 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Keil
Date: 2002-09-21 14:22
I had a masterclass yesterday and all 4 of the reeds i used were at an exceptional playing level. For the 1st time i wasn't worried about whether my reeds would play well but rather if i would! This is too wonderful!!! YAY!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-09-21 15:02
As a former Vandoren user, I switched to Gonzalez FOF about a year ago and have never looked back.
I have written many posts about Gonzalez reeds during the past year (no, I do not have any ties to Gonzalez) extoling their high quality and consistancy. The word is quickly spreading among professionals that I have contact with, witnessed by the growing number who now play them exclusively.
For those of us playing long enough (sad to have to admit it) to remember the "older" Morre reeds, we recall the high quality cane, with dense fibers, and the many that played almost perfectly right out of the box. The newer Gonzalez FOF reeds are as close to that as one could hope for.
Certainly no reed is the ultimate answer, but the playability of the Gonzalez, coupled with very little reed fussing, make these a very attractive alternative.
I now see that "the Doc", as well as Davie Cane is offering the Gonzalez reeds. I have the utmost respect for Doc's knowledge and integrity and I am sure he would never endorse or sell something which he has not thorougly tested. His "seal of approval" further confirms my initial praise of these reeds...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-09-21 18:03
First of all the disclaimer - I do sell Gonzalez reeds but hopefully this post will just stick to facts and my own observations as a player.
As pointed out by many pro's (I am just a wannabe), there is no subjective criteria with which to judge the playability of a reed. There are so many variables including cane quality - which in itself is composed of many factors including density and arrangement of fibers, the cut and balance of the reed shape, and on and on which factor into the vibrational characteristics of a reed. The mouthpiece that a reed is played on also contributes and interacts with the qualities of the reed vibrational characteristics. Let us not forget the ligature that distributes pressure in various ways on the reed.
All these factors taken into account however, the quality, density and configuration of the reed fibers is one criteria that most will agree has a lot to do with the ultimate sound produced by that reed. I do not think that it is a casual observation, but far from a scientific study, that the qualities aforementioned have declined in commercial reeds being sold now. It may be Nature that has produced poor cane crops in various areas of the world, the selection criteria based on the available cane, or the use of substandard cane due to volume demands.
In the reeds that I have play tested from Gonzalez (which is a bunch), the quality of the cane used is far superior to that of other well know reed makers that I play. Since I hoard reeds like Emelda Marcos has shoes, I have had a chance to compare the quality of the cane in older specimens (again, not a statistical comparison) with current boxes and the fiber density and arrangement is much less dense and uniform. I find it harder to get a "great" reed and several good reeds out of recent boxes of other branded reeds. IMHO the cane quality and number of good reeds that I get from Gonazalez is much greater than other brands. There are too many factors which contribute to the sound that each individual gets from their set up to say one brand of reed is the "best", but as I do, each should try different reeds and keep track of their own experiences with those reeds in the context of past history with the same branded reed.
The Doctor
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-09-21 23:42
Dear Bob,
Not yet but they are in the works. The next introduction should be for soprano sax but they may come out with the full line. Check out the Davie Cane website on the Sponsor's Page.
The Doctor
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-09-22 07:25
i have praised GOnzalez FOF a few times already on the notice board....
ok- today i had a rehearsal playing Daphnis and Chloe, the E flat clarinet part, and used a Gonzalez FOF 3.5 with the bottom chopped off. Heaps of power when i needed it, but no problems playing the soft stuff with a good clear sound. High A flats at FF???? no problem (although the flute and picc players in front of me got a bit of a shock!). This reed has probably been used for about 2 hours playing on Bflat clarinet, and about 4 or 5 hours on the E flat in addition to todays rehearal.
one thing i find with both Mozart and FOF reeds- "polishing", flattening and removing the little bits that stick up etc makes a huge difference, and seems to be an ongoing job. My old Vandoren reeds have this super smooth surface that requires far fewer "road works" (now, i mean this "smoothing" in addition to balancing etc) but also they blow out incredibly quickly.
i presume that there is a correlation between the longevity of a reed, the qualities of the cane and the fibres (or Zylems or something.... what exactly DO you call those stringy bits that "swell up/out"?) ability to "rebound".
hmmmmm
anyway, i'm late- i've got to see a man about a dog (quaint nz rural expression)
Gonzalez have made clarinet playing more fun, less hassle.
donald
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2002-09-23 03:20
I must say that at first I liked them, some of my fellow orchestra members tried them, Baltimore Symphony, and liked them the first playing but either one of us liked them by the second or third day. Some of my students like them though. Like any reed, some like the quality and some doen't. Depends on mouthpieces, feel and concept ect. Sorry to break your bubble but their not good for everyone.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-09-23 03:40
Ed said: "...Like any reed, some like the quality and some doen't. Depends on mouthpieces, feel and concept ect..."
It is nice to have a high quality alternative to try. Not everyone found Morre reeds to their liking either, but many did...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Charles
Date: 2002-09-23 05:13
this sounds exciting - I have been looking for an alternative to VanDoren that might be more consistent for some time. I wonder if Gonzalez has any agents or outlets in Australia??
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-09-23 11:27
Ed Palanker (hello, i wonder if you remember meeting me in 1998?) makes a good point here... and it's just as well for the reed manufacturers that we don't all like the same thing- this is one of the major drawbacks with artificial reeds actually. 1000 reeds all identical and perfectly balanced will not please everybody- and if it costs $15 to $20 (us$) to find out that something doesn't suit you that's pretty discouraging.
i consider it very good fortune that i can play successfully on Gonazalez reeds with a minimum of adjustment (i'm still working on most of them, but way less than for other brands).
donald
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Robert
Date: 2002-09-23 12:11
I wrote to Gonzalez, asking about their reed strengths, etc. They offered to send me some free samples (to Europe!) Looking forward to trying out what you're all talking about...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brian Peterson
Date: 2002-09-23 17:22
Sorry if this has been dealt with already, but what about Gonzalez reed strength relative to V12? If I play 3.5-4 V12's should the 3.75 work for me?
Thanks!
BP
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-09-24 02:49
Brian...Some players feel that the Gonzalez reeds are about ¼ softer than V12s of the same strength. Thus if you normally play a V12 3.5, you may want to try a Gonzalez 3.75.
Other players find the strengths between the Gonzalez and the V12 to be quite similar. (3.5 = 3.5)
One thing is for certain - a box of Gonzalez reeds will not vary ½ strength up or down, as Vandorens frequently do...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
