 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2008-03-26 00:11
I see that when reeds are discussed on the forum the name Vandoren seems to be virtually the only one to be mentioned. Are there other good reeds ? Rico seems to be the most heavily stocked in the music stores I visit. Are they not good ?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-03-26 00:29
I don't know - I'm not much of a Vandoren person, I prefer Mitchell Lurie. I find them less slippery and very consistent. They might not last a lifetime, but what does so these days?
And I like the Orange Ricos better than their Royals. Hard to blow on a reed that sucks. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) Heck, I just don't like them.
--
Ben
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-03-26 01:25
Vandoren for a long time was pretty much "the only brand" to get. Now there are many other brands which are really good - Gonzalez, Rico's premium line such as the Reserve, Grand Concert, Evolution, and a few other brands which are very good.
Local stores have to buy a lot of whatever they get so they typically cater to the lowest denominator which are the lowly orange rico box.
You can mail order much better reeds. Check the sponsor list on the right side of the page for names, etc.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: feadog79
Date: 2008-03-26 01:30
I've switched from Vandoren V12 to Gonzalez FOF. They just seem to be more consistent for me. I also like Legere Quebec cut, but only after adjusting with Ridenour's ATG system.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-03-26 02:29
I am an uncompensated Rico artist. I’ve been using the Rico Grand Concert Thick Blank reeds for many years. I also use the Rico Reserves at times. I find the cane and cut to be superior. Rico makes four professional reeds types and you should try them all to see which cut you favor. That’s the only way to find out what plays best for you. Rico also produces many other less professional reeds, so as David stated, most stores carry the lesser quality because that’s what so many young students and amateurs use. They are also very popular with saxophone players. Visit the Rico web sight, google Rico reeds, and you will see how many brands are listed under the Rico name. I believe that includes Mitchell Lurie and Rico Royal. When I was a student Rico was considered to be a beginners or jazz players reed, they've come a long way since then. ESP
Www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-03-26 02:46
Don't forgett Xilema reeds from Valencia in Spain.
Check www.xilema.net
You can buy them from www.doctorsprod or from www.redwinejazz.com
I think that Ben Redwine owner of redwinejazz.com would be happy to answer any question you might have about them.
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Author: Jkelly32562
Date: 2008-03-26 03:10
I love the Vandoren Rue 56 #4's...... But I also soak them in Vodka for 4 nights, taking them out to dry during the day, and sanding off the roughness each night before re-soaking.
Jonathan Kelly
jkelly32562@troy.edu
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-03-26 13:29
Rico do a wide range of products from the 'cheap & cheerful' to the pretty good. Vandoren have traditionally aimed higher (though some might say they put all their grades together in the same box ;-D ). But take a look around and there are many players other than these 'big 2'. West of the Atlantic: Gonzalez, Alexander etc.; in Europe: Sinus, Xilema, AW, Neuranter etc. Most of these guys aim for some sort of improved quality... leaving Rico in the unenviable position of producing, amongst their extensive product range, the [ahem] /cheapest/ reeds on the planet... But I've been told they go down quite well with saxophonists, and for the novice the noise:price ratio is hard to beat.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2008-03-26 14:03
I've tried many other reeds, but keep coming back to Zonda reeds.
Must have something to do with my embouchure. I break them in slowly and adjust as needed (usually not much).
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-03-26 15:19
The numbering runs a little hard, but AW reeds from Germany have a great sound and are amazingly consistent and last very, very long compared to other brands I have tried. The price is a little high (especially in Euro ![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif) ), but since you get so much more per box and the reeds last longer the money balances out.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-03-26 19:42
My experience with AW reeds are not good. They wrap so badly that they are basicly unplayable and if you can fix them they become way to soft. I've tried over 20 brands of reeds and none of them have wraped nears as badly as the AW.
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-03-27 02:18
Vandorens are very good. They're my usual reed, but recently ive been testing , Gonzalez, Zonda and Rico Reserve. I like what I am hearing with all three of them. So Vandoren isn't that only cat in town.
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Author: mnorswor
Date: 2008-03-27 03:21
Ricos for me! I use the Reserve reeds myself and the grand concert for bass. I am an artist for Rico but was honestly playing them before I signed with them. For me, they work well and they're very consistent, so that's what I play
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Author: seagoville clarinet
Date: 2008-03-31 20:44
Any body ever use one of them synthetic reeds?
I bought on at TMEA and it costs me 15$. It may seem like a lot of money, but its worth it. It last for about 6 months depending on how long you play in a day. But when it comes to wood reeds i prefere michalle lurie!!! Vandaurean is to hard for me.Iceland clarinet wrote:
Tiffany
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Author: CWH
Date: 2008-03-31 20:59
Tiffany could you please tell us what brand of synthetic reeds you're speake of.... many thanks.
