 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2006-11-29 11:02
Today I got in the mail these three brands of reeds. I think I should not look at reeds strenght comparison charts anymore. I currently play on Gonzalez FOF no 3,25 reeds and fin them equal to V-12 no.3,5 although all the charts I've seen say that FOF strength is equal to V-12 strength. I tried the Alexander DC no.3 and they sounded maybe a bit to soft but the sound was very fluffy just like the new Rico Reverse reeds which I think are not worth the extra money and fancy packing. Then I tried Xilema Pro No.C(3,5) and they were too soft almost like V-12 no.3 although I saw in one chart that C was rated almost equal to V-12 no.4. Then I tried AW 302 no.3 and they are equal to V-12 no.3,5 just like was said in one chart . They are very compact sounding reeds just like the Rico Reverse reeds just without sounding fluffy. One thing I can tell for sure is that Xilema and AW sounded way far better than Vandoren(regular,V-12 and Rue Lepic). I will let you know after about week how these reeds last.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2006-11-29 11:38
I was too quick to judge the Xilema reeds. I just went now over the whole box and the constancy is very even worse than V-12. I found that in the box of strength C(3.5) that the reeds were from being almost like Vandoren regular no.2.5 to be like V-12 no.4. I can put up with the inconstancy of the V-12 and in fact like it since I play in different aqustics but this is ridiculous.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-11-29 12:09
Xilema do sound quite different to other brands I've tried... so different that I found it quite hard to rate the strength.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RodRubber
Date: 2006-11-30 02:17
Xilema reeds have a slightly different cut than the other reeds u mentioned. I don't know about the aw, but i can compare to the other brands u mentioned.
Xilema reeds are made of some of the finest cane available from any commercial brands. I wish Xilema would make a thick blank reed. I say this, because i had excellent success, as well as some others on his board, copying v12 style reeds using xilema cane.
Reeds I made using this system have been used by myself and others, even in some serious orchestra work around DC
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2006-11-30 03:10
A few years ago I wrote about my experience and impressions of Xilema reeds in a review found here:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=118492&t=118483
Although the cane is quite nice, I would agree that the strength grading was inconsistent.
Since that review was written, I have used up the rest of my Xilema reeds.
Like other brands of quality reeds, when a good, live one is found, it can last a long time and provide nice projection and color.
Unfortunately, there were a good number of fair to mediocre reeds in every box. These had a very limited lifespan and even with adjustments were not salvageable...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2006-12-03 02:20
OK now I've been playing the AW French cut no.302 last few days and I really like it but It's a bit more expensive than Gonzalez FOF which I am using now. I saw it at fair price at Weinermusic but they only have model 301 so my question is have anyone tried both models and what's the differents between them? And if someone knows where I can get model 302 for as fair price as 301 at Weiner music I would be glad to know.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2006-12-03 02:43
(Disclaimer - I sell the Xilema Professional Reeds)
I only sell things that I have tried and liked myself as a player. Only one player among many!. The Xilema reeds have gone through changes in the last year (cane source) and I now find them much more consistent - they are now grading them by 1/4 strenghts - than in the past. As a player brought up and weaned on Vandoren Traditional and V-12, that moved to Gonzalez F.O.F., and now to Xilema I am much happier with the consistency and longevidty of Xilema at the moment. (We are a weird and fickle lot however and this could change to Stone Mountain reeds, etc. at any given moment !!!!!!!) The reed business is a changing landscape and suppliers are constantly shifting to try to win our favor so last year's impression is this years folly).
L. Omar Henderson
Post Edited (2006-12-03 02:53)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
