Ligatures Ishimori vs Vandoren vs francois louis ultimate

[Ivan]

To me, the Francois Louis Ultimate looks like a torture device

It could easily be, depending on where you apply it

My FL lig has rubbed into the brushed finish of a brass PTT

This is not good

But on my bare brass mouthpieces it leaves no surface damage and it clamps reed-to-piece very well

 

[skeller047]

I've seen the basic inverted D'Addario nickel plated for metal tenor mouthpiece just 3 days ago... on Amazon indeed.

I just looked at Amazon and yes it’s there. It is sold by Amazon in the UK. Not in the USA.

@eb424 - if you want a good ligature for a Link, this is excellent. However, you should hurry up 😉 - I just bought two of them from Amazon as I do believe D’Addario has discontinued them; they are not on D’Addario’s web site, nor are they at other music online stores I use (such as Weiner Music).

 

[eb424]

I just looked at Amazon and yes it’s there. It is sold by Amazon in the UK. Not in the USA.

@eb424 - if you want a good ligature for a Link, this is excellent. However, you should hurry up 😉 - I just bought two of them from Amazon as I do believe D’Addario has discontinued them; they are not on D’Addario’s web site, nor are they at other music online stores I use (such as Weiner Music).

Hi I bought one last week, it fitted the gottsu but not the link. Shame i like those ligs and use them on the Lakshmi instead of theos enlightened lig its more manageable..The rovner platinum inverted is ok but as long as the main body on the link which restricts reed types to filled. If i use certain unfilled like Rigotti the lig is right on the vamp..

 

[tzadik]

There are the Rovner Star Series and the Rovner Dark 3ML-NY that should fit...

 

[eb424]

There are the Rovner Star Series and the Rovner Dark 3ML-NY that should fit...

I have the legacy. I prefer the metal on the reed it seems to dampen it less..I like metal basic ligs its a pig..seens like the ishimori is the only option..£260..😱

 

[thomsax]

Rovner; Versa, LGX, Versa-X .....

What do you mean with "seems to dampen it less"? Is your mouthpiece not given you the tone/timbre you're seaching for?

I have an old Rovner Ed Daniels II ligature. I can change metal inserts and flaps. You should see the differnt settings more to be something that helps you as player and less to change the tone/sound for the "audience".

I like ligatures that are tight around the mouthpiece. A mouthpiece and ligature combo with gaps between the lig and mouthpiece is not nothing I would spend my money on unless the design of the liguture is meant to touch the mouthpiece on few small spots. Mouthpieces and ligature combos ... but don't forget the reed. I think the reed should fit perfect on the mouthpiece. Not longer than the table and not wider than the rails/table. The efficiency should be high .... if you lose effeciency around mouthpiece/ligature/reed you will probably lose more effeciency further down in the tube. Is like to calibrate a burner. If I you don't adjust the flame, less heat in radiators.

 

[Jimmymack]

Doesn’t the Link come with a lig? If you are happy talking yourself into an overpriced lig the go ahead. Headwind sell Zac ligs that fit all sizes, they cost about £100, check their site and see if you can find one to fit, or best of all call them.

 

[eb424]

Whats wrong with the Otto Link lig, when I played a metal Link on tenor about 20 year ago I found this to be the best lig for the job, if it's good enough for the likes of Chris Potter then it's good enough.

Hi, i think some are good and some not..I bet Chris Potters link is old when the ligs were as goodbas the piece..

 

[mizmar]

Why don't you just take your set-up to sax.co and try some ligs out?

 

[jazzdoh]

Hi, i think some are good and some not..I bet Chris Potters link is old when the ligs were as goodbas the piece..

I think some players get too hung up over ligatures, they have one job to hold the reed to the mouthpiece, yes they have to fit well, but manufacturers are cashing in with loads of hype and charging fantastic prices.

