[pattysax]

A few month ago I saw Bob Ackerman playing a special custom made Kevlar ligature by Silverstein.
Now I received a posting from Anibal Rojas in Facebook that he plays the new Silverstein ligs
from www.silversteinworks.com . They are on FB too.
Did anyone try this pieces yet?

Asking 140 usd is "not cheap" in my eyes.
Cheers Patrick

 

[Jazz Is All]

No not personally, but Jerry Bergonzi was here in Barcelona 2 weeks ago and was playing one at his gig on Saturday night. The very next day at his workshop he wasn't and when I asked him about what lig it was he showed it to us and said that he didn't really like it because he couldn't get it adjusted the way he liked. The truth is that I noticed that the took his mouthpiece off about 3 times during the gig and adjusted the reed on it. So, for me that is a sign that given the $150 price tag, it isn't anything I am going to be considering unless someone gives me one for free. And even then I think it won't work any better than an ordinary two screw lig, which is what I have always liked best and what Jerry went back to too.

 

[kasparguy]

I have been using a Silverstein since October. I got it through their trial for Pros program, where they'll send you one for two weeks to try. I lucked out and was the recipient of their Facebook Appreciation contest, which meant I received the ligature to keep. It's a good thing too, because it took me more than a couple of weeks to start to believe in the ligature. Like Steve Neff's review, I thought the ligature was a nit small and was not terribly impressed initially. But once it was broken in, it really started to shine. Steve's review is much more thorough(http://www.neffmusic.com/blog/2013/11/silverstein-saxophone-ligature-review/), but I have a shorter review on my blog (http://www.onehandsax.com/blog/2013/11/25/the-silverstein-ligature.html).
I try to keep a very honest and unbiased view so that no one thinks I'm giving raving praise because I had mine given to me. Personally, if I had the money, and my livelihood depended on my saxophone playing I think I would spend it on this ligature. But seeing as I currently have no income, I take the cautious approach of saying it's worth a try. Very rarely have I ever had anything that impressed me so much that I would tell anyone they *needed* to go out and get one right away.

 

[reedsburn62]

I had one sent on the pro trial program as well. It did not even come close to fitting my mouthpiece so I was not able to try it at all. They had sent graph paper for me to take photos of my mouthpiece on for a proper exact fit. Something was lost in that translation.

 

[Nefertiti]

I had one sent on the pro trial program as well. It did not even come close to fitting my mouthpiece so I was not able to try it at all. They had sent graph paper for me to take photos of my mouthpiece on for a proper exact fit. Something was lost in that translation.

It is small at first. The ones I used for the review seemed too small also. I had to put them on and tighten them, then loosen it and slide it on further and tighten again, then loosen and slide it further, etc....,,,..I probably had to do that 5 or 6 times..........


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[reedsburn62]

It was so big it clearly was meant for some other mouthpiece. When I say it did not fit I mean it literally did not even come close to the point that I could not try it as it would not hold a reed or stay on the mouthpiece fully tightened. Basically like trying a Link HR lig on a metal Link.

 

[sugaki]

Not worth it, IMO.

Might be a good lig for classic music--it took the zing and sparkle out of the sound for me, sounded like it reduces the upper partials. I liken it to a Rovner light.

 

[FerdinandAG]

I have the Siversteinworks ligature for all three of my horns, tenor, alto and soprano. I think it is wonderful. Clear tones, warm and big at the bottom of the horn, and responsive at the top. I told them what mouthpieces I use and have no problem with fit. Allows me to use a little harder reed.

 

[SchlockRod]

I'm waiting for their titanium/iridium model to come out which I know will be 10x more expensive and thus 10x better.

 

[pneumasax]

I use them on all of my pieces. They are getting sizes regulated to fit more mouthpieces more precisely.

I have several friends who use them on sax and clarinet and love them.

The sound can manipulated by adjusting the metal bars on the side. Hence, you can brighten or darken the sound by adjusting these as well as adjust the spread and focus of the sound. At first several people, myself included, felt that the sound was very stuffy but that was because we were tightening the ligature way too tight. Once we loosened the ligature about a quarter turn the sound just opened up.

Is it a "brighter " playing ligature than many metal ligatures? No. Is it a huge open sounding ligature? In my opinion and the opinion of others I know who use them, yes. Your setup will determine how this piece works for you - of course.

On my tenor and soprano, the "improvement " was immediately apparent. On alto, I went back and forth for days before I really decided I would take the fuller and richer overall sound of the Silverstein and lose a few upper partials of a few notes I loved using my other ligature. I do think we make these "compromises" with a lot of equipment we use. I love the sweet sound of my Rigotti Golds but also miss some of the spread and buzz of my vamp stamped Lavoz reeds - compromise.

Man if only we could get the best of what we like from everything wrapped into one. Sorry for the vent.

Anyway, that's my two cents worth on the Silverstein Ligature.