 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Simon H
Date: 2002-11-21 04:36
Hello every one. I am considering ordering a box or two of Vandoren "hand select" reeds to try them out [they are seem to be much more expensive]. How do these differ from the normal ones? Are they much better? I am going through a period where no reeds seem to work very well, V-12s, and FOF reeds dont work for me. I am currently using Mozart Reeds.
Thanks for the info
Simon
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-21 06:58
Before you totally dismiss the Gonzalez FOF or Vandoren V12, I would be curious to know what exactly is not working. Many problems can be aleviated with just a few simple adjustments to the reed.
Proper break in is the first step to achieving a stable reed. This is something you can not rush, so it is important to always have reeds in 3 stages. Some that are being initially broken in, some that are at concert level, and some which are still useable as practice reeds. As the concert level reeds expire, they should be moved to the practice group. At the same time, the initially broken in reeds should be ready to go into the concert group. Discard any reeds in the third group (practice reeds) once they become too unresponsive to use.
Personally, I think the FOF reeds have the best cane and most consistancy of any reed currently available. A simple side by side comparison with V12's shows that the FOF's have a greater bundling of fibers which extend to the tip, as well as cane which does not seem as "green". Many V12's are playing very mushy. I would suspect this is to improper aging of the cane.
As for the "Hand Selected" reeds:
The Vandoren "Hand Selected" reeds are in the traditional (blue box) cut. These are not V12 style reeds.
Many years ago (in the 70's and early 80's), the hand selected reeds exhibited a higher percentage of useable reeds. The cane was dense and the fibers extended to the tip. The most recent ones I've seen and played are for the most part not any better than the current version of the blue box traditional. Certainly not worth twice the price. I've also found a few bad miscuts and some of very poor quality which made it into the "hand selected" box. How they arrived there? No idea...
In summation, I personally do not want to support a company which employs someone to cherry pick their supposed "best" reeds, charge an exhorbitant price, and then package and market their "seconds" as their "Traditional" cut...GBK
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-11-21 11:45
Dear Clarinet Freinds:
Once again in accordance with GBK on these matters, it seems we are all suckers for marketing ploys and here is where we are expected to pay more for cane which is suppossedly finer. It is my experinece the new hand select cane is really no better than the ordinary reed, and I have found many of these need adjustment as much as the "normal" Vandoren cane....
Once again, I am not happy with the tips on the newer V12 and so I adjust them with my cordier trimmer to suit the Kanter mouthpiece I use. I am not sure why the tips are being redone by Vandoren, but once again students of the instrument may need to invest in trimmers to get the tips right, and so the question is, why are Vandoren so slack. Again, from what i have heard from other symphonic colleagues is that Vandoren has had two bad crops in a row and are letting stuff go by. I have also heard that the cane from Agrentina is being used and sold as Vandoren....
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Author: Vic
Date: 2002-11-21 14:55
As always, GBK is right on the money. Oddly, I've had better luck lately with the Vandorens, perhaps because I'm working more on them, have a better "break-in" process, as d dow suggests, or letting them age longer. Frankly, I've had much better luck with the blue box Vandorens than the V12s. That being said, I still much prefer the FOFs.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-11-21 15:03
"Hand Select" I suspect only means that those particular reeds were put in the box by a live person--as opposed to the Trads being packaged by a machine. Now if they were actally play-tested (by a non-garlic eatting player) and balanced to my own personal mpc specifications so that all I had to do is pop one out of the box, walk on stage and blow Nielson, then I would be impressed. Until then (and even then--???-- maybe NOT), I will buy my own boxes of "Machine Select" and "do it my way." (but with Mozart, not Nielson--never really liked it)
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2002-11-21 15:22
GBK,
What is the strength comparison between a V12 and a FOF reed?
I might want to try them, I currently play V12 4.
Thanks,
-Sylvain
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-21 15:58
Sylvain...Some players feel that the Gonzalez reeds are about ¼ softer than V12s of the same strength. Thus if you normally play a V12 4, you may want to try a Gonzalez 4.25.
Other players find the strengths between the Gonzalez and the V12 to be quite similar. (4 = 4)
One thing is for certain - a box of Gonzalez reeds will not vary ½ strength up or down, as Vandorens frequently do...GBK
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Author: Curt
Date: 2002-11-22 19:03
At one point I had considered selling Reeds on my website. At that time I ordered several boxes from various companies to try out. -Only reeds I had not tried previously.
I may be the only one I have seen that says this but the Hand Select reeds did seem more consistant and tended to play better. I tried several boxes on various saxophones and clarinets. I always had the same result.
Do I use them now -no they cost too much.
Curt Altarac
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-11-23 05:48
For those who may not be aware, the Gonzalez FOF reeds are placed into their individual paper holders and loaded into each box <b>by hand</b>. Only reeds which strictly conform to Gonzalez standards are ultimately packaged.
There are additional quality control checkpoints at every stage, from the cutting of blanks until final packaging. If at any point there are rejects, they will not be placed in the boxes. Thus the percentage of lesser quality reeds is <b>much lower</b> than any other currently marketed reed.
If one is truly desirous of "hand selected" reeds, Gonzalez fits that description, as well as being much more affordable.
Again, do you really want to patronize a company which "cherry picks" their "best" reeds (from their current crop of mediocre cane), sells them at exhorbitant prices, and then packages the remainder as their "Traditional" brand?
Not I ...GBK
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