Ligatures Ligature dilemma

[ArtyLady]

Hi all, I have recently bought myself a beautiful Grained Ebonite Berg Larsen mpc which I love, but the ligature is really fiddly and awkward to do up, and after a couple of weeks of my fingers getting crippled and sore, I started looking into getting something else.

I ordered online a Rovner Versa and clicked on Berg Ebonite Tenor size. I got the ligature and it is slightly too big so the screw does right up until the top is closed together. I phoned the shop and they sent out a slimline sized one which is too small! the latter is nicer and is an Eddie Daniels (leather or leather look not sure which, and slightly different insert) as opposed to the fabric Rovner Versa.

After further discussions with the shop it transpires there is nothing sized in between so meanwhile I'm stuck with the original lig, but I wondered if anyone can recommend me a nice easy to do up ligature (preferably metal or with metal contact point) which will fit this in between size? 🙁

Thanks in advance

 

[Jules]

I've had a Berg Larsen Grained ebonite for years as my standard tenor piece- And have always used Versa/Eddie Daniels on it. On mine a standard alto size fits perfectly and, well, does everything a lig's suppsoed to do with flying colours....

 

[ArtyLady]

I've had a Berg Larsen Grained ebonite for years as my standard tenor piece- And have always used Versa/Eddie Daniels on it. On mine a standard alto size fits perfectly and, well, does everything a lig's suppsoed to do with flying colours....

What size is your Eddie Daniels? the one I have here is an IRLT (to fit slimline tenor mpc) it's fine once its on but it's a fight to get it over the reed and then it has about 3 miles gap at the top! (as opposed to the standard which closes right up).

 

[Jules]

What size is your Eddie Daniels? t

Standard alto size (the ones that go on ebonite alto pieces... not got the number to hand but its on rovner's website.... actually I'm pretty certain small tenor and HR alto are the same size ligs... have a look here- http://www.rovnerproducts.com/support/saxophone-sizing-guide.php

 

[TomMapfumo]

Found this:


Quote Originally Posted by TomMapfumo View Post
C'mon, Nick, where art thou...............?

Here!

The only comment I'll make about ligs is that - no matter how many you have, when you buy a new mouthpiece, none of them will fit.

 

[ArtyLady]

Standard alto size (the ones that go on ebonite alto pieces... not got the number to hand but its on rovner's website.... actually I'm pretty certain small tenor and HR alto are the same size ligs... have a look here- http://www.rovnerproducts.com/support/saxophone-sizing-guide.php

Is your grained ebonite like mine - somewhere between slimline and standard? - I've also got a black ebonite Berg slimline but stopped using that when I got the Grained, and the Eddie Daniels fits that very well.

My BG alto lig fits the grained fine but doesn't sound all that good - it's a standard rubber inbuilt insert thingy - I wonder if it's worth trying a metal insert BG? I suppose it's just a case of keep trying!

 

[Jules]

- I wonder if it's worth trying a metal insert BG?

Stick with the Versa- they're the best lig I've found on my Grained ebonite.....

 

[ArtyLady]

Stick with the Versa- they're the best lig I've found on my Grained ebonite.....

Yeah but they don't fit - one's too big ones too small 🙁

 

[Pete Thomas]

Just use the larger one, and cut a shim from card, leather or plastic or anything which fits inside nicely. You just cut it to the same dimensions more or less as the lig, but not such a long circumference to accomodate the screwing up bit.

 

[TomMapfumo]

Rovner Eddie Daniels Clarinet ligature!

 

[ArtyLady]

Just use the larger one, and cut a shim from card, leather or plastic or anything which fits inside nicely. You just cut it to the same dimensions more or less as the lig, but not such a long diameter to accomodate the screwing up bit.

I did think of that Pete but it would go over the metal insert at the bottom - I did email Rovner this afternoon and ask them if they had a size in between and they said they did but in the Rovner Dark not in the Versa 🙁

 

[ArtyLady]

Rovner Eddie Daniels Clarinet ligature!

Do you know what the code is?

Edit - just tried my clarinet lig on for size and it's too small - the mpc is in between slim and standard.........

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

Just to add to Pete's suggestion, I wouldn't bother with card as it will eventually end up soggy and unusable, best thing to do would be to get some contact adhesive and glue a bicycle puncture repair patch inside the slightly large lig you have, that way it will last indefinitely! sorted!!

 

[Colin the Bear]

When I had a similar problem with a vintage mouthpiece I pulled the lig apart and shortened the vinyl, adjusted the holes and refitted the bars. There is a thread on here where a manufacturer makes custom textile ligs. You measure the mouthpiece and send the size and a lig is custom made and posted to you.

The bars are the clever bit. With a small pair of scissors or a craft knife you can easily make your own or adapt an existing one. The Chinese guys on ebay do one for less than a fiver to experiment with.

 

[ArtyLady]

Just to add to Pete's suggestion, I wouldn't bother with card as it will eventually end up soggy and unusable, best thing to do would be to get some contact adhesive and glue a bicycle puncture repair patch inside the slightly large lig you have, that way it will last indefinitely! sorted!!

Good idea in theory but after spending £50 I would be terrified to do something so permanent!

 

[ArtyLady]

When I had a similar problem with a vintage mouthpiece I pulled the lig apart and shortened the vinyl, adjusted the holes and refitted the bars. There is a thread on here where a manufacturer makes custom textile ligs. You measure the mouthpiece and send the size and a lig is custom made and posted to you.

The bars are the clever bit. With a small pair of scissors or a craft knife you can easily make your own or adapt an existing one. The Chinese guys on ebay do one for less than a fiver to experiment with.

Hmmm I wonder if they could alter the too big Versa? it's a fabric one - again after spending £50 I'd be terrified to try to do it myself!! :shocked:

 

[Colin the Bear]

I'll make you one for £50 out of my own skin lol

 

[Jules]

can you measure the circumference of the grained at 'lig point' and post it here..... what you're saying suggests its non-standard size. like I said -small tenor or alto ebonite size 'should' be fine

 

[aldevis]

after a couple of weeks of my fingers getting crippled and sore

Has anyone found an easy replacement for those annoying round headed screws?

The only comment I'll make about ligs is that - no matter how many you have, when you buy a new mouthpiece, none of them will fit.

Sadly true.

Artylady, don't you have any alto saxophone ligature to try? One from your students?

 

[ArtyLady]

can you measure the circumference of the grained at 'lig point' and post it here..... what you're saying suggests its non-standard size. like I said -small tenor or alto ebonite size 'should' be fine

yep it's 9cm.....

Has anyone found an easy replacement for those annoying round headed screws?



Sadly true.

Artylady, don't you have any alto saxophone ligature to try? One from your students?

yes my BG leather style one fits perfectly (the slim tenor sax Versa/Eddie Daniels is way smaller!!) the shop think it may be misprinted inside the lig? anyway I'm sending them both back for them to have a look. He tried an alto one on a grained Berg and said it fitted fine so that will be the next step I reckon!