Mouthpieces Pauper's tenor sax ligature review

I was looking for a ligature to use with my Windcraft Etude HR tenor mouthpiece. The only other ligature I have is the one that came with my YTS62. The outer circumference of the Windcraft is rather larger than the Yamaha m/p, so the ligature didn't fit that comfortably. Here's a couple of photos of the ligature I've bought which came today.



This is not the product of a big name organisation, though you may notice some similarities to existing well known products. The cost was £3.90 including postage from Hong Kong. I notice that the price has been reduced to £3.70 since I bought mine. I was robbed. You have to ask why they don't just give them away. Here's a link in case anyone is interested

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271068885527?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

So how does it perform? Well, as you can see it fits the mouthpiece and holds the reed firmly in place. Given that's why we use a ligature that's no bad thing. It is ergonomically shaped with one end being wider than the other, just like a mouthpiece. It is clearly fit for purpose. Sadly I can't report any change in the quality of my tone following the ligature change. However, given the makers didn't claim that it was marinated in rare snake oil for a minimum of a year and the metal fastener isn't hewn from a solid block of pure unobtanium metal mined solely by vestal virgins, that's not surprising.

If you want something to hold your tenor reed in place and you'd rather not spend much more than a pint of beer, then this could be for you.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I have one for clarinet and one for sop. I had to pull the tenor one apart and lengthen it to fit my vintage piece. I would have been a bit cocerned to do it to a Rovner at £20 ish but for this price I happily hacked away. It does beg the question why do the others cost so much more?

I do love something that works well and is cheap.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Would you believe it. Another one came in the post today. I must have ordered it weeks ago and forgot. I tried it on my tenor but it doesn't work as well as the one I adapted. So another one for the box marked miscellaneous saxophone purchases. I'm going to have to get a bigger box at this rate.

 

[PaulM]

So another one for the box marked miscellaneous saxophone purchases. I'm going to have to get a bigger box at this rate.

You know Colin, I bet between the group we probably have enough sax stuff that we'll probably never use to be able to offer them as prizes in Cafe quizzes. The problem would be devising questions that Google couldn't find the answer to in under a second; oh and deciding who will take the Stephen Fry role.

 

[jonf]

So another one for the box marked miscellaneous saxophone purchases. I'm going to have to get a bigger box at this rate.

I've got a whole room for mine.........

 

[Profusia]

Looks a real bargain - thanks for sharing. Out of interest, can anyone educate me (or point me in the right direction to educate myself) on why certain types of laigatures are suitable for only certain mouthpiece materials? For example this lig being unsuitable for metal mouthpieces?

 

[Colin the Bear]

It's probably down to the shape and size of the mouthpiece. Some are more tapered than others. Plastic mouthpieces tend to be a bit fatter than metal pieces. If it fits and holds the reed where you want it held, then it's the right one in my opinion. Having said that the ear can sometimes pick out subtle differences that may not be apparent to the eye.

I use mine the other way up as compared to the picture, the bars on the reed for Baritone with a S80 same with the tenor on a vintage ebonite piece. The sop and clarinet like it as pictured.

 

[TomMapfumo]

C'mon, Nick, where art thou...............?:shocked:;}

You need a Francois Louis Basic Lig!

 

[Profusia]

Thanks Colin,
And there I was thinking it must be something very technical 🙂))

 

[kevgermany]

Thanks Colin,
And there I was thinking it must be something very technical 🙂))

If you go into all the claims made for different lig designs, they come down to allowing the reed to vibrate better.

So if you accept that the part of the reed on the mouthpiece table vibrates, then you'll probably find that inverting the lig will probably have an effect.

Some metal ligs can mark/damage mouthpieces.

 

[Nick Wyver]

C'mon, Nick, where art thou...............?:shocked:;}

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.

 

[Colin the Bear]

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.

Ain't that the truth. Amen