[woodwindmaster06]

I am looking for a classical ligature for my Selmer Reference 54 Tenor, what would you recommend? Is the olegature a good ligature, I will be buying a Selmer Soloist as my new classical mouthpiece, most likely.

 

[Didier]

Woodwindmaster,
I use a metal Lawton 8*BB with my Ref54 and Lavoz medium reeds. I recently acquired an olegature because I saw several top players using it, like Wayne Shorter, Pee Wee Ellis and Eric Marienthal for example. I also tried Optimum, BG metal metal, BG super revelation ligs before.
I am still puzzled by my Olegature: sometimes it gives great results, sometimes it does not. My feeling is that when you have an excellent reed, the olegature is slightly better than the Lawton stock lig, the sound I produce becomes more colorful and more complex. Also, the articulation is better in the low register with the olegature than with stock lig. Nevertheless, I prefer the Lawton lig which is more reed forgivable. But the Olegaure is definetly a great lig, much better than the Optimum or the BGs lig and will probably be far better than the selmer two screw lig that comes with the soloist.

Didier

 

[singlereed]

I would not recommend the Olegature for your Soloist/Ref 54. The Olegature is a funny thing, it can sound great but fundamentally it is not stable and is hard to keep accurately in place - a slight adjustment is inclined to make it fall off. The lig I really like is the BG Tradition (think that's what it is called) it is an inverted metal one-screw lig and viewed from the side it has a 'B' shape. I find these sound as good as anything I have tried, they are well-made and give a quick and reliable fit.

 

[woodwindmaster06]

I just got my Olegature for $44 two days ago at music123, where they beat price of a competitor (SP?), When I got It I was taken away at the sight of it, then I put it on and played a few notes it is great!! I have come to the conclusion for me the second screw all the way in with no 1st screw is the best, this gives me the flexablity to hit every sharp not on my sax perfectly no more 20 c sharp Ds or Es in time I think I will devolop my flat notes to play in tune also, this is truely a great ligature.

 

[rek]

I agree that the BG tradition is a very good classical lig. I had an Olegature and didn't like it. It scratched up my mpc, didn't stay on very well, and I couldn't notice any improvement in sound.

 

[rollen]

I am currently using an Olegature for alto. I haven't experienced any problems with it staying in place. It's definitley worth giving a try.

My son is using the BG standard. I played it a few times and was really impressed with it. It really lets the reed sing. Playing with the BG the horn is really responsive.

 

[MB-913]

rollen

I also use Olegature for alto (size #7) for my Beechler Bellite metal.
It's very nice, fast response but very easy to get dirt.

It look not very difficult to remove the dirt on the Olegature. Any good suggestion ?

 

[rollen]

I've had mine for almost a year and it looks just like new. So, I haven't had the need to clean it. Or, even think about cleaning it.

Maybe Jewelry cleaner. (the liquid kind)

 

[Larry in CA]

Oleg on a Metal Link?

I have read all these, and I wonder what folks experience is with the Oleg on a Metal Link? I just bought a metal link, and I hear the funky standard lig they come with usually gets dumped pretty soon for something else. I looked in wwbw for the metal Selmer lig and cap, which are pricey, and I tend to keep going back to the standard Selmer lig on my slant Tenney (which is awesome, Doc) and my other plain HR Link. I have a Rovner, too, which is a bit dull in comparison. This is my first metal piece, so none of the other ligs I have are suitable. While I am using the Link lig now, I am tempted by some of the clearance sales on ebay for the Oleg #4. What about the Olegs? Their ads read interestingly enough, but tell me the truth....

Thanks,
Larry in CA

 

[Nefertiti]

Larry,
I have a rovner dark, rovner light and a olegature for my ESP-X. The dark makes the sound softer and darker. Cuts the highs out. The light has more highs but seems thinner to me. The oleg is even brighter than the light but it as a fuller thicker sound to it. If you mess with the tension on the screws it has a slight affect on the tone and response also.I'm going to keep the oleg. I really like it. Just make sure you get the mouthpiece set on the neck. It's hard to move it once the oleg's on therewithout messin up the reed and lig. I use to have one for a link I had but back then I really prefered a selmer 2 screw lig. Of all the ligs I tried that was the best for my link.

