GF MX-08M Ligature Alto Sax G

This is so close to being a great ligature but it has one major problem that the designers should give serious thought to.

When set up right it sounds and performs really, really well. It is also very commendable that it will fit a wide range of mouthpiece sizes. Setting it up in terms of the various roller bars and pads takes a bit of time but that's fine. It's also great that it is supplied with an excellent precision screwdriver.

But there's a problem - it's a problem that's present to a lesser and entirely manageable degree in ligatures such as the ones that come with Otto Link metal, Theo Wanne and Lawton mouthpieces where a free plate is tightened by screw device running through its central axis. Thus as the screw twists to tighten the reed in place it will tend to twist the plate so that it holds the reed asymmetrically - not a thing compatible with a good playing experience.

Now in those particular ligs mentioned this problem is easy to manage - the plate is big and can be held in the desired position with one hand while the screw is being tightened with the other. Not so with the GF - the plate is too small and can only be kept in place by fiddling with a matchstick or a precision screwdriver. You can't do this easily or in bad light - in fact it can't be done easily at all - yet unlike setting up the rollers and pads this needs to be done every time you put the reed on the mouthpiece.

How about it GF?

Ich benutze ein Vintage-Mundstück auf meinem Alt-Saxophon. Diese Blattschraube lässt sich auf unterschiedliche Mundstück-Durchmesser anpassen. Die beiden möglichen Stellungen der Blattschraube - Festklemmen des Blattes mit dem Band oder nach 180°-Drehung mit einem Eisenplättchen unter der Schraube - ergibt eine hörbar unterschiedliche Klangcharakteristik. Unter die kleine Eisenplatte habe ich noch einen dünnen Gummi - Zuschnitt eines Bissgummis -geklebt, um dem Blatt noch mehr Freiheit zu geben. Die Verarbeitung ist top und die Handhabung einfach. Für mich eine tolle Blattschraube, die ich mittlerweile auch für mein Tenorsaxophon benutze.