 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Pappy
Date: 2004-05-04 15:30
This may seem a dumb question, but here goes. I use a pretty basic Luyben Ligature I've had since the 70's that I've always been happy with. I've seen some of the newer ligature designs, and actually tried a couple. I can't tell any difference is reed performance or sound with the new designs. What are the advantages of the new ligatures suppose to be?
Thanks!
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Author: Betty
Date: 2004-05-04 15:43
I, too, play with my ligature from the early 70s. (It is about ready to break apart) but have been unable to find a decent replacement. Most of the newer ones Ive tried have all been too tight (even without the screws in)
There is one person in band who uses a leather string to hold her reed on, but I cant tell the difference between her and the guy next to her who uses a silver plated inverted ligature with a rubber plate pad, or the next person who uses a plain old metal one with screws like I do!
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2004-05-04 16:27
I managed to show up at a public performance without my lig and used Scotch Tape! I asked my stand mate if it sounded ok and he thought it sounded just fine, go figure!
RW
Best
Rick
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-05-04 18:33
Mine are made by Ethicon or Davis+Geck
whoops....wrong bulletin board
(That one was for you, Susan, and yer hubby)
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2004-05-04 19:55
This has nothing to do with this question, but is something I have been meaning to ask...
I have an optimum ligature and it's been dropped a couple of times, resulting in it being slightly out of shape. I couldn't figure out why my tone had suddenly gone so bad and while in rehearsal one day noticed that only one of the two rails were touching the reed because the ligature was bent slightly. I was able to get it back to almost normal, but it is still slightly off. (This fixed the tone problem, btw)
Any ideas? It's not made perfectly round, so trying to bend it around something round won't work...
Thanks!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-04 20:32
The new, expensive ligatures have a major advantage over the amazingly inexpensive yet effective Luyben: they have significantly larger Placebo Effect Coefficients (proportional to their cost), resulting in a much higher Perceived Satisfaction Factor (PSF). In other words, you feel better playing them because you spent more money.
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-05-05 01:24
I use an Optimum ligature and, although I agree in general with David Spiegelthal re the PSF, I have found that my Selmer ligature works best for me when there is a full moon.
Hans
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-05-05 02:49
DS,
I still play a Luyben from the same time as I got my Portnoy BP02 (like about 1970). My #1 ligature is a Gigliotti that I modified myself with a Dremel.
All for less than the price of an old Harrison!
HRL
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Author: Kalakos
Date: 2004-05-05 03:49
On the subject of ligatures:
A couple of years ago I happened to read several different sources which talked about how the old "string tied" reed/ligature system made for a different (and better tone). I used a new shoe lace (as a substitute for the real type of string) and tied the reed on my favorite mouthpiece (a Borbeck) and proceeded to try out the old Buffet metal lig and the string tied one.
I was surprised to find that the tone actually 1) sounded different and 2) actually seemed sweeter and more mellow!
So maybe the type of ligature does make a difference!?
However, I got tired of tying the reeds on like that and haven't gone back to tying them (although I keep a couple of "strings" in my case for "in case"!!
For what it was worth anyway...
:-)
J. Pappas
Kalakos
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2004-05-05 06:10
Pappy --
The Luyben is not only a fine ligature but one of the very few high quality low priced ligatures on the market. (Most of the no name low priced two screw ligatures are better suited for clamping automotive radiator hoses than for securing reeds to mpces.)
My Luyben plays about as well as any of my other ligatures (Bonade, Gigliotti, Rovner, Lurie, plus some antiques and several of my own modifications). My only reason for using my old Bonade 99% of the time is that through familiarity with it I can change reeds more quickly than with any of my other ligs, although it is fun to play on a a different ligature now and then.
Vermont JM --
Your ligature bent because it is a quality product made of soft metal. If it now works properly there is no need to go further in restoring it to its original shape. If you wish to do so for aesthetic reasons, any competent woodwind repair person can finish the job. If none are handy near you, another good bet would be a jeweler or even a hobbyist who is skilled in working with the softer metals.
Kalakos --
Many of us have had the same experience as you did, which is that while we prefer the "live" quality of the string ligature, it is too much of a problem to affix the reed, so we go back to using more conventional ligatures.
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2004-05-05 06:36
I've played on many different ligatures/mouthpiece/reed combinations and came to the conclusions that some of the mouthpieces sounded the same with different ligatures. But some of them did incredibly improve by changing the ligature. You could notice this in in most cases by the sound quality of the higher register notes and the comfort in playing them, that really did improve!
So I think it isn’t just between people ears, except the price there are more differences. And about the looks…this is also a personal taste, I really don’t like the design of my own optimum ligature!
So conclusion there maybe a difference that just isn’t noticeable on every mouthpiece. But that’s only my personal view on the subject…
Eddy
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Author: Pappy
Date: 2004-05-05 12:26
"Author: David Spiegelthal (---.east.saic.com)
Date: 2004-05-04 20:32
The new, expensive ligatures have a major advantage over the amazingly inexpensive yet effective Luyben: they have significantly larger Placebo Effect Coefficients (proportional to their cost), resulting in a much higher Perceived Satisfaction Factor (PSF). In other words, you feel better playing them because you spent more money."
LOL! I had a "feeling" it was something like that.... Confirms my suspicions.
:-)
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2004-05-05 12:41
Hey, Alseq!
I've also discovered a clarinet-related use for latex surgical gloves. My right thumb is non-standard-issue, the result of a couple centuries of inbreeding in my maternal line. I was born with two thumbs on that hand (no joke!), and the amputation (performed when I was but a week old) left me with a funny bump right where the clarinet attaches. I've had a world of trouble keeping my thumb steady on the thumbrest, because the joint slants the wrong way.
Recently, I discovered that I can cut a finger out of a surgical glove, leaving both ends open, slip it over the offending digit, and voila! -- no more slipping and sliding. Cheaper than a high-tech thumbrest, and not quite as geeky. And it fits into my case (right down there with the piece of pipette that somebody gave me to try on the thumbrest itself).
Maybe I should try this as a ligature, too?
Susan
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2004-05-05 13:20
Suzan....if you're gonna luv..wear the glove!
(gads! that one is almost worthy of that CPW character who posts on this board)
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