I have said this before all our saxophone hero's from decades ago played on basic two screw ligs and sounded great but today it seems that some ligs are dearer than mouthpieces, I even found some sellers on Ebay were charging over £600 for Silverstein ligs, which is only a couple of hundred cheaper than I payed for my Viking alto.
Crazy

 

[eb424]

Why don't you just take your set-up to sax.co and try some ligs out?

Done it at dawkes...not many fit and id rather spend the money on a mothpiece than a £260 lig..

 

[eb424]

I think some players get too hung up over ligatures, they have one job to hold the reed to the mouthpiece, yes they have to fit well, but manufacturers are cashing in with loads of hype and charging fantastic prices.

I have said this before all our saxophone hero's from decades ago played on basic two screw ligs and sounded great but today it seems that some ligs are dearer than mouthpieces, I even found some sellers on Ebay were charging over £600 for Silverstein ligs, which is only a couple of hundred cheaper than I payed for my Viking alto.
Crazy

Couldn't agree more..if someone could just design a basic lig that fitted a link well life would be much easier..im sure its not just me that thinks a leather lig such as Rovner dampens the piece..might try the BG but prefer metal..

 

[jazzdoh]

Couldn't agree more..if someone could just design a basic lig that fitted a link well life would be much easier..im sure its not just me that thinks a leather lig such as Rovner dampens the piece..might try the BG but prefer metal..

I have Rovner's on some of my mpc's and they are fine, I don't get the dampening effect that you have.

 

[Jimmymack]

I had this problem with an HR piece and I found a BG fabric lig and an FL had plenty of adjustment. Getting to a shop is probably your best bet before you blow a small fortune on something that doesn’t fit.

 

[eb424]

I have Rovner's on some of my mpc's and they are fine, I don't get the dampening effect that you have.

Guess everyones different..its just my experience on the link..it seems more resistant..

 

[mizmar]

not many fit

Some. Below £100s?

 

[eb424]

Going to stick wuth the Rovner platinum i think.

 

[thomsax]

I think some players get too hung up over ligatures, they have one job to hold the reed to the mouthpiece, yes they have to fit well, but manufacturers are cashing in with loads of hype and charging fantastic prices.

I have said this before all our saxophone hero's from decades ago played on basic two screw ligs and sounded great but today it seems that some ligs are dearer than mouthpieces, I even found some sellers on Ebay were charging over £600 for Silverstein ligs, which is only a couple of hundred cheaper than I payed for my Viking alto.
Crazy

I don't know if the past was better? I have around 100 old ligatures most of them for hardrubber mouthpieces. To be frank, most of them are no good. Todays ligatures is much better. I don't recommend players to spend lots of money on ligatures. I like to experiment on mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds.

 

[eb424]

For me its not about all the hype or that this lig does this, in brass it does that, this plate increases projection, this plate creates a step baffle etc..I use a cheap h lig on my lakshmi because i prefer it to theos lig its to complex..ive been told in this thread that dampening by a rovner lig is in my head..but i definatelly feel a difference on the legacy which has metal on the bottom that holds the reed in place..i bet the ishimori is a fantastic fit they are beutifully crafted but i cant justify the price. Ive just bought TW essential jazz ( its fantastic for the price) which was a £100 less than the lig..I use a H lig on the piece.. crazy..Anyhoo I think ive learnt that ligs are a crucial part of the set up if a cheap one fits great. You know what else for me even the thickness of the patch makes a difference to the feel of playing not just the tone..

 

[jazzdoh]

I don't know if the past was better? I have around 100 old ligatures most of them for hardrubber mouthpieces. To be frank, most of them are no good. Todays ligatures is much better. I don't recommend players to spend lots of money on ligatures. I like to experiment on mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds.

Yes but yours are old, and back in the day they were new and the sound of the the players that we love sounded great for using them, its doubtful today ligs would last 80 years and if they did they would be poor quality, can you imagine a FL lig lasting 80 years, I have one that's 20 years old and its had it.