Klarinet Archive - Posting 000638.txt from 1997/05

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Zonda Reeds
Date: Sun, 25 May 1997 12:32:48 -0400

> > Several people are giving these Zondas a glowing review. I'm
> >impresed. Is Zonda a trademark of either of the two big reed companies
> >(Rico and Vandoren, as I remember), or is it a small independent brand?

Zonda reeds are produced by a company called "Hi-Notes, Inc." They are a
subsidiary of the Powell Flute Company of Boston. The reeds are made of
Argentinian cane. The clarinet reeds have been on the market for about a
year or so, and the alto sax reeds came out a couple of months ago. I
have recently seen prototypes of the tenor sax reeds, so they should be
out soon. I haven't heard anything about bass clarinet reeds, but
logically, they eventually will probably try to produce all types of
single reeds.

The outstanding feature of the reeds, in my opinion, is their method of
grading them for hardness or strength. As opposed to 7 grades of some
other reeds, Zonda has 17 strengths of alto sax reeds (don't know how
many for clarinet), and the grading is remarkably consistent. With these
reeds, you won't have the experience of finding anything from a #2 to a
#4 in the same box.

I think they are really on to something which is going to be a great help
to woodwind players.

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
*****************************************************************