 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Shorthand
Date: 2005-11-21 15:30
In the process of testing new Bass mouthpieces, I just went and picked up a box of new Hemke TS reeds to try out with some of the mouthpieces. I noticed that though they retain the Hemke's thin blank profile that they clearly come from the same cane stock and are made on the same line as the new Rico Grand Concert selects.
I played Hemke's on bass in high school on a Selmer 33 + a Selmer C* - so I had some nicely-aged decade old examples laying around. (Nicely hardened at this point.)
In truth, the two may have always come off the same line and from the cane stock (it wasn't so ovbious without the engraved brown logo, though.)
Does anyone know what the changes have been post buyout over at Rico? I can't say that the new reeds are better or worse than the old ones yet, but Rico seems to be having the same challenge as Vandoren finding uniform-enough cane to make into larger reeds these days compared to even a year ago.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-11-21 16:43
Rico Royal reeds are, for the most part, disposable - in other words, play them to death and throw them away. No breaking in - no adjusting.
Some of my jazz colleagues and players in my big band favor playing Rico Royal tenor and alto sax reeds, and have used them for decades, primarily because they match well to a Link mouthpiece.
More than a few times recently I have heard them say how they thought the Rico Royal reeds (whose packaging seems to change every few months) have seriously degraded. The cane has been very porous and lacks any substantial amount of fibers.
Related to the above buyout/take over/merger?
Could be ...GBK
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2005-11-22 12:26
I have played Vandoren for years, but recently changed to Rico GCS Evolution. I switched because over time I was getting a decreasing number of useable reeds per box. If GBK's pals say that Rico's are now degrading too, is there an international cane problem, perhaps due to global warming, commercial pressure for other use of the land, change in agricultural practice, any other reason?
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2005-11-23 15:20
Is there an international cane problem?
I've wondered for a while... ever since I noticed that all the 'thick blank' reeds manufacturers keep coming out with (e.g. V12) feel rough and porous to my tongue. Do thick reeds feel rough (why?) - or are thick reeds what you have to make if you have a field of rough cane?... Doo dee doo doo ... it's a conspiracy ...!
I've had good results with GC Evo too, Mike. Don't know why, but it seems a good design - and it ain't all that thick, either. I also play La Voz, and they don't appear to have changed in the last 5 years - except that they've taken that bright green stamp off the front - shame!. And yes, all my bass RR reeds have disintegrated quite predictably after a few hours' use...
As for vandoren... When I played 3's, I'd expect a 50/50 'hit' rate. When I switched to 2.5 for a while, I could play every one in a box. Not sure what to say...
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