Ligatures Rovner Platinum ligature

[Dr G]

@Jules showed his tenor piece with the Platinum-style lig and the screw was on top. I always use my (genuine) Rovner Platinum with the screw on the bottom and so the bars pressing on the reed.

What do other people do ?

Rhys

What does the manufacturer suggest?

https://www.rovnerproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Rovner-Resource-Guide-2021.pdf

 

[Pete Thomas]

What does the manufacturer suggest?

They suggest that this is the holy grail of ligatures:

Performance-Enhancing ​

This ligature utilizes Rovner's exclusive Mass Loaded technology featuring weighted elements which tune the ligature's resonance band below the pass band of the instrument.

No other ligature has a big, warm, and responsive tone with such a phenomenal degree of control. Played softly (pianissimo) or loudly (double fortissimo), this ligature yields a tremendous evenness of scale in the most effortless manner. Capable of converting a thin, bodiless sound into something with substance and warmth, this ligature will amaze with it’s performance.

Features​

•Pure, dark, tone...ringing and bell-like
•Effortlessly played, with an incredible evenness of scale, smoothing out the difficult transitions between registers
•Superior control, for a secure, centered tone and flawless intonation
•Bolsters and solidifies the lower register for both clarinets and saxophones.
•Enhanced facility and response
•Superior reed-gripping capabilities, especially advantageous for synthetic reeds
•Durably constructed of highly-tempered, impeccably-polished, space-age metal alloy, the Platinum is as beautiful as a piece of fine jewelry
•Made in the USA!
Comes with a Rovner plastic mouthpiece cap included.

All I can say is I hope it's space age plastic

 

[Dr G]

I always wondered why a ligature made of steel was called platinum?

View attachment 33240

Durably constructed of highly-tempered, impeccably-polished, space-age metal alloy, the Platinum is as beautiful as a piece of fine jewelry

Or is it not steel then? I be alway thought they were made of stainless but no, it is space age alloy!

Platinum is hardly a space age alloy nor is stainless steel unless we are counting the era starting with Sputnik. Why not use Nitinol (a shape memory alloy of nickel and titanium)?

 

[Cimarron]

I think it was Thomas, who said years ago on the alternate site that given their simplistic nature Rovners were made for children. He put it much more artfully though.

Pre Platnim model comment

 

[Pete Thomas]

The taper didn’t align well with my piece so getting it to fit without excessive fiddling around was a problem.

Part of the issue I think is the space-age metal that doesn’t conform to the taper as it seems to be less supple than typical brass ligatures. That may be why I thought it was stainless steel they were made from.

 

[lig]

Part of the issue I think is the space-age metal that doesn’t conform to the taper as it seems to be less supple than typical brass ligatures. That may be why I thought it was stainless steel they were made from.

Sure seems like stainless steel to me. Must be “space age” steel lol.
I missed the part promising flawless intonation.

Better order one for my occasional soprano adventures. 😀

 

[Grumps]

Pre Platnim model comment

Oh, most definitely, given the price tag. Rovner users can be sensitive... and though I still use them in one form or another... I always found the comment in regard to children rather funny. Like they were made for them not to wreck... on their Yamahas.

 

[thomsax]

"Rovner Platinum" are designed to work with the pins down but can be reversed as well. With the pins down I get a better tone/sound. Even though I prefer an old "Rovner Eddie Daniels II" ligature on tenor. It's easier to adjust and holds a baritone reed a little bit better. A Rovner ligature with the pins down and an ED II are clamping on the sides of the reed. Most of the stock of the reed is "free".

I was in contact with Rovner back in the late 80's and they were running a fine business. Rovner had no distributor in Sweden back then so I bought direct from Rovner Products.

There are many good ligatures on the market. I just like Rovner .... .

A Metalite baritone mouthpiece with a Rovner Dark (standard) the pins down. Rovner mpc with Ed II liga and Rovner with Rovner ?, which came with mpc when I bought them.

 

[Cimarron]

Middle mouthpiece, Rovner Deep V 40 series by Phil Rovner himself I believe

 

[thomsax]

Middle mouthpiece, Rovner Deep V 40 series by Phil Rovner himself I believe

The gold plated one is a late Deep-V 40 step baffle. I have two #10, two #9 and one #8 the gold plated. The old ones have a bullet chamber and are longer. Also straight bill/beak.

 

[Cimarron]

Sold my 8L 40 series, I will probably sell m 9 30 series. Fabulous sounding piece.

 

[Cimarron]

Mine is the older one but in mint condition

 

[Grumps]

Rovner is local to me... or they were. Just outside of Baltimore. Their customer service had always been great. I use the same size Francois Louis on my tenor and baritone RPC's. The FL caps are hit or miss for me. They're okay for my alto, but not tenor or bari. And because the FL is such a contraption, the outer dimension is quite wide and you'd need something the size of a bass mouthpiece cap to cover it. Think the Rovner bass caps were like four bucks, and they sold me a couple without having to order a ligature. Still use 'em, those caps.

 

[Cimarron]

Sold my 8L 40 series, I will probably sell m 9 30 series. Fabulous sounding piece.

Revisiting the Rovner Deep V 9 tenor today. Keeping I, it would be criminal to sell it. Been using Boston Sax Shop Black Label, received a box of old standbys from years ago today. First one slapped on works great. This is a fuller louder piece so got to hang onto it for those Guitar player encounters

 

[eb424]

Pins up the platinum is one of the only ligs i founds holds a legere reed on a metal link..

 

[PigSquealer]

I don’t see a application for a C Melody mouthpiece 😒

 

[Cimarron]

I don’t see a application for a C Melody mouthpiece 😒

When I was looking for my mouthpiece with the more extreme taper, I sent the dimensions to Rovner and they emailed me back with the recommendations

 

[Cimarron]

The gold plated one is a late Deep-V 40 step baffle. I have two #10, two #9 and one #8 the gold plated. The old ones have a bullet chamber and are longer. Also straight bill/beak.

Check this out, Shir-Lor ligature. Apparently never really got of the ground. Easy to use with a perfect fit on the Deeo V or Metal Berg. I suppose the draw back is you can’t tighten it other than squeezing it tighter. But the tension is fine, rails of the reed ride on the rubber insert with no other pressure kinda

like the Rovner Platinum

 

[LostCircuits]

Check this out, Shir-Lor ligature. Apparently never really got of the ground. Easy to use with a perfect fit on the Deeo V or Metal Berg. I suppose the draw back is you can’t tighten it other than squeezing it tighter. But the tension is fine, rails of the reed ride on the rubber insert with no other pressure kinda View attachment 33299like the Rovner Platinum

Interesting but don't you scratch the MPC when you slide it on?

 

[Grumps]

Rovner may not put the groove in groovy, but it certainly will in your mouthpiece.