 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ffrr
Date: 2005-04-12 04:45
I just realised, reading some older postings here, that when (most) people say Rico reeds are rubbish, they are talking about a different reed to what I initially purchased. I have never seen an "orange box" Rico. All my local store sells are in a Blue box and called Rico Royalles (or some similar spelling - don't have on in front of me).
That explains why I felt I was doing OK with them - they must be better quality than what I read about.
Are these blue box ones considered OK? They are certainly easy to buy around here than other types, like Vandorens.
Edit:
I've been doing some more searching and found more info. I think I now understand the different types that Rico make, and why my Royals are not so bad....
Post Edited (2005-04-12 05:54)
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2005-04-13 03:37
I, myself, stay away from ALL ricos- I really don't like any of them. My students play Royals and that works for them. I try to upgrade them to Vandoren after a while- they just have been lasting power and tend to be a little thicker.
It all comes down to what you can make the best sound with- if Royals float you boat, so be it- stick with what works!! I know there are those out there that HATE vandoran- it's all a matter of preference.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2005-04-13 06:08
A reed by what name,
Made from tall cane,
Plays the same;
And that's the name
Of my game...
- rb -
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-04-13 14:50
I've used lots of Rico brands on various horns, here's what I know of the current types (and my worthless opinions), basically listed from "most-student-oriented" to "most-professional-oriented":
Symmetricut ---- good 'throwaway' reeds for non-classical sax work, if you can get them cheap (you can on eBay) --- get them at least 1-1/2 strengths harder than you would play on a Vandoren.
Rico ("orange box") ----- same comments as for Symmetricut. By the way, these are considerably better in both cut and cane quality than the old "brown box" Ricos which were some of the worst reeds ever foisted on unsuspecting students, IMHO.
Rico Royal ---- supposedly an improvement over the two cheaper reeds above, but I've found them to be actually inferior --- I wouldn't bother with them.
Rico Plasticover --- used to be semi-handy for outdoor gigs, but with the availability of really good synthetic reeds (I'm talking about Legere), these Ricos no longer are worth considering.
Rico Grand Concert
Rico Grand Concert Thick Blank
Rico Grand Concert Select ---- These three are variations on the "professional" Rico reed them, I'm not sure what the real differences are. I find them occasionally decent for classical saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet use, but they rarely last long for me and in general I prefer other brands. I don't think they age the cane long enough, they seem to feel/taste/play "under-ripe" to me and, as I mentioned, just don't have the staying power of Vandoren, Marca, Glotin, Rigotti, Zonda, etc.
I may have missed a couple, but these are the Ricos I'm familiar with.
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-04-13 15:12
David S wrote:
Rico Grand Concert
Rico Grand Concert Thick Blank
Rico Grand Concert Select ---- These three are variations on the "professional" Rico reed them, I'm not sure what the real differences are.
Actually they are all called "Grand Concert Select", and, for Bb clarinet come in three versions:
Traditional blank, filed, similar to Vandoren blue box
Thick blank, filed, similar to V12
Thick blank, unfiled, called "Evolution" and similar to a Rue Lepic.
See http://www.ricoreeds.com, which also explains the various reeds made by Rico but branded otherwise.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-04-13 15:16
I have some older reeds just marked "Rico Grand Concert" (without the "Select"), probably out of production.
Also, I think I forget to include Frederick Hemke reeds --- I believe they're also a Rico product and can be OK on saxes (mostly) and clarinets (rarely), but again only worth buying if obtainable on the cheap!
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Author: gatep5
Date: 2005-04-13 16:23
Here is some information that I learned from Dr. David Etheridge at a clarinet festival I went to this past weekend. Apparently the people that used to own Vandoren now own Rico and they have dramatically changed the cut on Rico reeds. Make sure that you get the latest cut, which is from about Oct. 2004. I personally haven't tried them, but it might be worth a shot to check them out.
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Author: jblock
Date: 2005-04-13 16:27
You might as well add Mitchell Lurie reeds to the list as well. Just as a quick comparison, as a jazz player, I find that the Grand Concert Select give a more centered, focused and louder sound than Mitchell Lurie Premiums, which have a bit more spread to them across the frequency range. They also don't last long at all. I find the tips extremely fragile on the Luries, although I do like the sound.
Comparing the Concert Select with Marcas, which were mentioned above, I find the Marcas slightly less centered and with a pronounced woody, midrange sound.
Overall, I prefer the Concert Select reeds, although I'd like to try out the Evolutions.
Jonathan
www.synthblock.com
Post Edited (2005-04-13 20:16)
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Author: RosewoodClarinet
Date: 2005-04-13 19:44
I bought some older version of Grand Concert Think Blank 3.5 and I played one of these reeds for Dvorak Serenade (1st Cl. part.....so many yummy solos!) last year. It was fantistic!!
But, I like "Select" version better, though.
RosewoodClarinet
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Author: mamashep
Date: 2005-04-14 01:19
After the last price hike in Vandoren V12 reeds (from about $17 a box to $23 a box), I gave in and tried the Rico Grand Concert Select brand as a possible cheaper option.
Three words.....I love them! I had been a Vandoren loyalist since high school (early-mid 1990's), but the new cut that earlier posts mention makes a big difference in the new Ricos for me. I am on my sixth box of them. I have found them to last just as long as my old Vandorens, but the breaking in process is not as painful. I also find more workable reeds per box (so far)
BTW, I play on a Greg Smith mouthpiece, and the reeds work well with it, but my students who play on different mouthpieces have mentioned that the Ricos do not work/fit as well for them. My preference could be biased by the way the reed works with my particular mouthpiece.
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Author: RosewoodClarinet
Date: 2005-04-14 04:23
I also play Greg Smith mouthpiece. I play both V12 and Grand Concert Select. Both reeds work fine with me. I do not think you are not bias at all. They just have diffenrent vibration, especially Evolution. So, seems like I need different adjustment between V12 and Evolution. I have to fix reeds......
RosewoodClarinet
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