When using BG's Universal Ligatures (available for both alto and tenor saxophones), it almost feels like you're cheating to get a clarified sound. There's nothing overly interesting about this ligature. It's a simple design that just functions the way you need it to function every single time. One screw, very few points of contact.
100% Clarity. That's all you need to know about this ligature.
If you're looking to buy one for yourself, you can get one right here.
Although they're a little pricier than other ligatures, you'll be getting your money's worth for any BG products that you invest in. The manufacturer does a great job of standing behind the product, too.
Transparent-Sounding, Controlled
Sometimes when I talk to people about BG ligatures, they ask me what attracts me the most to them. My first statement is always how transparent they are, and that allows me to sound like myself a lot more quickly.
One of the things responsible for this transparency in the ligature is that most BG ligatures are designed with the idea of "fewest points of contact possible". In turn, this also means that the ligature is doing less coloring of your sound than a ligature that touches the mouthpiece and reed in more places. Also, when you have fewer points of contact, the mouthpiece and the reed can resonate so much more.
When you add all of these things together, what you're really getting is a ligature that lets you worry about one less thing in your setup. Think of it as Peace of Mind.
These ligatures come in four different finishes: Gold Lacquer, Silver Plate, Silver Lacquer, and Rose Gold. Although I did hear a very slight difference in tone/timbre of the sound, it was an extremely minute difference between the finishes.
Control is another area where these ligatures excel. It does have a large sound with a lot of control - which I found as my overtones were slotting really easily. The website says it "...has a colorful low register", which I somewhat disagree with. I think it has a clarified low register, but it still sounds transparent to me. If there's one thing that's certain to me though: It's very easy to play and articulate in all registers.
Want my thoughts?
I've been into BG products for a few decades now, and there's a reason: Have you ever heard anyone complain about the quality of BG products? I've never once heard someone tell me, "It wasn't made well" or "my sound suffered". Every result I've been privy to has been positive, including my own. This ligature is no different.
I wasn't so well-versed on the Universal Ligatures until not that long ago. It felt like the same old story when I tested all of these ligatures: Typical like any other BG product, these are fantastic. They sound good, they feel good (they aren't clunky, etc.), they're simple, and they fulfill all of my tone and control needs out of the saxophone.
Why BG?
BG has been making ligatures and woodwind accessories since 1985, and every product that comes out of BG is made by hand and inspected with some of the absolute best quality assurance I've seen in the saxophone world.
With a company logo that says, "When Details Make The Difference", you can see the level of craftsmanship that goes into each and every piece. It goes on to say further, "We only sell products that our employees would buy." There's no doubt that when you look at each product, you can see exactly what they're talking about, down to the packaging. Buying a BG product is buying a product that will last with you for a long time, and will sound as good as it looks.
100% Clarity. That's all you need to know about this ligature.
Please note: SaxophoneCentral.com gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Purchasing items through these links help to support our website and corresponding Youtube Channel.
