Description
There’s a reason why the vintage Brilhart 3-Band ligatures have been singled out by the market (players) as by far the most desirable vintage ligatures. They are great ligatures. But there will never be enough vintage Brilhart ligatures to meet the high demand for this style of ligature. Thankfully, the Echobrass company has stepped in to answer this demand.
This Echobrass tenor ligature is a true reproduction: from the alloy of brass to the type of plastic on the reed plate, it is exactly the same as the vintage Brilhart ligature. Same dimensions, same weight, same feel, same playing response. It’s like going back in time to buy one when they were first made!
So for those of you who have always wanted this time-tested style of ligature, but have found them prohibitively expensive, now perhaps getting one is within reach. This is admittedly still an expensive ligature by modern standards. But honestly, to achieve this level of quality of workmanship in Korea where these are made, it just does cost some money. And really, it would do us no good to have a cheaper version of this ligature that was somehow flawed and not as good as the original. Plus, this is probably the last ligature you need to buy, so it may prevent your amassing a whole drawer of inferior ligatures over the course of your career. (You know what I am talking about!)
How does it play? It just plays well. It is just a high quality ligature with heavy duty brass and nice big screws, and that is easy to tighten firmly and evenly. It frees the reed to vibrate with a rich, balanced tone. Compared to a standard ligature, the Echobrass seems richer, more full, and warmer. And it makes playing more fun by making the reed nice and responsive. Just about everyone who has tried one of these in the shop now plays one, including me. I included several photos below of mouthpieces that this ligature fits. If you have further questions, feel free to contact me through the website. I’d be happy to help you!
saxmantommy –
Wow!! Amazing ligatures. First of all, they’re packaged in a beautiful little box reminiscent of a jeweler’s ring box. First class all the way. The ligature itself is very well made and aesthetically very pleasing and just looks great on the mouthpiece, and tightens and loosens with startling ease. Sonically, they’re everything you’re looking for in a ligature. They provide immediately noticeable improvement in response throughout the range of the horn, and more clarity and color in tonal quality overall. Playing with these ligatures makes it feel like you just got a top-drawer overhaul on your horn. The horn just speaks more easily and notes pop right out, even those pesky, more difficult ones. For those who don’t believe a ligature makes any difference at all, I urge to give one of these a test drive. I’ll bet you’ll be changing your mind!