some pretty high level pros who say they cannot believe the amazing sound coming from my sax. The tone is so rich and resonant that I have eliminated all electronic enhancements such as reverb and delay and compensation. In short, there are a lot of people who now want a Durga 4. I purchased the #7 tip opening as I am 72 years old and I was afraid of the 8. I think an 8 might have been a good choice with a proper reed. I must add that I play the TW/Sig 2 #7 on my tenor and my peers are always loving that sound.” – John Carlo

“I am sure you receive tons of emails from people but I really feel I need to personally thank you for the genius design of the Durga 4. It just feels right that I do that from a spiritual level. I recently bought one for my alto from Gear4music and although I am paying off for it because of the price tag, it is worth every penny because what it’s done is amazing. I can now hear the expression that’s inside of me being transferred accurately through the instrument and it is so healing to be able to do that. This mouthpiece is like a key frees the soul. Thank you so much Theo. You are a genius!”– Michael Moffat

“This DURGA is the best f’ing mouthpiece of my life and that’s no damn joke.” – Adrian Olmos

“I’ve been playing the durga alto metal 8, and It is wonderful. Indeed, you know how to allow players to go new places with using your products. And I can appreciate the consistency that you strive for. I buy your products with confidence!” – Tarrus Powell

“This mouthpiece freaking rocks!!!!! I honestly LOVE it. The improvements and evolution of the DURGA 5 alto is really beautiful and inspiring to experience. It makes me want to practice more!” – Dominic Amato (The Bottom 40, Sister Sledge, George Benson)

“Very satisfied by my Theo Wanne Durga 5! That is the tone I wanted since a long time!” – Yvon Codere

“While I make it a practice to refrain from doing online product reviews, I felt compelled to write as I cannot say enough about my new Durga 5 Gold Alto mouthpiece! Like many, I have tried numerous mouthpieces over the years. However, I have never had this remarkable experience! The Durga 5 plays extremely free and open. Altissimo notes pop true while offering immensely rich tone and expressive control across the range of my horn. Incredibly fun to play, it is with me if I am looking to play dark and warm or screaming over guitars. My only regret is that it took this long for me to find my way into the Theo Wanne community!” – John A DeMartino