try 'em all. depends mostly on mouthpiece and reed anyway. the second alto in my jazz band used a rovner light for jazz but i couldn't get the thing to sound good with my mouthpiece, and i've been using a dark. same thing with the evo-5, i've heard people play jazz with great tone on those but i still like the dark better.

 

Well, I hate all the Rovners except the EVO-5, as I haven't got the chance to try it. All the other ones muffled/killed the tone and response, but since the EVO-5 has a different design and is closer to a vandoren optimum or the like, than a rovner dark (which is the true rovner), I imagine it'll be the only one that's good for jazz, or anything. But I dunno. For some reason some people like the other rovners. I agree with the above. Try them all!

 

I'm not a big fan of the Rovners anymore but of the traditional styled ones the lights seem to work best. The Eddie Daniels Rovners work quite well.

 

I really like the EVO-5. (switched from a dark). It seems like a good design, with only 2 thin strips touching the reed. (kinda like one of the plates on the vandoren optimum).
I really wish they sold them in silver though....

 

I bought one and it is silver. When i ordered it , i thought it would be gold to match my gold mpc. If yours is new, i might trade you.

 

OK, I'll play devil's advocate on this one. :twisted:

Myth, Urban Legend, Clever Marketing and Bollocks.

I'd be more inclined to believe the whole "Rovners kill your sound" schtick, if it weren't for the following:

1. I'm old enough to remember when Rovners were the latest fashion around here and everybody raved about the sound they got with their new Rovner lig that "fully supported the reed."

2. The whole idea of Rovner ligs deadening the sound because the contact a large surface area of the reed, rather than having small points, or strips, of contact with the reed, fails to take into account such phenomenae as string ligatures being used successfully by many players.

3. If the new styled "smaller amount of contact with the reed" type ligatures, such as the Vandoren, were the answer, why do these manufacturers keep bringinging out new models?

4. The large number of great players, yes even Jazz players, who use Rover ligs and sound great.

5. The fact that I get to hear the guy in the next practice room playing with a fantastic and bright sound, verey afternoon, despite the fact that he uses a Rovner lig which is supposed to deaden and darken the sound.

I could go on, but I'm not trying to build an unassailable argument here. I'm just trying to make the point that we've all been sold a bridge by the ligature manufacturers.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed a remarkable similarity between ligatures and disposable razors.

1. Both are over-priced for what they are and the purpose they serve.

2. Both are constantly marketed with new improvements over last month's model, which was marketed as the optimum, as was the preceeding month's model.

3. Both are marketed as being the cutting edge in design, materials and engineering, when in fact, if such claims were even close to true, the manufacturers would have to charge even more than the ridiculously high prices they already charge, to cover the costs of such expensive design, materials, manufacturing, and marketing.

4. Both tend to focus on gimmicky add ons designed to give the impression of added value to the consumer, when in reality, if the aforementioned claims of cutting edge design (excuse the pun) and manufacture were true, such gimmicks (or pressure plates) would be unecessary.

The parallels are obvious and the marketing strategy is common practice when selling a product that is essentially no different to your competitors in terms of function and performance. You need a gimmick to differentiate your product from all the others that are just like it. Either that, or you need to price your product as a premium item to give customers the impression that your product is better than the competition, even though that product might be just a few twists of wire with a few bits of metal. Did someone say Francois Louis???

In fact, a better analogy might have been the similarities between ligatures and cosmetics.

It's all a fashion thing.

 

I like Rovner dark (haven't tried the EVO-5) on some slimmer and brighter alto mouthpieces. On the plastic Runyons, it works great for me. If the mouthpiece is too large, I find the Rovner doesn't hold the reed in place as well. Also the extra fabric material deadens the sound. A small rovner on a bright mouthpiece may work, but generally on medium/large HR pieces I have been preferring a regular brass lig for the extra bit of air/sparkle it gives me. You can try a Rovner dark if the sound is too bright. The good thing about Rovners is they are easy to deal with and they sometimes free up response because they apply a soft, even pressure to the reed to hold it in place. I usually like mine further down near the base of the reed to let it vibrate more.

 

You're probably not too far off Dogpants, and any ligature isn't going to make that much impact on the sound people actually hear but they definitely do effect the feel of the horn. For the record, I've never seen a sax player perform that used a Rovner. Most use what appear to be stock ligs.

 

Most ligatures, I cannot tell a difference or the difference is minute... however, the rovner is the only one where I can actually tell a noticeable negative impact on tone and response.

