 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SGTClarinet_7
Date: 2004-07-22 18:44
I played on Zonda reeds for the first time the other day (size 4). It responded pretty nice but the more I played it the thinner the sound seemed to be. I've always been a V12 fan, but thought I'd try Zonda. I currently use a 5RV w/a Rovner lig, so I tried it with that setup, but I also tried it on a M15 w/a Pyne lig. My question is this: Are Zonda reeds softer than V12, or should I keep experimenting with mouthpieces and lig's until I find a suitable combo? Also, if it is a "thinner" reed, would it be better to use it while playing Dixieland music?
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2004-07-23 14:13
I re-read those comments, and as usual the reed you choose depends on your needs. GBK mentioned the need to carefully break them in and that's very true. Use them right out of the box and they don't hold up for you.
I've used Zonda for years now, the Classico that come 10 in a box. With the proper breaking in I've been able to keep about 12 of them in rotation for months. Now and then of course a couple of them have to get tossed out and another couple put into the rotation. Other reeds (Vandoren V12, Rue 56) are in my reed case and find they're good too, but find myself returning to a well-broken-in Zonda when performance time comes. As others have mentioned it's not a bad idea to buy 1/2 strength harder than your needs so that AFTER it's breaking in period you can work on it and bring it into alignment.
They're made from thicker cane, and actually are slightly wider than the Vandoren. I have many brands sitting at home and have held each one up to the Zonda for comparison. My teacher found that I have a fuller and richer sound when using them. Others like the Gonzalez brand, but my experience with them has been that they warp faster - they also measure less wide than the Zonda and have a different sound.
So, to each their own.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2004-07-23 15:43
I've been using Zonda's for about three years now. I break them in very gently as this seems to increase their longevity significantly.
Often the ones that seem the best right out of the box, will end up ranking at the botttom after break in. I've noticed some spread in strength across the groups, but no more than other brands. I order them to be a little hard out of the box, and they soften a little while breaking in. I find that they lose about 1/2 a number strength when broken in over a week, and then are quite stable after that.
I tried Gonzales thinking they would be sort of a more consistent Zonda, since they are made from essentially the same cane, but for me and my set up, the Zondas definitely give me better tone.
I usually end up with 2 great ones, two "OK" ones and one "dud" per 5 pack. I don't throw any out until after the week of break in because, as I stated earlier, the rankings frequently reverse during break in.
John
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-07-23 17:34
I find the Zonda Hand select to be vastly inferior to the V12 Cane...the sound while very nice at first is really a bit too covered at first...then after break in them become brittle and shrill sounding. The Classico I find a bit better but there the inconsistent cutting is a really big turn off..'
Still using Vandoren 3 1.2 and 4s to great benefit to myself.
David Dow
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