 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-12 23:54
So I currently use Gonzalez FOF 3.75's on Clark Fobes 4L Mouthpiece. Lately, whenever I look for a good reed, all i get are: A) reeds that are too soft and likely will die in an hour of playing, B) reeds that are just imbalanced SOO much and shouldnt be considered reeds or C) reeds htat are super stiff and seem like 5's. In two boxes, I haven't even been able to find ONE good reed to play. Is something wrong with me or is this typical. I can't go down to 3.5's because I triedd that and they were all too soft. Cant go up either.
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Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2009-10-13 00:52
Maybe Gonzalez aren't for you? I tried two boxes for bass clarinet and didn't care for them as they got soft really quickly for me too. I tried every reed care idea there was to keep them alive. I tend to use Rigotti Gold now, and they last forever and sound rather well. Or a Mr. Legere. :D
but my professor isn't a fan of the Legere so I don't play them a whole lot
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-13 01:00
The only reason why I switched to Gonzalez was that I did not enjoy Vandorens (any of hte 3 kinds). So perhaps, I have not found my niche yet.
Could you or anyone else give me some insight on the RICO GRAND CONCERT SELECT reeds? I have heard that these are exquisite for classical music.
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2009-10-13 01:15
expedx7342:
I tend to play on Vandoren blue box 3.5's or V12 3.5's or Gonzalez 3.5's.
I like them, but they are not always consistent. In fact, the Vandoren's, in particular, can be kind of fussy. Consistency is, of course, the perennial problem.
The Grand Concert Select thick blank reeds are pretty good. I play the 3.5's. You may want the 4's. They do get soft faster than Gonzalez reeds, in my experience. But they tend to play consistently well out of the box.
I've had less luck with Rico Reserve--too stiff to start with.
But I would second USFBassClarinet's Rigotti Gold recommendation. Worth a try.
Post Edited (2009-10-13 04:25)
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2009-10-13 01:17
move up to #4 and learn to balance and sand down the reeds. In all my experience with over 20 different brand of reeds I've not found a brand that did not need some kind of adjustment(small or little) even for the super fancy Reserves from Rico.
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-13 02:05
what are the advantages of the "thick blank" over the traditional? I called a WWBW expert, and he said the thick blanks were for "weird people" and they were hard to work with. He said the tratitional grand concert selects played very nicely and have a "classical sound" so im looking forward to them.
Aside from having preferences, are these the same "tier" as gonzalez and vandoren?
and are any brands nowadays as good as the old olivieri reeds?
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2009-10-13 02:14
Grand Concert Select reeds come in traditional or thick blank. I suppose the thick blank are meant to be more like the V12's. (Although the Rico Reserve and new Rico Classic may be intended to fill that role.)
The traditional GCS reeds get softer far more quickly, in my experience. So I tend to buy the thick blank reeds.
Are they in the same "tier" as Vandoren or Gonzalez? Not sure how to answer that. If they work for you, they work for you. That's what's important. You might consider bumping up to GCS 4's on the thick blank. They might work better for you, given your stated playing history on Gonzalez 4's.
Post Edited (2009-10-13 04:22)
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-13 03:00
Thanks for your reply! If they indeed do get soft quiickly, perhaps thick blanks will be better. But how do these change the sound?
What I mean by tier is "is their tone up to par with the lead brands?"
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-13 03:28
I've used the Grand Concert thick blanks for years and now also use the Reserves and lately the Reserves Classic, their fantastic. Look at my website at the reed page to get hints on breaking in and adjusting reeds. I'm a pro player. You should also use as hard a reed as "comfortable" because almost all reeds get a bit softer as they break in, rarely do they get harder, if ever. I'm not suggesting that you use a reed that too hard for you to play. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-13 03:55
Mr. Palankar...thanks so much. Your site taught me a lot. Although I will be All-State principal clarinet, there's so much I learned from you! Thanks!
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2009-10-13 04:02
Regarding Gonzalez FOFs--I know that they're good reeds, and some people really like them. I tried them about a year ago, and didn't have very good luck. I worked on some, broke them in slowly, and got them to play very well, but for some reason, they just didn't last very long. I wonder if one factor is a sensitivity to changes in humidity. Some brands seem to be more sensitive than others. About a year ago we had a very rainy day, and the humidity was off the charts. I pulled out some of my FOFs that had quit on me, and they suddenly played like the greatest reeds that I'd ever had.
Regarding Grand Concert Select traditionals--I've noticed that they're seldom or ever discussed on this board. I decided to give them a try last summer. They probably work well for some players, but I found them to be a major disappointment, inferior to the Reserves I usually use.
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Author: abstruse_melisma
Date: 2009-10-13 04:32
I second the statement that Gonzalez reeds tend to like a very high humidity level. They are generally quite good for me in the summer if broken in properly. I think the problem is that they can't handle a drastic change in humidity, such as in the winter when you play and then store them in a very dry environment like a heated building. I humidify my reed storage at all times but nevertheless, it is easy to set down your clarinet for a minute and have that reed dry up and warp. I'm not sure what reason could be behind this lower tolerance. It could have to do with the fact that, being grown and aged in the Argentine region, the cane is simply too accustomed to being swollen. On the other hand, perhaps the break-in process must be changed during the winter season and one should avoid cross-season usage.
Some tips on their adjustment:
I like to sand a good deal just across the border where the vamp begins. The reeds are not filed there in the same like Vandoren and they can get stuffy in the basement register if not sanded. I also find that adjusting the side rails of the reed, tip to heel (a.k.a. high range to low range) is usually necessary. Buying a softer reed eliminates this, but they rapidly become metallic in sound quality. Adjusting the rails puts a lot of focus and center into the sound.
Overall, if they suit your climate, go for it because they can sound great, and for me need little, easy adjustment. Personally, I'm headed back to Vandoren until I acquire tools to make my own.
Devin T.B. Langham
Clarinet Performance Major
Michigan State University
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