Description
There’s a reason why the vintage Brilhart 3-Band Ligature has been singled out by the market (players) as by far the most desirable vintage ligature. It is a great ligature. But there will never be enough vintage Brilhart ligatures to meet the high demand for this style of ligature. Thankfully, an enterprising small company in Korea has put in the time to make a true re-issue of this ligature at a fraction of the current price of the collectible Brilhart ones.
This ligature is a true reproduction: from the alloy of brass to the feel of the screws, 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, this one seems richer, more full, and warmer. And it makes playing more fun by making the reed nice and responsive. This version with the metal reed plate is a bit brighter and punchier than the plastic reed plate version. And the BB screw heads just look cool. Quite a bit of precision welding goes into making this version of the ligature! 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!
Dan H –
Simply the best ligature ever, I love it! Quality is super nice, Very well built. The screws are long, so this fits about every HR piece I’ve tried. Also the screws adjust without any binding, nice & smooth. The response is so crisp with this, I definitely notice any improvement in the feel, sound & response. The inside is super smooth too, so no scratches on your mpc. It is the last ligature I’ll ever need!