Ligatures PPT Tenor - best ligature

[Alex9]

Hi @Pete Thomas

I find that the Marc Jean (MKI) is ideal

Is this MKI the original 2 screw Marc Jean with the wooden rods? I notice on his website for his latest model he has two drop-down options for tenor ligs: a 'PPT' and a 'PPT Pete Thomas'...I don't suppose you know what the difference is?

All the best
Alex

 

[Alex9]

Considering making a shim for my Vandoren Optimum using something like this, but thinner:

https://tinyurl.com/2p8zd6th

Anyone tried this sort of thing before? There's hundreds of similar products that can be cut to size, and have varying thicknesses and grips. Might just work.

Alex

 

[saxyjt]

Considering making a shim for my Vandoren Optimum using something like this, but thinner:

So your Optimum is not a natural fit? One note about mine is that it doesn't have any exchangeable plates like apparently currently available have. I got mine with a mouthpiece I bought from my teacher a few years ago and it didn't come with plates.

 

[Alex9]

@saxyjt I should make clear, I've got a new Pillinger piece but not a PPT. It's an excellent Brilhart repro. But I'm using this thread because it seems I'm having a similar issue with that tapering of the piece and trying to find a good fit. What I really want is a metal lig too.

My Optimum has all 3 plates but that's negligible because they're all basically the same thickness. Going to try and stick a pad to one of the plates and see how that works.

Ed's been great and has suggested a shim too, until I find a lig that fits.

 

[Adrian63]

Way to go Alex : great choice of mpc....nice one !!

 

[saxyjt]

@saxyjt I should make clear, I've got a new Pillinger piece but not a PPT. It's an excellent Brilhart repro. But I'm using this thread because it seems I'm having a similar issue with that tapering of the piece and trying to find a good fit. What I really want is a metal lig too.

I have a similar issue with my PPT bari and I haven't been able to find a proper fix yet. Probably because I don't play bari enough... Or is it the other way around?

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hi @Pete Thomas

Is this MKI the original 2 screw Marc Jean with the wooden rods? I notice on his website for his latest model he has two drop-down options for tenor ligs: a 'PPT' and a 'PPT Pete Thomas'...I don't suppose you know what the difference is?

All the best
Alex

That's funny, but I have no idea. We don't have different models based on being PPT or PPT Pete Thomas. All I can say is I prefer the original over the MKII.

 

[jazzdoh]

I also have the Marc Jean original and it does fit but if you use a Legere signature which is a thinner profile you have to make sure you put the lig slightly further back for optimal fitting.

 

[ellinas]

I remember that I loved a BG flex with my PPT.
The flex even though a cheap ligature is great.
I often find that leather/fabric ligatures can mess the response and articulation ..... Not this one.

 

[Alex9]

Anyone have a Marc Jean MKI ligature to spare? 😉 Or know where I can get one?

I need my lig to sit fairly high up my MP. The reason we've had some contradictory opinions will be partly because of our preferred lig position (obviously reed type, MP & lig dimension variances etc, matter...)

Looks like I'll be trialling these ligs (no particular order):

1. BG L13
2. Rovner Star 2R
3. FAXX
4. BG Flex
5. Syos
6. Marc Jean MKI

If only I could go into a store that sold most of them. Bah.

Alex

 

[Pete Thomas]

Just to clarify a few things. The very first prototype PPTs were actually based on me messing around with a Vandoren Java, which was made from a Babbit blank. The previous year I had shown Jean Paul Gauvin of Vandoren my RPC, and he immediately though it was Java - Ron of RPC was using the same Babbit blanks.

I/we subsequently did some more messing and altered the chamber. And once Ed had put a different curve on it there were then three points that made it different to either a Java or an RPC (baffle, chamber and facing curve). It evolved/morphed into what I had in mind all along - something more akin to a Berg Larsen but better made. More consistency and better tuning on the majority of both modern and vintage saxophones. (This is just the tenor - the alto soprano and baritone are a different story.

 

[Alex9]

I absolutely love my mouthpiece! That's what matters.

Just want to be clear that I'm not grumbling about the piece at all, I just want to get the most from it. It sings! The right lig will just help with my articulation and expression.

 

[Jeanette]

Anyone have a Marc Jean MKI ligature to spare? 😉 Or know where I can get one

Put a wanted ad in the yardsale 🙂

 

[Pete Thomas]

I need my lig to sit fairly high up my MP. The reason we've had some contradictory opinions will be partly because of our preferred lig position

Preferred lig position would only be relevant for mouthpiece with concave facings, or are distorted in some way. PPT mouthpieces have flat tables so ligature position (within reason) will not make a difference.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Another good one I just discovered is the Bonarde HB100

 

[BrianJoeSandy]

I have a standard metal 2 screw with a patch of fabric between metal and Reed. That works well. Not sure of size of metal 2 screw. Too big without my insert