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Reed Matching For X5

Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2015-08-12 04:19

Greetings

I recently picked up an X5 and love it's feeling and response, but before I go out and purchase extra boxes of a higher strength, I just want to see what most people pair this with. Two of the Daddario artists and another person I've seen use Reserve Classic 4's, although I've heard a few good things about 3.75's on the mpc. What do you use/recommend?
(As a note 3.5's are DEFINIETELY too soft for me on the mouthpiece.)

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Re: Reed Matching For X5

Author: kdk
Date: 2015-08-12 04:33

When I played an X0 briefly a few summers ago, I found 3-1/2+ (3.75?) Rico Reserve Classics worked well, although I eventually moved up to #4 when the weather cooled and the humidity dropped a little. Of course, d'Addario reeds are a different design than the Rico RCs of the time, so I might have a different result if I tried them now with my X0 (or the X5 I bought but never played beyond the initial test).

I know you're concerned about wasting money on reeds you may not be able to use, but what other players use really isn't a solid indication of what you will like, either. So, my suggestion, if #3-1/2 is "DEFINITELY"

too soft, would be to buy a box of #3-1/2+ and see how they work. If they turn out to be not quite what you need, you can clip the ones most nearly useable and then try a box of #4. My suspicion is that you won't go any higher than that with an X5, but different players need different kinds of response to blow against to feel comfortable.

Karl

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Re: Reed Matching For X5

Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2015-08-12 05:28

Hi,

I play Rico Reserve X10s and have had good luck with VanDoren Blue Box 3.5 and Rico Reserve 3.5+. However, I have pretty well switched over to Legere' reeds and find the 3.0 just right and the 3.25 a little bit stiff.

You could use my numbers as a starting point but my X10 is a tad more open and thus, I can use a little softer reed. I tried some 4.0 VDs and they were just too stiff. I hope this helps. BTW, I really like the MP. I have a whole arsenal of classic MPs (too many to name them all) to select from but always come back to the X10.

HRL

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