 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-07-30 11:26
Hello guys! I just before some days got some Marca reeds, one Marca Pete Fountain, one Marca premium and one Marca superieuere, all in 3.5 strength.. Until know I break them in. I currently play on BD5 with V12 3.5 reeds and works the best. I didn't like the other reeds(Pete Fountain,premium).
The Marca superieure 3.5 was heavy for the BD5 so I rubbed It patiently on my Vandoren glass resurfacer to the point the reed became right strength..
I'm VERY excited to tell you that I like It much more than V12
both in sound and on playing comfort, It gives darker than V12, "Mozart", woody sound which I personally like always having, yet I can project the sound with volume no problem!
The only concern I have right now is how the number 3 strength will be..
If It'll be somewhat similar to the rubbed 3.5, I'll definetely get a full box of Marca Superieure reeds number 3..
I encourage all players, especially those who play BD5 to try a number 3,
Thank you! Dimitris.
Post Edited (2020-07-30 11:27)
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-07-30 13:35
Thank you Dimitris, I don't know the Marca reeds but I may try these in future. But even darker than V12... :(
On BD5 I use mostly V12 #3 but sometimes Gonzalez 3.25. These give a more focused and clearer sound and better dynamics than the V12. But not darker, more a "Mozart classical" sound
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-07-30 15:50
For the BD series mouthpieces I prefer the V21 reeds, since their shape seems to be more suitable as compared to the V12 reeds. On the BD5 I am somehow between strength 3.0 and 3.5, on the BD4 I prefer 3.0.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-07-30 16:47
Both of you, please believe me, try Marca superieuere! Just give It a little bit of time to break in and to get used to It(didn't take much to me) after some rubbing becoming lighter strength(to be playable) the sound produced with this reed was as I mentioned before.. and I'm very excited about It! It also keeps the same flexibility the V12 has in playing, as I said! MIND-BLOWING!!!
Post Edited (2020-07-30 18:51)
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-07-30 20:27
Jeroen! Do you know any place in Europe I can order Gonzalez (one reed)? I'm interested to try It..
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-07-31 01:39
I’m a Marca artist. I use the Excel model. The reds are incredibly consistent and always 80% or more work. The break in process is a little longer than other brands but they last.
Certainly worth giving serious consideration.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-07-31 23:58
Jimis4klar wrote:
> Do you know any place in Europe I can order Gonzalez (one reed)?
Thomann sells them but only boxes I think:
https://www.thomann.de/nl/gonzalez_rc_bb_clarinet_3.25.htm
Don't know where to buy single reeds.
I have just ordered a box of Marca Superieure #3. Just curious. I will compare them to the Gonzalez reeds.
Post Edited (2020-08-01 00:10)
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-08-01 00:54
Jeroen! Please, update me when you try the Marca superieuere on your BD5! I'm curious to see If you'll have similar results with me... Ligature plays a little role too, I use a pink gold M/O which gives deeper sound than gold and silver, yet I can push the sound all I like.. What ligature you currently use???
Post Edited (2020-08-01 01:30)
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-08-01 01:09
I just ordered Marca Excel and Marca Premium #3, a box of each. I am curious.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-08-01 01:18
gatto! If you play on BD5 you should order Marca Superieure! I also tried Marca Premium and I don't know If the reed I received just was bad but I didn't like it at all.. Also, If you play BD5 you should order number 3.5 Marca Premium.. The 3 probably will be too light!!
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-08-01 02:31
I use the Vocalise G and prior to that a Licostini mouthpiece.
You can hear the Excel in action with the Backun Vocalise here in an impromptu “virtual” concert from early July.
https://youtu.be/6XJrBTvdFa4
Peter Cigleris
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-08-01 04:21
@ Dimitris
Since half a year I play on the BD4. I was happy with the BD5, but I am even happier with the BD4. On this I use #3 (V21), whereas on the BD5 I prefered #3.5. So I will see...
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-08-01 16:42
Peter! Have you ever used the Marca excel on BD5? Also, is there a video with you playing Marca excel on Bb clarinet??
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2020-08-02 14:52
Jim, I was lucky enough to be asked to try the BD5 prototypes and while I understood the merits of it it wasn’t for me at the time.
This link I’m playing Marca Excel on the Bb with my Licostini.
< https://youtu.be/mQGDXKb4fiU>
Here with the Vocalise (on Bb)
< https://youtu.be/5Wgo3hPhGr8>
Peter Cigleris
Post Edited (2020-08-02 21:57)
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-08-02 17:57
Hi Peter,
>You can hear the Excel in action with the Backun Vocalise here in an impromptu “virtual” >concert from early July.
>
>https://youtu.be/6XJrBTvdFa4
Very good concert, very nice sound. Thanks.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-08-05 03:15
Jimis4klar wrote:
> Jeroen! Please, update me when you try the Marca superieuere on your BD5!
> I'm curious to see If you'll have similar results with me...
Well, I can understand you find them darker compared to V12. They are indeed! Too dark for me however: I find the V12 already (too) dark. Besides this I couldn't get them to vibrate as freely as a good V12 or Gonzalez. #3 is for me still quite strong and even working on them to make them softer didn't help much. Resulting in an unclear sound and poor dynamics. I did find the Marca's quite consistent though. But I will not switch...
> What ligature you currently use???
Anything you want ;-)
Post Edited (2020-08-05 03:29)
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-08-07 02:09
After a few days just watering the reeds, today I first have played a few minutes on each of them: 2x Excel #3 and 2x Premium #3. One Exel and one Premium were much too strong for me, the other Premium was a bit too strong, the other Excel was strong but quite fine. All the reeds worked fine in the altissimo. On the BD4. But it is very early, I have to see after 3 or 4 more sessions.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-08-07 13:55
There is a video from Eric Black in the other topic about BD4 and BD7. My experience with the Marca Superieure is about the same as with the V21 in his video. If you are looking for that 'dark covered' sound the V21 and the Superieure could be serious options I think.
