Ligatures Ligatures - 2 screw or 1 screw?

[Nick Cook]

I've been using a leather Rovner type lig with a single screw on my alto for some time, and my new Tenor has the metal lig with two screws.

Now, I know there has been a lot of discussion about whether the type of lig makes any difference to the sound of the sax (and I'm in the 'it's-just-to-hold-the-reed-in-place-it-doesn't-make-any-difference' camp), but I can't be arsed to tighten up two screws every time!!!

So I'll be getting a leather lig with just one screw!!!

 

[Mamos]

I like the simplicity of one screw also although I do have a standard yamaha lig on my yamaha mouthpiece I have a one screw metal lig on my Otto Link

My wife's alto has a BG cloth lig but she doesn't get the sax until Sunday so I haven't really had a chance to examine it fully

Get yourself another rovner

mamos

 

[teebones]

I've been using a leather Rovner type lig with a single screw on my alto for some time, and my new Tenor has the metal lig with two screws.

Now, I know there has been a lot of discussion about whether the type of lig makes any difference to the sound of the sax (and I'm in the 'it's-just-to-hold-the-reed-in-place-it-doesn't-make-any-difference' camp), but I can't be arsed to tighten up two screws every time!!!

So I'll be getting a leather lig with just one screw!!!

yes it is a (pain in the butt) when you are asked to tighten two screws instead off one 🙂))🙂)):welldone

 

[dooce]

I have always gone for single screw ligs as well – so much less fiddly than twin screw. The best is a Lawton which doesn’t even have a lig – just a built-in screw clamp. However I bought a Link STM with my tenor and the shop fitted a Selmer twin-screw lig to it by carefully bending it to fit the profile of the mouthpiece. The STM has a raised ridge at the top which stops the lig moving around so it just stays on the piece. I’ve used it ever since – it works on my set-up and is just as convenient as a single screw.

And the crowning glory is the bling factor of a silver lig against a gold mouthpiece of course.....

 

[old git]

Check the Lebayle Solist, NO screws.

 

[jonf]

Ligs

I'm with Dooce on the Lawton - easily the best lig. On my RPC tenor, I was using the metal one it came with, which the maker recommends. However, I recently swapped to a rovner, which is just a bit more convenient to use. Absolutely no difference to the sound, though.

 

[neil]

i once saw a jazz band in a local pub...the average age must have been about 80....and the sax player broke his ligature screw...he put his reed on with some electrical insulation tape and he was bloody amazing....makes you wonder how much it really matters

 

[jonf]

Sellotape

When I had a Runyon Custom plastic mouthpiece I bust the lig. Runyon ligs are absolutely crap. I used Sellotape and it was absolutely fine. The only problem is that it leaves a bit of a sticky residue - I wouldn't use it on an ebonite piece, or one that was nicely gold or silver plated, but for plastic or stainless it makes a good, cheap substitute.

 

[daveysaxboy]

I for 1 think Lig's play a big part in your response you get when blowing.I have lot's of lig's and have found they can hinder or help in big way's in your sound and overall range up and down the sax.I have certain lig's that i know open up the sound and are more free then i have one's that are more darker,softer in sound.But for me again response is key,some are much faster on articulation and attack.Each man has his own thought's but i think they are a major effect in the end.

 

[FastFred]

I agree with Dave Keighley here re the affect on sound. My Rovner Eddie Daniels made a big difference to me re being more easily able to hit high and low notes. I am now at a stage where I am getting a very nice tone and feel like I am painting with colours as opposed to black and white. I haven't played my metal vandoren for probably 9 months (probably grade 3 then) but I am going to give it a try tonight only to see if it was me or the ligature....

I do like the simplicity of the rovners and the daniels version allows different tones if you believe the spiel. I think I could hear differences..

 

[Josh Johnson]

I did put an Eddie Daniels lig on the RPC that I was using. I wouldn't necessarily say that it made the mouthpiece mellow, but it did take some of the edge off, at the detriment of slightly stifling the harmonics.

 

[FastFred]

Well my experiment is well in progress. Metal Vandoren 2 screw vs Eddie Daniels....

I am just going through the (almost) daily monotomy of my three grade 6 pieces for July. I was very shocked how good the Vandoren is. I can hit all the notes very easily and it is freer in sound. The notes seem to move faster through rapid scale runs. The quiet notes have a more airy sound and overall better dynamics.

Whatever the Eddie Daniels did for me 9 months ago I now don't need. I will play around with the Daniels with the various inserts but my overall feeling is that it damps out some sound. When I bought it I was amazed how easily top f's and low bflats were achieved when I struggled with a metal liggy but I am quite a way on from that point now.