 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ed
Date: 2013-03-04 14:59
I have seen a few players using the Ishimori Wood Stone metal ligatures. I know there were some discussions some time ago on the BB. They are handmade and look very nice.
I am interested in some feedback from anyone who plays or perhaps has tried these. I am interested in comments on playing quality, any comparisons to other ligatures and possibly comparison of the different metals and plating.
http://www.wood-stone.jp/product-list/56
Post Edited (2013-03-04 19:04)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-03-04 18:35
I have an inverted, gold Ishimori that has vertical rails much like the Bonade style ligatures (though there is a hole in the middle of the thing - I'm told this is a very common design in Japan).
I find it a decent metal ligature. If you absolutely require a "standard" metal ligature, it is amongst the best. It doesn't lend any extraneous color to the sound and gets a nice robust sound. I don't recall the actual price but it is expensive.
I would say though that I am more fond of my Spriggs Floating Rail Ligature and my basic leather pouch ligature from Mike Lomax.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2013-03-04 19:53
Probably the most expensive ligature on the market. 300 dollars plus depending on the materials.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: rc004e
Date: 2013-03-04 21:21
They cost around $130US in Japan. That is what I paid in December.
RC
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Author: Ed
Date: 2013-03-04 21:54
I have seen them for quite a bit less than what Arnold quotes. The solid silver is somewhere around that.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2013-03-04 23:07
rc004e wrote:
> They cost around $130US in Japan. That is what I paid in
> December.
That's still absurdly high for a ligature that looks very similar to an $18 Bonade.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-03-04 23:34
The prices on their site range from ¥8500 to ¥28,000, i.e. $91 to $300.
http://www.wood-stone.jp/product/15
<Curmudgeon Mode /ON>
They have a *very* impressive list of endorsers, but who knows whether the people actually said those things or actually use the ligatures full time. The descriptions of the sound of each version are, at best, fanciful. It's like those Leblanc ads touting a "more youthful" sound.
<Curmudgeon Mode /OFF>
Ken Shaw
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Author: jack
Date: 2013-03-06 05:20
I own one of these. My opinion is that it stabilizes and gives weight to your tone or sound - offers superior articulation, the notes just seem to pop out - it is a pleasure to use. My favorite lig and I have a few. A piece of shaped grenadilla contacts the reed.
Jack
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2013-03-08 18:00
I found it interestig that, on the site, the photos of those musicians endorsing the ligature had other ligatures on their clarinets. Just sayin'...
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2013-03-08 18:17
Claire Annette wrote:
> I found it interestig that, on the site, the photos of those
> musicians endorsing the ligature had other ligatures on their
> clarinets. Just sayin'...
Gasp! You mean that paid endorsers may not actually use the products they are paid to promote?! I always wondered why I've never actually seen Shaq driving a Buick other than in commercials.
Post Edited (2013-03-08 18:18)
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Author: brycon
Date: 2013-03-08 19:10
Quote:
I found it interestig that, on the site, the photos of those musicians endorsing the ligature had other ligatures on their clarinets. Just sayin'...
For what it's worth, I know that the New York players are using these ligatures.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2013-03-11 15:32
I used to be somewhat agnostic (bordering on dubious) about whether ligatures make that much of a difference, until my teacher and I set up a little "clarinet ligature bake-off" at my last lesson. The contenders were an old nickel-plated ligature I got from a late friend, a Robert Scott brass ligature, a Bonade nickel-plated, and the VD Optimum that I've been using for some years.
The difference in sound and playing characteristics was subtle but quite surprising, leading me to purchase both a Robert Scott and a silver-plated Bonade. I'm still sorting out exactly how to quantify the differences, and usually start my practice sessions with the old nickel lig (which is actually quite good, and is possibly a Kal Opperman, although more research is required there!) and then A/B the Scott and the Bonade, trying to listen and 'feel' for the differences.
I'm not going to go into details, since I'm still figuring it all out. What I can say is that all 3 sound and respond differently on the same reed, and if I had $130 big ones to add yet another ligature to the old drawer of toys, I would. I'll also add that my teacher, who does lots of commercial work, changes m'pieces and ligatures depending on the job. (I also just watched Morales' video 'what's in my case' on Youtube, and he carries eight or nine ligatures around with him, depending on whether he wants a 'Rimsky-Korsakov' sound or a 'Beethoven' sound or... you get the idea.)
Post Edited (2013-03-13 05:08)
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Author: kimchi012
Date: 2013-03-11 15:40
I know that this is totally off topic, but I have a question about clarinet cracks. How do you know when a clarinet has cracks? And how often does it happen?
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-03-12 16:31
DougR -
Please give us the URL for this Morales video.
Thanks.
Ken Shaw
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Author: DougR
Date: 2013-03-13 03:54
Yup, that's the URL, although when I pasted it from Paul's post into the browser I got a window that said the video didn't exist. I re-found it by typing into the Youtube search bar: 'backun morales what's in your bag'. Popped right up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq9nuIZo_wE
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-03-13 13:30
Ricardo's contents:
– 2" squares cut from, (blue) industrial paper toweling, sold in auto parts and home improvement stores, for blotting.
– 66, 66.5, 67 and 67.5 mm. barrels
– spare mouthpiece – your best, and play on your #2 so if the one you're playing on dies, you'll be better off
– swab
– pencils (looks like a fine-lead mechanical) and pens
– 9 ligatures, Rovner, Vandoren, others, gold, silver and nickel plated
– ear plugs
– cork grease
– teeth cushions
– folding plastic hair brush
– floor stand
– reeds
– calendar book
– reeds and trimmer
– tuning rings
– Korg tuner/metronome w/ earphone
– neck straps
– mini screwdriver
Ken Shaw
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Author: DougR
Date: 2013-03-13 16:08
Yep, that's the lot. (Oh, and his passport. How many of us keep our passport in our clarinet case?) And during the course of the video, he re-discovers the screwdriver set, which he thought he'd misplaced. What makes the video fun is, it's clearly a long time since he took inventory of the case, and we get to discover its contents along with HIM! (And it has to be said, the zipper side pocket of his case bulges like a kangaroo pouch. Not very 'feng shui' at all.)
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