Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2023-11-19 14:31
I haven't tried the W270 myself, but with a tip opening of only 0.72mm it seems a bit extreme to me, even by Viennese standards (the closest one Maxton offers is 0.757, and ditto for Gleichweit is 0.74).
As you've probably already seen, Vandoren's own recommendation for their V21 Austrian reeds are strengths 4 to 6+, so maybe at least a starting point could be in the middle of that - which would be 5+ (in the range 4, 5, 5+, 6, 6+)?
I've tried the V21 Austrian, as well as the Black Master Traditional reeds on other mouthpieces, but a funny thing with the V21 is that it has a shorter vamp than I've ever seen on any other B-flat reed - while the very long facing curve on Viennese mouthpieces would make you expect quite the opposite! Tonally it was a disappointment at least for me, while the Black Master Traditionals are a lot better (haven't yet tried the "regular" Black Masters).
However, since Vandoren's own recommendation to their W270 is the V21, maybe it's still a good match for it - but surely the both Black Masters would also work (on the other way around, they interestingly say all three could work also on Boehm mouthpieces, at the lesser strengths).
My personal reed preference on my Maxton "Alban" Viennese facing is the Pilgerstorfer "Vienna", followed by their "Pi", and on third place the Leuthner "Wien" (also Legere's German Classics works, for practice).
Since the very closed tip opening of the W270, be prepared to "blow hard", and also remember to take in a lot more of it than you are used to on Boehm pieces. Personally I've found everything below 0.85mm on Austrian facings to be too restricted in volume and also physically too straining, but I hope you will report back here about your experiences - also about the combo of a Viennese mouthpiece/bore with a Boehm clarinet (on my Reform Boehm clarinets, some Viennese large bore mouthpieces have worked ok tuning wise on the B-flat, while not on the A).
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