 

This is why I wish I could buy a metal lig (vandoren masters?) for my Quantum, Dukoff and a better lig for my meyer metal. Surprisingly a Rovner Dark improves the sound no end over the meyer stock lig. It was the only one I could find in stock at the time which fitted my Runyon though

I might just end up having to buy a ligaphone instead-marginally better response over a Vandoren optimum and it'll fit any mouthpiece...

 

I much prefer the Vandoren leather Optimum over the Rovners. Rovners are not bad at all, I just think there's better out there. I used to use an Eddie Daniels II Rovner, until all the little strips started falling out of it (If you've had an EDII, you'll know what I mean). A couple of them got lost entirely, and all I could find to replace them was an old bicycle innertube. The fix was okay, but it just didn't feel the same.

 

I have tried a traditional rovner and currently play the EVO-5. I did find the traditional seemed restrictive vs. the EVO-5, especially when the '5 was oriented with the two straps against the reed.

It seems that when I'm really pushing it--going for max volume/projection, expecially in altissimo (alto, c#-e), it allows the reed to vibrate more deeply, without the more abrupt restriction of metal or dampening of traditional rovner.

I just get a better vibration--as I said, deeper on the reed, where there are some interesting things to explore that I don't find otherwise. I'm no expert, just mho. (BTW this in on a vand. JJ A45 with Java 3.5--and seriously, try the harder reeds on the baffled pieces! It's awsome!!)

Christopher

 

I am very happy with my EVO-5's on Alto & Tenor HR pieces, generally preferred to the Rovner Dark - greater dynamism on the whole. Not tried all by any means, but a happy enough bunny to call it a day at that point.

Kind regards
BB

 

I use Rovner Dark without any problems. As far as deadening the sound there is a very simple solution for that. There is very limited contact with the reed when you reverse the direction of the screw and put it on upside down. I think it looks cooler that way also.

 

That's how I wear my Rovner, and I don't have any problems with the sound. Darkens my already bright Meyer 7 the perfect amount.

 

I've tried Rovners, including the ED II (It was the only one available that fit my dukoff). My complaint has always been that they don't secure the reed as well as other ligatures (and the dark manages to deaden the sound for me).

As far as the 'rail' design, Bonade ligatures are regular two screw, with two 'rails'. You can get them in either top screw or bottom screw. They are are built very strong, and are less than $20.

 

Has anyone tried the new ML (Mass-Loaded) Rovner? Comes in metal as well as fabric. Over 30 months in development!!! That's longer than the Polymer Sax!!

http://www.rovnerproducts.com/mlligature.htm

 

Which lig works best for jazz depends on your horn. For tenor, I prefer the EVO-5 as it gives just the right brighness to get a sound similar to Richard Elliot's. The dark Rovner gives a good sound for some ballads on tenor. For soprano the dark Rovner is best for all types of music on most mouthpieces I have tried. To some extent the EVO-5 improves the jazz sound of Selmer sop pieces but it is a matter of taste.

The Rovner focuses the sound. The dark lig cuts most of the fringe frequencies. The EVO-5 lig leaves some of the high frequencies used for effect in jazz.

 

I agree almost whole-heartedly with Dogpants except that I really don't like Rovners, or any other fabric ligs... maybe it's just the vibration of the mouthpiece, I don't know. Strictly a taste thing, probably. I'll go for a $10 stock metal lig instead. I'm sure you can make Rovners work if you like them.

 

I currently play on an EVO-5, and I like it a lot.
Definately has benefits over the Dark, and is somewhat versatile, but not very much so.
I find myself playing with the bars on the reed most of the time, rough side out.

 

I love the Eddie Daniels lig. I tend to prefer the lighter of the supplied plates.

 

i think all rovner ligs should be thrown in the garbage immediately.

 

I use the Rovner darks on alto and clarinet, and they've worked fine for me. In fact, I noticed (or imagined...) an improvement in response and control when I switched from the metal ones (then again, both metal ones were broken - with only one screw actually doing anything).

 

none of them, they are for testing mouthpieces you need to send back without scratches. Then they can be thrown in the garbage. I don't even use them for that anymore.

 

Removed

 

If I tighten my Rovners a lot they will dampen the sound.

 

Hey, I wonder if Rovner would make a leather P-Lig? You could adjust the tension on it. Never mind. :twisted:

 

I like that.