Bois Excellente and Classique review and comparison

First Impressions: Bois Ligatures are awesome ligatures that don't screw on. These ligatures were easy to put on and take off so that I could easily change reeds. However, it does take some skill to put these on. For example, apply too little pressure and your reed moves. Also, it can be difficult to do with one hand, but after messing with it for a while, I got down to where I could put it on in no time. One cool thing about these ligatures are the packages. They are cylindrical tubes that hold the storage box for you ligature and a cool mouthpiece cap. It must be a high school thing that I am obsessed with this packaging. :)

Design: Bois actually sent me Bb clarinet ligatures because the Selmer C* alto mouthpiece is smaller than normal alto pieces, so be sure to give them a call to make sure you are getting the correct size. the Classique ligature is a plastic ring with a rubber "grip" inside to help keep in on the mouthpiece. It has seven flat sides on the outside to help you grip it when putting it on your mouthpiece. The Excellented ligature on the other hand is fashioned out of metal. It looks like three stacked metal rings, with the middle one being slightly smaller. That way, the entire ligature is fairly easy to grip when putting it on. The inside has the same rubber ring to grip the mouthpiece. This design helps hold your reed steady while applying minimal pressure to your reed in order to produce the most open sound and best tone. It also lets the reed vibrate more, thus making the mouthpiece more free-blowing.


Cost: 

• Classique: $25-$30
• Excellente: $45-$49

Pros:

• won't suffocate reed
• boosts overall tone quality
• makes sure you can't overtighten your ligature due to a no-screw design
• improved reed vibration
• better sound when you play

Cons:

• The Excellente may not be in your price range, but the Classique most likely is

Rating: 4/5 stars
This product is great for me and worked very well. Although it serves it's purpose, it can be pricey and tricky to put on. http://www.boisligatures.com

Excellente and Classique ligatures and packaging

Close up of ligatures (Excellente is on the left, Classique on right)

Close up of packaging- Note: The Selmer C* alto mouthpiece uses a Bb Clarinet Ligature

What's included in your purchase (ligature, storage box and mouthpiece cover

Close up of Classique

Close up of Excellente