 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben Shaffer
Date: 2017-06-15 16:14
Quick question.
I've been playing the Legere Classic Reed on my Vito V40 with a Mark 3 Ligature. I have no complaints with the Classic.
I've noticed the Signature on line and it costs quite a bit more.
Is it worth it?
Anyone out there have experience with both?
Thanks!
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-06-15 17:11
Ben Shaffer wrote:
> Is it worth it?
> Anyone out there have experience with both?
> Thanks!
Your question can't really be answered meaningfully. In the end, whatever anyone else thinks, either it's worth the price difference to *you* or it isn't. The only way for you to find out is to pay the price and try them for yourself.
It's worth adding that the European style Signature is a different animal from the (classic? original? standard? regular?) Signature and should be considered separately.
There is a price differential, but it isn't a budget-breaking one. Légère reeds are consistent enough that you really only need one of whatever variety you try to know if you prefer it. Just check Légère's strength chart to get as close as possible to the equivalent to the Classics you're using.
FWIW (to start off the voting that I know will follow), I very much prefer the European-style Signature.
Karl
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Author: Ben Shaffer
Date: 2017-06-15 18:20
Karl says...
"Your question can't really be answered meaningfully"
Agreed if you are the only responder
That said though I am looking for a number of responders and when that happens a pattern will emerge.
The 4 responses would be...
1.Prefer the Signature
2.Prefer the Classic
3.Seem about the same
4.Don't like either
So I will order a Signature to try if most people feel they are about the same or they prefer the Signature
Just sayin...
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-06-15 18:31
You're still ignoring (or seem to be) the Euro - it isn't the same reed as the regular Signature, even though it's sold under the Signature name. To add to my personal response about preference - I don't like either the Classic or the regular Signature and have only used either of them occasionally in pit work. I actually *like* the Euro. That's only my preference. Your mileage certainly may differ - once you've tried them - but in the end you're going to end up having to try them for yourself - no matter what the voting here turns out to be.
So my vote would be - don't waste time asking what everyone here likes. Just buy one of each of other models and judge for yourself. It does matter what kind of playing you do, what kind of groups you play in and, of course, what you need the reed to allow you to do.
Even if you don't like either the regular Signature or the Euro, it won't be like having a bad cane reed. You'll still be able to play on whatever you buy. If you get the wrong strength after checking Légère's chart, you can contact Légère for an RA number and exchange it for a different strength.
Karl
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Author: Shaun L
Date: 2017-06-15 18:33
Hey, Ben.
I've tried a few of both the classic and the signature and I never was successful with the classic. I liked them enough on saxophone to use in pit gigs to not worry about dry reeds in fast swaps but on clarinet I couldn't achieve a full, satisfying tone or quick articulation. The signature behaves almost identical to a cane reed for me. Pinging articulation and the tone I desire and it doesn't become thin or uncontrollable at louder dynamics. I know a lot of people like playing on the classics but the signature made a world of difference for me. I think it's worth at least trying one out.
Backun Protege Coco/Gold
Selmer S10A
D'Addario X0
MoBa barrel
Buffet 1193 C
Vandoren B44
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-06-15 19:23
Ben:
Seems like there's a general consensus for a preference for the Euro-Signature. I agree with my peers hands down on this point- I only play on Euro Signatures when using a synthetic. Definitely worth the price of admission and you should try them.
Karl is right...whether one of the Legere lines works better for you, only you can answer that question. If you're noticing a price differential, I suspect it's because Legere isn't selling as many of the earlier offerings and have reduced the price to help move product (selling through older inventory?). If I were you, I'd still cough up the $30 for Euro-Signature and see what happens.
Legere has a very liberal exchange program that you can take advantage of. They even swapped out reeds I purchased from Brad Behn. There customer service was exemplary.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-06-15 19:41
IMHO, YMMV, having tried all the Legere and Forestone products since their inception, for good reasons, the Legere European is in a class all its own, and the first reed of the synthetics that I would stick in my case along side a good cane one.
When I say "first" I don't mean it places first in my list of synthetics. I mean it is the first (and only) one to come along since synthetics have be available that truly, IMHO, gives cane a run for its money--such that it would have some professionals truly consider, or actually minimize or abandon their use of cane reeds.
That is not to say I've gotten rid of cane. That is not, again, to say you'll concur on its quality or believe it worth the price, although I do.
Still more, I find the need to own several Euros as, at least for me, consistent with Legere's recommendations, http://www.legere.com/node/53 they work well for about an hour of play before requiring a rest period.
Finally, I'd like to explain why I think it worth the price. It's not so much, for me at least, comparing merely dollar for dollar how much cane I'd have to buy, or even the cost of my time working on it to have cane work as well, as long. In fact, although I work on reeds, it doesn't much interfere with practice time for me.
Euros, for me, are worth their cost because in addition to that mentioned, they provide me with peace of mind. I know if I am having a time of it with reeds on any particular day, be it because of me, weather, or both, or who knows what, that Euros provide excellent reliable results. They (wait for it...) "flutize" the clarinet. In other words they make my clarinet behave more consistently, as one gets in a flute (an instrument I'm by no means implying is easy, maybe just more consistent in how it plays.)
Euros let me know, if I just can't produce some passage on a particularly bad practice session, that's it's me that's the problem, not the reed of the rest of my gear. Euros keep me "honest" to clarinet play, to properly assign blame to bad play.
So why stick with cane...to be honest I'm still wrestling with that question. I'm not sure, despite giving it much consideration.
Maybe because Euros feel a little different than cane, I falsely believe they sound different. Maybe cane is "the devil I know," and am at least familiar, if not thrilled with. Maybe it's because I haven't given some really high end reeds that people like Brad Behn or Clark Fobes sell enough of a chance.
Maybe my reasoning (which is no reasoning at all) is best explained by American TV's Sheldon Cooper, of CBS' Big Band Theory, when he said
"My new computer (clarinet) came with Windows 7 (Legere Euros.) Windows 7 (A Legere Euro) is much more user friendly than Windows Vista (Vandoren, etc.) . I don't like that." ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2017-06-17 05:11
I have tried synthetics for years on clarinet and saxophone(s). While not really a synthetic, I have been pretty satisfied with Plasticovers on clarinet and alto sax, but not bass clarinet or any of the other saxophones.
The Legere Classic, for me, was an emergency reed, particularly on clarinet and baritone saxophone, where my experience has been that reeds can 'fail' suddenly and without warning. Having a Legere classic in the case guaranteed that I always had a reed that would play, but I preferred cane reeds.
A couple years back, I had a bad run of baritone sax reeds (was using mainly RJS Jazz Select at the time). I noticed the Signature reeds and tried one...haven't used a cane reed on a regular basis since. I sometimes practice with them, just because I have them and am gradually using up my stock.
As a result of that experience, I decided to try one on clarinet and was disappointed at first, but found that they took 2-3 hours of play to 'loosen up' and be immediately responsive. I tried a couple strengths of the European reeds and they responded a little better, but I have found the sound to be a bit more 'buzzy' and not to my liking. Just fyi, I play clarinet mouthpieces with medium-long facings (18mm or so) and 1.15 - 1.20 mm tip openings, on big bore Selmer clarinets.
I'm happy with my baritone sax (3.25), bass clarinet (3.25) and soprano clarinet (3.0) Signature reeds and am not shopping around. As I run low on stock, I intend to give a try on the other saxophones.
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