 

[citizn cane]

Nef,
Do you know which Oleg size you have for your ESP-X off-hand? Just got an ESP-X a few days ago, & would love to try the Oleg with it during the trial period, but Jody's out of town. I'd like to get the Oleg ASAP from WW&BW, but they can't help with the size. Any info would be appreciated. Really diggin' the piece so far, but I'm starting to think maybe I should've gotten a 0.100 or 0.110, instead of the 0.090 since it's so easy to play right off the bat, even with Alex DC 3s. My hunch is strong about the Oleg vs. the Rovner, though, as I've never been a Rovner fan (too dark, & the Ernie Sola "suction test" always seems to fail with Rovners, this one included).

 

[Nefertiti]

C.C.
I don't know the size of it. I think the only way to find out is to contact Jody. I have a .110 and think it's perfect. I had a .120 ESP that was great with the spoiler but I thought it was too open without it. I like the .110 X alot cause it gives me that extra kick I need. Do I know you? How do you know Ernie? Email me if you want. Steve

 

[citizn cane]

Thanks for the reply, Steve. I only know of you, initially having heard you play some Berg & Stern covers on a recording with Buda in the early '90s (very impressive then, I can only imagine you're sounding even better now!). My friend HonkBopSax, aka Father Ray, knows you as well. I've had Ernie do some work for me in the not-so-distant past (amazing, I should add, & looking to have him tighten up a recently-acquired VI tenor). It was a shot in the dark regarding the Oleg size, surprised you don't know, but no sweat, I think Jody gets back early next week, which should give me a few days if all goes smoothly. For some reason, I can't get info on your e-mail (probably something to do with this laptop I'm on this holiday). Do you play any public (non-function) gigs in Boston soon? Thanks again

 

[Nefertiti]

CC,
Yeah, Jody sent me the Oleg to try but it doesn't have any label or marking on it as to what size it is..Making that recording was fun. I haven't seen Buda since then. I heard he's playing with the Boston Pops.. I don't have any non-GB stuff coming up. I'm dying to get something going though. It's been too long since I've been in an original project or band. Hopefully something will come up. Ernie i sgreat. I see him every couple months. I love watching him work and talking about sax stuff. He just fit a keilwerth neck on my alto. If you can email me. It's [email protected].

 

[MB-913]

CC,
Yeah, Jody sent me the Oleg to try but it doesn't have any label or marking on it as to what size it is..Making that recording was fun. I haven't seen Buda since then. I heard he's playing with the Boston Pops.. I don't have any non-GB stuff coming up. I'm dying to get something going though. It's been too long since I've been in an original project or band. Hopefully something will come up. Ernie i sgreat. I see him every couple months. I love watching him work and talking about sax stuff. He just fit a keilwerth neck on my alto. If you can email me. It's [email protected].

Nefertiti

Take out both screw on your Olegature. Now look at inside of metal plate, the number (size) is show (I got 3 Oleg, 2 for my alto Beechler Bellite metal, which is #4 Oleg. For tenor (Metal Link) is a #7 Oleg.

The Oleg work very nice on my Beechler metal but not tenor. For tenor (a refaced Metal Link), I prefer just to use a Selmer 404 or stock Link ligature.

Recently, I want to get a silver Oleg for my Beechler metal (same with Eric Marienthal). But it's hard to find. I heard the one silver Oleg that Eric using was original designed for Clarinet.

 

[Nefertiti]

Thanks MB,
There's the number 14 under the screws.

 

[GHawk]

Larry in CA,

Try a Francois Louis for a metal Link. I have one for my NY Link and one for my HR Link. I no longer have ligature "issues".

 

[Larry in CA]

Metal lig on LInk

Hey thanks, Pell City. I actually flew into the airport you have there in Bama. Thanks for the tip.
Larry

 

[nateissaxy]

Personally i give the Oleg a thumbs up, I play it on my Dukoff D6 and it is the best investment, as far as ligatures goes, that i could have made. that said i also agree that it can be very finicky at times, but all you have to do is play around with the screws a little bit while u warm up and u will hit that perfect setting. For classical playing how ever there is one ligature i will advocate above all of the rest. i have found that the Winslow ligatures are the best ligatures in that regards, and even for jazz playing i have found them very beneficial. they have different contact points with the read which you can move adding more or taking away some, placing them in different orders, until u find the way u like it the most. a very versatile ligature that improves the response and performance of reads dramatically. they are made by a guy in madison wisconsin and he is the only person who sells them, he has not licensed anyone else to sell them. so in this case i would buy the Winslow!

HOPE THIS HELPS

 

[Beowulfmk]

Olegature scratched my rubber mpcs. It left little dings to the body over time. I plan to sell it on ebay when my new ligature arrives...Hopefully, Francois Louis ligature does not scratch mpcs.