 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Plonk
Date: 2010-06-23 08:24
After a 3 year break I'm now playing every day again and loving it, but and struggling to find the right reed - would welcome some suggestions.
My setup: Yamaha ycl34 with vandoren b45 mouthpiece
At the peak of my playing ability I played Vandoren 3.5's - but I reverted to 3s after I graduated and wasn't playing so much (about 10 years ago), then I stopped completely 3 years ago.
Now I'm playing again, I assumed I'd need to use 3s and I bought a box of Mitchell Lurie but every single one is far too soft to play on. I have tried butchering with a knife but I'm not very skilled. I do get the impression that they are nice reeds though, with only 2-3 out of the box sounding like duffers.
At the same time I bought 5 Zonda no.3s. The first one I tried was beautiful but only lasted about 3 days. The others haven't been nice at all and I'm at a loss as to whether they are hard or soft for me - just very duff.
I also got two free reeds from www.internetreeds.com a new company doing freebies at the mo. A 3 which was so soft it practically melted and a 3.5 which was so hard it broke my jaw!
So, I want to buy another box of 10, but really don't want to waste any more money if possible. I have thought of either getting Mitchell Lurie 3.5s or trying something different. I don't mind paying a bit more if it's worth it - but not if I end up throwing half a packet of reeds away.
Any suggestions?
Post Edited (2010-06-23 08:25)
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Author: Plonk
Date: 2010-06-23 09:48
Looking at that chard I think I'll go for a 4 actually - it seems the 3's are equivalent to something between a 2 and 2.5! Wish I'd seen that chart before I parted with my cash!
Anybody in Eastern Europe want a box of ML 3's let me know!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-06-23 10:07
Why not use Vandorens again? They are irrefutably the best reed out there (apologies to Ed Palanker), so why not use what you were used to in the first place.
Just give it about three days of playing on any one reed for no more than five minutes as a break-in period.
Ok, other reeds may work, but Vandorens play.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2010-06-23 10:57
Regardless of whether or not Vandorens "are irrefutably the best reed out there," they are what you were using successfully (I assume) before you stopped. Go back to what you were using and get back in shape. Then, once you have your bearings again, you can start to experiment if you like with other reeds.
Karl
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Author: Plonk
Date: 2010-06-23 11:10
That would probably be the most sensible route. I'm not always a sensible person though I am bored with Vandoren as I never played on anything else (except Rico cheapo) whilst a poor student. They may well be the best, but I still want to experiment with other reeds. I never even knew there WERE other reeds back in the old days! I may well end up back with Vandoren after I've played the field a bit, but I'm having fun for now!
(I may not EVER get back into shape anyway - certainly feels like that some days...)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2010-06-23 14:12
I can relate to Plonk's plight (nice alliteration, eh?). Right through high school, what few lessons I took were from a soprano clarinetist who (in retrospect) was clueless about the bass clarinet; so he gave me no advice on equipment. I would just randomly, on my own, try this mouthpiece or that reed, while playing on a plastic Vito bass clarinet.
Not knowing any better, I happened to be playing on crappy brown-box Rico reeds at my first rehearsal with the University symphony band, as a freshman (and a non-music major in a room full of music majors). We didn't even get through the first piece when the director stopped the band, pointed at the bass clarinet section and asked, "What is that sound?" Looking directly at me, he asked what kind of reed I was playing on. When I said "Rico", the entire band starting laughing --- and the director pointed to one of the upperclassmen and told him "go in the back room and get him some real reeds!". The older fellow came back with a box of Vandorens. I had never even tried them before. What a difference! But it took one of the most embarassing moments in my musical life to get me onto high-quality reeds. And taught me another lesson: If you want to play BASS clarinet, take lessons from a BASS clarinetist.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-06-23 14:51
A new model Forestone 4.5 should be just about right for you. It's a new synthetic reed from Japan that I have been using for over a year that has liberated my need to deal with the non-stop hassels and disadvantages of cane reeds. Forestones play and sound just like any good cane reed and they last indefinately--at least, mine have. FWIW, I play orchestral, wind ensemble and jazz events and my main concert set-up is: A & Bb vintage R-13 clarinets with a Chicago Kaspar #14 mpc--Vandy Optimum lig. With this set-up I am playing F 4.5 & 5.0 (their hardest) reeds.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-06-24 14:05
I've found reasonably consistent quality from Rico Royals at less than I'd pay for Vandorens. they tend to be half a notch softer than the equivalent Vandoren. More recently I've been playing Legere plastic reeds, and a 2.5 Legere fits about right where a Vandoren 3 or a Rico 2.5 used to.
Tony F.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-06-24 16:00
Legere is a decent synthetic that will get you through the "tough times" such as LOW humidity inside during the Winter, or outside gigs where the weather is extreme.
My recommendation for strength comparison to Vandoren is to get a Legere at 1/4 strength less. So if you play #3 Vandorens, you would use a #2.75 in a Legere.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Plonk
Date: 2010-06-24 16:35
I'm curious about synthetics - does each reed (same brand) play exactly the same way? How long roughly do they last? Do they feel different against your tongue?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-06-24 16:55
Plonk wrote:
> I'm curious about synthetics - does each reed (same brand) play
> exactly the same way?
In my (somewhat limited) experience: No. But that may be just me, because I don't feel the same each day either.
> How long roughly do they last?
Can't say, I still have 'em, they still work.
> Do they feel different against your tongue?
Yes. At least if you're used to unfiled cane reeds. Synthetics are more slippery, somehow. And some have sharper tips than cane.
--
Ben
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Author: mrn
Date: 2010-06-24 17:44
I played on Vandorens for many years. Then I tried the Grand Concert Evolution reeds (made by Rico) that came with my then-new A clarinet, and I was surprised at how much I liked them.
This was when the U.S. Dollar was weakening against the Euro, so the slightly lower price tag of the domestic reeds was also attractive.
What I liked about them was that they were very responsive, but at the same time had plenty of strength. They feel and sound very different from Vandorens, but I found it doesn't take long to get used to them.
Recently I've also tried the Rico Reserve reeds, which are similar, but perhaps a little higher quality cane. (The best thing about them, though, is that the local music stores here carry them [unlike Grand Concert], so in a pinch I can just drop in and buy a pack of 5.)
I've also tried the Rico Reserve Classic reeds, but they did not work very well for me on my mouthpiece. They might work better for you, though. I don't know. I found they were the opposite of the GCS Evolution in terms of responsiveness.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-06-25 05:22
Plonk asked:
I'm curious about synthetics - does each reed (same brand) play exactly the same way? How long roughly do they last? Do they feel different against your tongue?
I can only speak from my own experience, but I've found that Legeres of the same strength play the same. I can't say how long the last, but they outlast a box of 10 cane reeds by a fair bit. They do feel different, but it's not a problem. I liked them from the first second that I played one.
Tony F.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-06-25 11:00
I usually get about six months out of a Legere before the the tip gets too weak to be of use.
....................Paul Aviles
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