 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: William
Date: 2005-01-05 15:18
I must "pre-apologise" to all for another ligature question, but as this is an international forum, I am hoping that one of our European friends might have some information to share.
At the end of a 1994 summer International (Peace Garden) Music Camp (USA) session, one of my students, an extrordinarily talented young Portuguese woman clarinetist, presented me with a ligature as a gift. The ligature is simply a light weight metal band of average width (gun barrel color), one size fits all design (no adjustment screw or expandable section) and with two small round cork pads (pencil eraser size) positioned on the inner band, one above the other, that hold the reed in place. Other than a dot with a long V inscription on its back, there is no name on the band or the plastic box in which it was packaged. And, unfortunately, I did not retain my records of my students names and addresses. She did mention--through an interpreter--that it was made by her "teacher back home". But again, no name or contact info. In spite of its simplicity, the ligature plays as well as either my Vandy Optimum or any my many Winslows (one of which she bought to take back to Portuagal).
Any information regarding this ligature would be much appreciated--thank you.
Post Edited (2005-01-05 16:02)
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-01-05 17:23
hello....... hello......... hello.......... have we got the makings of a jubilee clip ligature appreciation society ?
William again thanks for your input to my "Ratterree" thread.
I've been wondering, since my recent "find", about the engineering simplicity of ligatures. It appears we have the simplest ligs so far (barring the shoe lace) I've been so chuffed with my Francois Louis lig to this point.
To think of the £'s($'s) I've spent over the "experimental" years.
Can you take a digipic and post it please. I found the responses increased after I posted some (albeit poor) pics.
Regards,
BobT
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-01-05 20:09
Wm - Van Doren has a 1981 patent, 4,275,636, whose description ?vaguely? sounds like yours. I also have seen some V D products with only a V on them. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: William
Date: 2005-01-06 14:43
Don, Thanks for your info. However, the V shape on this particular lig in my possession does not resemble the typical VanDoren font style but is rather just a plain large V formed by thin lines, with a small dot placed in the center and near the top--nothing fancy, like a "home" engraving job. More over, the student said that her teacher made these ligs and that he sent this one with her to be presented to us (me) as a gift. So what I am really trying to find out is "who" the teacher is (was) and am hoping that someone may have personal knowledge of this ligature to share.
BTW--I may be contacted directly if confidentuality is a concern.
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Author: jimrich
Date: 2005-01-13 05:24
try a Robert Vinson ligature........best thing you'll ever play on, iMO.
jim
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Author: William
Date: 2005-01-13 14:33
Thanks, jimrich........however, I am not looking for a new lig but rather simply trying ti ID this particular one that I was given during a teaching tenure at the International Music Camp. I did recover the name to the Portugese student who gave it to me, but no contact info regarding herself or her instructor who "made it". Currently using a VanDoren Optimum (parallel rail insert) but still wondering about this no-name in my assessories drawer..............
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-01-13 15:34
William,
Let's try to understand this.
You're trying to identify a ligature that was given to you over 11 years ago by a mysterious portuguese woman, who claims it was made by her teacher. The only identification on this item is a "V" marking with a dot in the middle. This ligature is so wonderful after all these years that it sits in your accessories drawer while you play a Vandoren Optimum. Yet, you just can't get it off your mind.
Hmmm.....
Have you tried googling "portuguese ligature"?
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Author: William
Date: 2005-01-14 15:45
larryb......
It's like certain visual or aural cues can rekindl fond memories of old girl friends. For this thread, I was reminded of particular lig by another posting and got to wondering, hmmm......wonder if anyone "out there" is perhaps using one, or knows who made it. I did take it out for a "test drive" and it performed remarkable well for being so simple in design. But I do still prefer my current Optimum (as well as my current wife of 30 yrs).
But those old memories....................................(ok?)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-01-14 16:12
AH, Yes, I also have "senior" Nostalgia, Wm, and as the song goes, "I'm older than you" . I did look up Vinson as to lig patents, none, have you other name-associations I could check? Many of the lig pats have "laundry lists" of cited art so that names older than 1976 are findable if not retrievable by searching name AND ligature. Keep recalling, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2005-01-14 16:57
William wrote:
> But I
> do still prefer my current Optimum (as well as my current wife
> of 30 yrs).
Prefer your wife to whom (or what)? 
(Runs and ducks for cover ...)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-01-14 18:13
Mark, a riddle just for you:
How is a wife like a ligature?
![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif)
(Also runs and ducks for cover....)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-01-14 22:58
"...How is a wife like a ligature?..."
You may need to try out a few before finding the right one.
"...How is a wife like a ligature?..."
After a while, you realize they're all basically built the same way.
"...How is a wife like a ligature?..."
Always travel with your primary one and several you can use as a back-up.
"...How is a wife like a ligature?..."
Eventually it wears out, so simply just get another one.
"...How is a wife like a ligature?..."
Your friend likes yours better than his own.
...GBK
/avoids mentioning the obvious: tightening the screws
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Author: William
Date: 2005-01-18 16:29
OK guys & gals, "How is a good ligature like a good wife"?
It allows you to play around in lots of different flats.
It always remains true to you no matter bad your technique becomes with age.
Never needs warming up--always ready to "go".
Now, back to the "lig of my memories"--no, DB, there are no "other name associations" engraved on the lig nor the container it came in--just the plain *V* with the dot in the center. VanDorens would be fancier with more factory-like engraving. Basically, this "no name" lig is pretty slick, but nevertheless, seems like a home made thing. All I was really wondering is if anyone else was (or has ever) used one or if anyone actually knew the maker, whom I assume is from Porteugal--as was the student who gave it to me.
(Mark & GBK--LOL)
[afterthought] What a "hoot" it would be for a bunch of us regulars--or "irregular" as the case may be--to get together someday, somewhere, and see if we can get through some serious clarinet ensemble literature before laughing ourselves to death.
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2005-01-18 22:01
How is a wife like a ligature?
Once you find a good one, you can avoid all sorts of problems by staying with her rather than continually looking for a better one.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-01-18 22:24
Great idea, Wm - I recall a meet at Coach's [bar and grill] in Norman, OK between afternoon and evening sessions of David E's June Cl Symposium, some 5-10 yaars ago. where I met a few of the rgs/irreg s, Saw Mark C, didn't get to shake his hand and talk, too much good fellowship [at least 20 of us] going on !!! Perhaps we could do it again, I hope?? MC/GBK ?
Thanx, Mark, Don
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