Study, Practice, Play and Enjoy.
Post Edited (2008-03-31 21:00)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-03-31 22:07
Recently I scored some Gerhard Steuer reeds on That Unmentionable Infernal Internet Auction Site, for both Bb and bass clarinets and in both German and French cuts, and I really like them. Maybe even more than I like Vandorens. I've also used and like Marca, Glotin (which I believe are no longer made), Zonda (sometimes), and Olivieri (sometimes).
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-04-01 00:16
interesting:
The Rico Grand Concert Reeds as well as the Evolution reeds (if I recall) had edges that catch an alcohol swab - if you wipe the reed with the piece of cotton it will fray the cotton due to the wood catching the fibers and even sometimes take a sliver off of the edge of the reed
The Rico Reserve Reeds do NOT catch the swabs, so I wonder if they are made on those Glotin Machines and they cut them differently.
hmmm
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Pathik
Date: 2008-04-01 09:09
Vintage XL reeds from Reeds Australia are my favourite reeds because they are remarkably consistent, very long-lasting and I get a big, fat, chunky, solid sound from them. The one thing I am really pleased about is the quality of sound I get when I play, my tone if you like, which is something others have commented on as well, and I am certain the reeds I use have a lot to do with it. I use strength 3 1/2 reeds, and I also use Tom Ridenour's ATG system for preparing reeds, but have to say that Vintage XL reeds hardly ever need much work doing to them to make them play perfectly. The new Passion reeds from Reeds Australia are also very good reeds, although my own personal preference is still Vintage XL.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-01 09:55
I don't had much luck with the Vintage and Vintage XL reeds. For me they take too much time to brake-in and still are too fluffy for delicate passages. But that was like 5 or 6 years ago I believe. If I get good and long lasting reeds consistance is not too big issue for me.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-01 09:56
I didn't had much luck with the Vintage and Vintage XL reeds. For me they take too much time to brake-in and still are too fluffy for delicate passages. But that was like 5 or 6 years ago I believe. If I get good and long lasting reeds consistance is not too big issue for me.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-04-01 11:42
"cut them differently."
Certainly the cane must have grain direction just like wood?
Bob Draznik
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2008-04-01 13:19
Pathik...
I've been using Vandoren reeds, blue box and occasionally V12's, exclusively. But your psalms to Vintage XL are persuasive.
You say they play well, with little work.
In that case, could you tell us your method for breaking them in? Is it, say, a 4-day soak-and-dry method with a few minutes of playing each day? Is it a 10-day break-in period?
I'm still experimenting with something that falls between Larry Guy's protracted break-in method and something akin to what I have been told was Leon Russianoff's method: If the reed didn't play, he threw it away and took a new one from the box.
By the way, does anyone on the bulletin board know of any reed company that offers (or offered, in the past) a break-in method for its reeds? Has that need ever been addressed by the manufacturers in any way?
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2008-04-01 13:31
I don't know how much to make of it, but Glotin still has a web site that promotes their clarinet reeds:
http://www.glotin.fr/htm/index_clarin.htm
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2008-04-01 14:24
david,
thanks so much.
as a mattetr of fact, i'm breaking in some reeds right now. not using the vodka method. i prefer Plymouth gin. Pour a thimbleful of vermouth into the film cannister, then quickly pour it out. add gin. ice. olives. then sip.
after about 10 of these (remember, we're talkin' film cannister size) the reeds play much better. even if you dont take them out of the flow packs.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-04-01 14:58
> By the way, does anyone on the bulletin board know of any reed company that offers (or offered, in the past) a break-in method for its reeds?
Every box of Xilema has a little note in suggesting that each reed be played at first for no more than 5 minutes, mezzoforte, no altissimo, and then stored on glass. Duration / range can then be gradually increased.
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Author: Pathik
Date: 2008-04-01 15:00
I don't break in reeds, because I've never found a good reason for doing so. Maybe I'm not very "advanced" in these matters but breaking in reeds by playing them only for a few minutes every day at first never seemed to make much difference. I do rotate them, though, using one or two reeds per day, then letting them rest until it's their turn again. At the moment I have about 40-45 reeds that vary from being rather good to being quite excellent, which means that I can make do with the ones I'm using now for a very long time to come.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-04-01 16:53
When I practice at home I use each broken-in reed for only 30 min and then I take it off,pull through the clarinet and take a new one. When I'm at band rehersal I use one reed before brake usually one hour and then another one after the brake. This way my each reed last as long as 24-30 hours of playing.
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2008-04-01 19:22
thanks to all.
very helpful.
and I'll check out a box of Xilema reeds, just to read the insert.
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