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Alto clarinetists - what reeds do you use?

Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2001-02-09 00:39

Hey gang, my latest e-Bay purchase was waiting on my doorstep this evening when I got home from work - an alto clarinet. It's just a Vito with the fake wood grain, but I am seriously grooving on it.

Here's the question. I've got some alto clarinet reeds from (dare I admit it?) 1976-77 and a couple of them sound great - the cane is so nicely cured. Even one of the orange box Ricos is excellent - maybe they were made better two decades ago. So what do when these treasures from the past go kaput?

My local music stores usually don't have a.c. reeds, and if they do, they are the dreaded orange box Ricos. I tried an alto sax reed, which is wider, and it worked OK, but I really don't like the reed hanging out on either side of the mouthpiece.

So, fellow alto players, what's available out there in reeds and what do y'all use? And is there any kind of ligature other than this nasty generic metal one?

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RE: Alto clarinetists - what reeds do you use?

Author: andreak
Date: 2001-02-09 12:43

Hi C.-

I just got a new toy from ebay myself. Mine's a Bundy. I started with just a couple cane reeds in different strengths, LaVoz medium, I think because that's what the local music store had on the shelf. I was having a terrible time going over the break, and the upper notes were really stuffy.

The community band practices in the basement of the music store, so on a break I went and played for the repair tech thinking he might need to make some more adjustments. He loaned me an off brand plasitc reed and it made an amazing difference.

I'm still using the stock mouthpiece, but I did upgrade to a Rovner ligature.

I bought a Legere strength 2 alto sax reed and it made an even greater improvement. Notes I was struggling with are coming out great now. (It's nice to be able to relax and play after a couple weeks of being tense!)
Good Luck!
Andrea

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RE: Alto clarinetists - what reeds do you use?

Author: Cathy
Date: 2001-02-09 15:58

Hi! I use Vandoren 3s on my alto. The local store dosen't carry them so I order them through woodwind&brasswind and I also use the rovner ligature and a Selmer C* mouthpiece on my alto. Hope this helps. -Cathy

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RE: Alto clarinetists - what reeds do you use?

Author: LynnL
Date: 2001-02-09 17:18

One of my colleauges recently purchased one of Clark Fobes AC Mpcs. and he told her to use an Alto Sax reed. When she did, the artistry he built into that Mpc. definitely came out. She also uses a Rovner ligature which really helps bring a full rich sonority to the low register. We play together in a mixed clarinet quartet, in which I play bass clarinet. And, I can tell you that she can make the alto sound nearly as rich as my bass with that set-up.

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RE: Alto clarinetists - what reeds do you use?

Author: Eugene
Date: 2001-02-10 03:38

I just bought a used B&H alto today and really like the rich low end but middle bflat and above play stuffy like the tone is choked or talking with your nose pinched and the hole instrument plays a little sharp even worse the higher you get.I also play alto sax and clarinet and the sax reeds work great vadoren-3 slightly sanded with 600-800-2000 grit paper.All said and done Ilove the tone.

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