TomMapfumo
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,361
- Locality
- Skabertawe, South Wales
Hi Folks!
I have just received a new Rico H Ligature (Alto) which is on offer at www.sax.co.uk for a very reasonable £13. Silver metal 2 screw affair - fairly solid build. Took a little while to put on as screws had to negotiate a curve on top of mouthpiece and the threads could catch a little. I eventually adjusted it with reed (Francois Louis Excellence 2.5) on to my mouthpiece of choice (Ponzol Vintage HR 85*) on my Selmer Ref54 ,and blew away. Initial impressions were of a solid sound, quite a bit of body, and fairly mellow sounding. I didn't feel that it held the reed that well, but the sound was fine across the full range, with an equally solid upper octave.
I then put the FL Basic Lig on to the same set-up. The actual fitting was very straightforward with a one screw fitting, and the contact seemed a better, and lighter one - it is a lighter ligature but not fragile. The sound was a little more immediate/present, neither mellow nor edgy, but had more character and a cleaner sound. Both had a solid feel to them and a richness of sound, but would rate the FL Basic more highly as the sound had more precision and life to it (as if the Treble had been turned up) than the Rico, and was certainly a lot easier to fit.
I would give the Rico H an 8, and the FL a 9. The Rico was a solid metal lig but I preferred the Selmer 2 screw ligature which seemed strong, but lighter, and had more life to the sound (8.5).
I was left wondering whether it was the heavier material or less pleasing fit that would explain the mellower, less clear sound.
Very good value for £13 - get one while stocks last. I would rate it above the less esoteric material ligs (eg. Rovner Dark/Light), but not quite at the standard of a Rovner EVO-5 (8.5).
Kind regards
Tom
Back to the 3 Button Soprano.........
I have just received a new Rico H Ligature (Alto) which is on offer at www.sax.co.uk for a very reasonable £13. Silver metal 2 screw affair - fairly solid build. Took a little while to put on as screws had to negotiate a curve on top of mouthpiece and the threads could catch a little. I eventually adjusted it with reed (Francois Louis Excellence 2.5) on to my mouthpiece of choice (Ponzol Vintage HR 85*) on my Selmer Ref54 ,and blew away. Initial impressions were of a solid sound, quite a bit of body, and fairly mellow sounding. I didn't feel that it held the reed that well, but the sound was fine across the full range, with an equally solid upper octave.
I then put the FL Basic Lig on to the same set-up. The actual fitting was very straightforward with a one screw fitting, and the contact seemed a better, and lighter one - it is a lighter ligature but not fragile. The sound was a little more immediate/present, neither mellow nor edgy, but had more character and a cleaner sound. Both had a solid feel to them and a richness of sound, but would rate the FL Basic more highly as the sound had more precision and life to it (as if the Treble had been turned up) than the Rico, and was certainly a lot easier to fit.
I would give the Rico H an 8, and the FL a 9. The Rico was a solid metal lig but I preferred the Selmer 2 screw ligature which seemed strong, but lighter, and had more life to the sound (8.5).
I was left wondering whether it was the heavier material or less pleasing fit that would explain the mellower, less clear sound.
Very good value for £13 - get one while stocks last. I would rate it above the less esoteric material ligs (eg. Rovner Dark/Light), but not quite at the standard of a Rovner EVO-5 (8.5).
Kind regards
Tom
Back to the 3 Button Soprano.........
