Ligatures Vandoren Leather Ligature with interchangeable pressure plates

[AlonW]

I just picked this up. Here's my review of this ligature:

Pros:

1. The default plastic plate is perfect for what I need (the plates attach with velcro. I won't be using the metal place for fear of scratching the rails/table/tip of the mouthpiece, and the suede plate seems to be too dead sounding and is unnecessary, but YMMV.)
2. The plastic plate and leather will not scratch the mouthpiece.
3. The ligature is big enough and designed so the top screw does not scratch the top of the mouthpiece.
4. The leather grips the mouthpiece nicely and is not too dampening/dead sounding.
5. The overall tone is dark without being muffled.
6. This ligature fits my Brilhart perfectly.
7. The cap is impact resistant and also fits inside the mouthpiece compartment of my saxophone case.

Cons:

Not for those looking for the bright sound of a metal ligature.

It is better than the BG (dark/muffled from the thick material and rubber pressure plate) and the Rovner Mk3 (too small and scratches the top of the mouthpiece / hard to adjust.)

Here's the Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Vandoren-LC27P-Ligature-Interchangeable-Pressure/dp/B0020SL91E?th=1

I was fortunate enough to find this at a local music store that let me try it with a mouthpiece I brought in. It cost more than my mouthpiece did but I think it is really great.

 

[AlonW]

Following up on this review. When I actually got to spend more time with this ligature and really play it, I found it produced squeaks unless I used the metal plate. Both the plastic and felt/suede plate gave me really bad squeaks, even with the mouthpiece alone. I also tried without any plates and that squeaked too.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Following up on this review. When I actually got to spend more time with this ligature and really play it, I found it produced squeaks unless I used the metal plate. Both the plastic and felt/suede plate gave me really bad squeaks, even with the mouthpiece alone. I also tried without any plates and that squeaked too.

That'a good reason not to use it!

 

[AlonW]

That'a good reason not to use it!

I have been using it with the metal plate with good results so far. No squeaks, lots of control, easy subtones, and it fits nicely. I'm not sure why they bothered with the velcro and the other plates because they work badly. I don't really have an alternative besides going down the rabbit hole of trying more stuff so I'll just stick with this for now.

 

[Jimmymack]

The rabbit hole only exists for you to go down.

 

[greenstripe]

I'm not sure I understand the vandoren leather ligature design. I've not examined one close up: The leather appears bulky and somewhat inflexible.

The plain Rovners (light and dark) do not have or need any pressure plates and don't scratch -they have little tabs so the screw thread doesn't the mouthpiece

 

[Colin the Bear]

They're not squeaks. It's altissimo.

Try playing with no ligature. Proper embouchure workout.

Much saxophone paraphernalia exists solely to generate sales. Mission accomplished.

 

[Ivan]

...the plates attach with velcro...

Ugh

(this is no criticism of your enthusiasm for the product,)

Velcro is a fastener that is not designed to be compressed. How will it behave after hours of having its hooks and cloth squished by a ligature?

 

[AlonW]

I was experimenting again and found the other plates work fine, so I went back to the plastic plate which I prefer. The squeaking I was getting on the mouthpiece was actually just me overblowing and getting the higher harmonics. I didn't get squeaks on the sax today with the plastic plate.

Ugh

(this is no criticism of your enthusiasm for the product,)

Velcro is a fastener that is not designed to be compressed. How will it behave after hours of having its hooks and cloth squished by a ligature?

I thought I could always put superglue on the velcro to secure it permanently once I'm sure about the plate I prefer.