How Sax Ligatures are Actually Made

Burnin’ Ligatures for alto and tenor sax mouthpieces

• Designed by legendary saxophone maker Peter Jessen
• Made from sax body tube brass .7mm
• 24K gold plated
• Secure fit with no slippage when adjusting mouthpiece
• Delivers great projection, resonance and brilliance.

Let’s face it, saxophone ligatures can get pretty gimmicky and promise a whole range of benefits that aren’t always delivered.

Sometimes those designs play great, but they usually come at the expense of functionality and a much higher price.

Isn’t it interesting that many of the world’s top saxophonists choose to play on more basic, boring ligatures and I think I know why.

So in the video above I’m going to show you how the great saxophone maker Peter Jessen builds a minimalist ligature from scratch that prioritizes functionality, ease of use and sound. And why it might be a better choice than some other options.

Why I love the Burnin’ ligatures

Now, let me tell you why I’ve been playing on Peter’s handmade ligatures for many years.

First of all, I’ve known Peter for a long time because I worked alongside him at the same legendary repair shop ik Gottfried in Copenhagen 25 years ago. 

Peter taught me the fine art of the highest level of saxophone repair.

And apart from being one of the top sax repair technicians in the world, Peter is also the inventor of the G Mezzo Soprano saxophone of which he has made 20 from scratch entirely by hand in his workshop.

I have number 20 and you may have heard me playing on it here and there on this channel. I’m working on a video all about this unique saxophone so keep an eye out for that.

Peter also makes great mouthpieces and saxophone necks in the same way. 

Since he’s a great player, he can come up with his own idea of how gear can help us achieve the sound we’re aiming for. And since he is a very creative master craftsman, he can actually bring those ideas to life with his hands.

He is one of the world’s rare superstars of saxophone design.

So what’s most important to someone like Peter when designing a ligature?

What Makes a Great Saxophone Ligature?

I’ve owned and tried most of the fancy ligatures out there that often cost hundreds of dollars. And the one thing they usually have in common is that they slip out of place when you adjust your mouthpiece, or just put it on the neck.

And I’m sorry, I just can’t deal with that. 

The ligature should hold the reed in place securely. Even on a tighter neck cork. I can’t risk my reed moving out of place in the middle of a performance.

In my experience, often the more expensive a ligature is, the more delicate, finicky and likely to slip it becomes, unfortunately.

Peter feels the same way as I do and that’s why he designs his ligatures to hold the reed securely on the mouthpiece allowing the player to adjust all they want without worrying about it slipping out of place.

But there’s another even more important reason that I love my Peter Jessen ligatures.

Burnin’ Ligatures for alto and tenor sax mouthpieces

• Designed by legendary saxophone maker Peter Jessen
• Made from sax body tube brass .7mm
• 24K gold plated
• Secure fit with no slippage when adjusting mouthpiece
• Delivers great projection, resonance and brilliance.

Ligature Sound and Response

I’ve made videos in the past comparing saxophone ligatures and the conclusion has always been that there is not a huge difference in the sound the listener hears from one ligature to the next even in the most extreme examples.

There are subtle differences in how ligatures sound and respond, but they are more apparent from the player’s perspective.

So here are the sound variables I’ve noticed after doing countless ligature comparisons.

Tone color

Ligatures can influence our sound on a dark to bright scale. Sometimes you might want a darker more covered vibe, and sometimes you might want a brighter more brilliant vibe. Your reed, mouthpiece and saxophone factor into this as well, and there are endless combinations you can make to customize your setup.

These Burnin’ ligatures are on the brighter end of the spectrum. They add a bit of brilliance to your sound in a nice way.

Projection

Ligatures can also have an influence on how your sound projects. I tend to like ligatures that really open up the sound and give you the impression that you’ve got more projection with the same input of energy.

That’s one of the things player after player have noticed after trying the Burnin’ ligature is that it gives them an immediate increase in projection.

Articulation

A very good ligature will make articulation feel lighter and faster. And that is what I feel when playing with the Burnin’ ligature and many of the pros who have tested it told us the same thing.

Resonance

And then there is also this sense of resonance. A really good ligature helps make the saxophone feel as though it is even more vibrant. This is something you can feel as a player, but listeners might not hear it so much.

Here is where the thicker body tube brass likely comes into play. The Burnin’ ligature gives a nice sense of increased resonance when you play.

Yes, there are other things under your control that have a bigger impact on your sound than the ligature. 

Player, reed, mouthpiece and saxophone in that order.

But here’s the thing, every saxophonist needs a good ligature. It’s an essential part of the whole sound production chain. 

Who’s the Burnin’ Ligature For?

So our idea was to make a boutique, hand-made, high-end, design ligature available at a much more reasonable price.

The BetterSax Burnin’ ligature is now available to purchase from our dealers in the US and internationally. 

They are made with the same .7mm brass as our Session saxophone bodies.

They are plated in 24k gold.

They come with a soft silicone cap and a storage pouch.

And they are built to last a lifetime.

Right now we are launching the hard rubber alto and tenor models. These fit our BetterSax Burnin’ and Classic mouthpieces perfectly but also Meyer, Jody Jazz, Otto Link, Selmer, Vandoren, D’addario and other standard size hard rubber mouthpieces. 

The tenor model also fits our Burnin’ and Classic baritone mouthpieces as well as many others.

If you’ve got a Burnin’ or Classic mouthpiece and want a great ligature to go with it. This is the perfect choice.

If you’ve got a standard hard rubber alto or tenor mouthpiece and want to upgrade your ligature this is a great choice.

And if you want to play on a solid, high-end boutique ligature that won’t slip when you adjust it, the Burnin’ is for you.

Burnin’ Ligatures for alto and tenor sax mouthpieces

• Designed by legendary saxophone maker Peter Jessen
• Made from sax body tube brass .7mm
• 24K gold plated
• Secure fit with no slippage when adjusting mouthpiece
• Delivers great projection, resonance and brilliance.