 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Steve Becraft
Date: 2017-10-01 02:24
After some trial and error I have found that I prefer to use a Bonade cut-out ligature with my Kaspar Cicero mouthpiece. It seems that the Bonade is designed for a mouthpiece circumference that is slightly greater than this blank (a problem I have also noticed before with some Zinner blanks). So that I can tighten the screws just enough (but not over do it!) I have been sticking a thin mouthpiece patch or several layers of regular masking tape on the top of the mouthpiece. Unfortunately, these begin to crimp within a week or less and I end up having to replace them often.
Has anyone else dealt with this and perhaps come up with a better solution?
Please do not encourage me to try your ligature of choice instead! I've tried many, own many, and know that there are many options out there.
Gregory Smith? Maybe you can help? You have been a big proponent of the Bonade ligatures on this board before and are also a connoisseur of the vintage mouthpieces.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-01 03:43
I've cemented a narrow strip of cork down the edge of each side of the back of the ligature where the screws are. It seems to hold up well. It's a little tedious getting the cork on straight. I use contact cement in the same way I would for a key or tenon cork.
Karl
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2017-10-01 07:39
I've used the same method as Karl using very thin sheet cork. It works fine and has lasted for years.
Tony F.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2017-10-02 22:49
You can also stick a thin mouthpiece patch on the back of the mouthpiece. This has the additional advantage of making the tone darker.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
World Class Hand Crafted Clarinet Mouthpieces
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2017-10-08 03:23
Attachment: Bonade_Mod.jpg (665k)
Attachment: Optima_Mod.jpg (775k)
Just chiming in...I use Bonade Inverted ligatures as well as an Optima. None of them fit on normal mouthpieces with Legere reeds, particularly the Signature designs.
I have found the mouthpiece patches to be a bit 'sticky' and makes small adjustments in ligature position sketchy. I found natural cork to be a bit spongy, but have had very good experiences adding strips of MusicMedic's techcork as shown in the two attached images. I have added pieces as thick as 0.6mm.
I did find that they worked better if I rubbed in a scant bit of cork grease into the surface to allow fine adjustments in ligature position.
Post Edited (2017-10-08 03:25)
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-10-08 18:36
I ground down the ligature opening to make an a Rico HC1 ligature fit a skinny MP with Legere Signature reeds. You could do the same with the Bonade. A bench grinder works well ... and doing this subtracts from the mass of your ligature. Of course, the part you have ground down no longer has any plating ... if this seems to be an issue.
I've found the Bonade works quite well and keep one in my case. Biggest issue I had is that the Nickle plated ones are very slippery, and I have to rough up the inside with sandpaper. I don't like adding tape or cork or other material to the ligature ... just keeping things simple and pure.
Tom
Post Edited (2017-10-08 18:38)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2017-10-09 05:22
Lining it with leather or cork is possible, although grinding it down might be a better option, as I often find that the addition of material to the ligature does make it "darker" as Walter mentions and changes the response slightly, but I prefer it in its unadulterated state.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-10-09 07:49
There are plenty of threads left after grinding each side down 1-2 mm. Might be best done by someone in a good shop with a keen eye and steady hand ... or it can be hand-filed.
Is there an E-flat Bonade ligature that might kinda fit?
A good woodwind technician could make a fake Bonade of smaller dimensions ...
I've found that adding soft material like rubber, plastic or cork, on the ligature or MP seems to detract from much from the original playing quality ...
Good luck in this mod!
Dr. Becraft, if memory serves, I enjoyed your solo performance a while back with the Little Rock Wind Symphony! Great technical playing with a dolce, centered timbre! Not the dark, dead, unexciting, lackluster sound I hear much too often nowadays. Very nice. I hope your students are emulating your sound!
Tom
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Author: Steve Becraft
Date: 2017-10-10 03:07
Looks nice, shmuelyosef! We have fall break coming up, so I'm going to use the extra available time to see what I have in the office to see if I can do something like it.
I might consider your approach, TomS, if I had a shop and/or the tools (actually I'm just wishing I had a CARPORT or a GARAGE at my house!!), but it's more than I can do. And an E flat ligature would be far too small.
Thank you so much for the kind words about the LR Wind Symphony solo performance! This was the very same Kaspar Cicero, likely with a Bonade, maybe one little facing tweak ago. And I do my very best to impart my concept of tone to my students!
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2017-10-12 01:27
I have done the grinding thing using a one inch bench sander. I scribe first and sand to the line. There is a lot of hand cleanup though to remove the sharp edges to prevent scratching mouthpieces. It also doesn't work on pieces like the vandoren optima. The Harrison style (incl the Rico H) are difficult to open and close without distorting the reed clamp.
The techcork is very hard and I haven't noticed any sound darkening...takes 5 minutes.
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