Post Edited (2020-08-07 14:01)
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Author: echelonphoto
Date: 2020-08-08 22:11
Ricardo Morales recommended the rue lepic series for me on the BD4 and BD5...they really have a nice round sound...I use the 3.5.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-08-09 09:38
Jeroen! I have V21 reeds and I don't like them much! They are very inconsistent and brighter than V12!
echelonphoto! I also have rue leapics (3.5), they have a nice sound, but they don't work as well as V12s and Marca Superieuere.. (I think because they are narrower..)
Now, I'm waiting for other reeds to come and try: Marca Superieuere 3, Reserve Evolution 3.5, Steuer Classic 3.5, Steuer Exclusive 3.5... They're gonna take some time time to arrive, I'll update for those when I try them..
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Author: gatto
Date: 2020-08-12 19:01
So far I am not convinced by the Marca Premium and Excel. After playing them four days they still feel quite rigid to me and a little bit inconsistent. At least so far I cannot see that I will reach the same result as with the V21.
In the other thread I have written that today I tried the first time two Rue Lepic's on my BD4, and the first impression was marvellous. I use #3.0. With stronger reeds I tend to be noisy and to be exhausted quite quickly.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-08-13 02:14
gatto, I've tried a lot of V21 3.5 on my BD5 and they had a good balanced sound(neither dark, nor too bright) but to me they were very inconsistent day to day, so then I tried v12s and after some time I understood that these are best reeds on BD5, also much better than rue lepics, with V12 3,5 I get flowless playing compared to the others.. and now recently I discovered the Marca Superieure, I got one 3.5 but It was heavy, rubbed It a lot and patiently until It got right strength(became somewhat like a number 3), It has the nicest woody sound I've ever heard from myself while playing, now I'm waiting for number 3 to confirm what I said at first opening this topic, that everyone who's playing BD5 have to give a try on Marca Superieuere reed and that I'm blown away by it's sound and flexibility on playing.. Of course things are always subjective for every individual and this might not be the case for everyone, at the end we have to be open minded and try new things which maybe can evolve us to better players and as a result, better musicians...
Guys don't forget, I'm waiting for your impressions on Marca Superieure, please update me when you try them! I'm interested!
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Author: vintschevski
Date: 2020-08-20 11:18
Thanks for the stimulus to try a reed-and-mouthpiece combination which I had not thought to try before. I managed to scrounge a few Marca Superieure 3 and 3.5 reeds from my reed collection and tried them on the BD5 - I think the 3 works better for me than the 3.5, and it's a nice combination, I agree, though I would hesitate to call it mindblowing for me personally. I did, however, also try the reeds on various other mouthpieces, and for me the most impressive combination was the Marca 3 reed and a Selmer Focus mouthpiece. In fact, the 3 reeds were quite good on a Selmer Concept as well, while the 3.5 reeds were just a tad too much work to play as well, but I wasn't trying all that many reeds overall.
Anyway, there's my suggestion: try a Marca Superieure 3 reed with the Selmer Focus mouthpiece!
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-08-20 17:18
vintschevski wrote:
> Anyway, there's my suggestion: try a Marca Superieure 3 reed
> with the Selmer Focus mouthpiece!
>
Thanks for the idea. I have tried and the MS reeds certainly played better on the Focus. However, not as good as V12 imo. Still had trouble to let the MS reeds really 'vibrate'. Another suggestion on both mouthpieces are the Peter Leuthner Professional #3 reeds. But they are twice the price as the Marca Superieure...
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Author: vintschevski
Date: 2020-08-21 08:41
I found the Marca Superieure 3 reed to be more vibrant on the Focus mouthpiece than the V12 3, and permitted a crisper articulation, but perhaps it is a tad too bright for some tastes, and the V12 might have more of a solid core to the tone. I'm relating these impressions, however, based on just one of each mouthpiece mentioned and on a small sample of the reeds - and I'll add that I bought the Marca reeds about 10 years ago. I don't know what difference that makes, but the cane might be different in the current Marca reeds.
I might add that I also rather liked the Marca Superieure 3 on a Vandoren B40; here it sounded more like the V12 3 on the Focus, less bright, more of a "classical" tone (so probably too dark for some).
And lastly I could also suggest that the Alexander NY 3 reeds play pretty nicely on all of these mouthpieces (the BD5 included) and in fact might be the best of the lot. They are very new to me, so I won't proclaim them as the best just yet - but they are worth a try.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2020-09-21 00:32
Hello again! Finally I tried the BD5 with Marca Superieuere number 3 but It was too light for BD5, the 3.5 was too heavy as I mentioned, I need some strength between 3 and 3.5 for BD5.. On the M30, number 3 was a little better. I wonder how It would be on a BD4 or BD7, have any of you tried It on these??
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Author: StanD
Date: 2020-09-21 07:01
The “AW” @ 3-3.5 work very well for me on my BD5. Out of the box success fairly high (6 out of 10) but all can be worked on. I’ve pretty much given up on VD’s as being too inconsistent. I’ll give the Marca S a try.
Stan
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Author: StanD
Date: 2020-10-02 08:25
Hi, I'm using AW "STANDARD" (product # 301) at number 3 strength. French cut. 3.5 may also be suitable if you prefer more resistance. If you are in the USA they might be difficult to find. (I know of only one dealer.) They are manufactured in Germany and are available from several dealers in Europe and the UK. Sold by box of 10.
There are a number of other brands that are very suitable so it comes down to you're having to explore and find what you're happiest with. Things (reeds and ourselves) change so no one factor is always the exact same.
Good luck!
Stan
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