 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: marsha
Date: 2001-08-01 06:32
Hi Everyone
I have a question. I have been using Vandoren reeds for a couple of years, but lately I have been having problems with them. Lately, I have been struggling to find one or two good playable reeds in a box of ten. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem with this type of reed or any other. Is this strange? I would really appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-08-01 08:26
Yes your experience is quite common.
I switched to Alexander Superial Classique. Its expensiveness does not matter since they are almost 100% playable without any sanding and they last very longer. One of Sponcers for this URL is handling them.
If you like Vandoren, their hand select reeds are very good and more are playable.
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Author: SALT
Date: 2001-08-01 09:38
I've been noticing that lately too and was just starting to contemplate searching for a different kind of reed to buy. When I first switched to Vandoren my freshman year of high school(four years ago) I fell in love with them but now they just seem to be giving me trouble. I guess we're not alone in this problem.
::off to find some better reeds::
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Author: Brent
Date: 2001-08-01 12:13
Y'know, i used Steuer reeds for many years. When the company got sold and they changed their manufacturing process, the quality of the reeds seemed to go down significantly, so i've been trying out a number of different kinds of reeds. I've purposely avoided Vandorens because of all of the things i had heard about problems, but decided to try a box of V12s. I'm still in the process of breaking them in (along with a box of Daniel's, Evolution, Ponzols, Mozarts and Reed Australia's) but so far the V12s are the most consistent and have the highest percentage of usable reeds. Now, this is only one box, but so far i'm pretty impressed.
.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-08-01 14:09
Hint--start with a stronger reed than you need and then work it down to your desired strength and playing chacteristics. I generally play a well-balanced 3.0 reed on my Kaspar 14 mp, but I start with a 3.5 or 4.0 and work it down to the softer, balanced strength via my Reed Wizard and my reed knife. (I never sand the backs--not necessary with todays reeds) Usually, in a box of ten VDs, I am able to create five excellant, concert quality reeds and am able to play the other five in practice or for rehearsals--basically, very few or no wasted or "discarded" reeds. Then, with a proper "break-in" process of wetting (use only saliva after first water-soak), drying and rubbing the face and back to seal them, my good reeds last for about ten hours of playing service. This works for me and I hope it helps you a bit--Good Luck!!!!!!!
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-08-01 15:27
Try other mouthpieces. If you have a really good mouthpiece, you should get 6-10 good reeds per box of ten for any respectable brand of reed, including Vandoren of course.
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2001-08-01 16:36
marsha--
Have you tried a half strength stronger Vandoren? It might be that your embouchure has developed enough that you are ready for a slightly harder reed.
Todd W.
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Author: Linda
Date: 2001-08-01 18:17
I prefer Bay #3 with my Vandoren B40 13 mouthpiece...V12 are OK...only 2 good reeds in the box!!! Also Australian Vintage XL...
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Author: Benny
Date: 2001-08-01 21:42
I haven't really had that problem with my Vandoren V-12s. I usually get 6 to 8 nice reeds per box.
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Author: marsha
Date: 2001-08-02 05:14
Hi,
I really want to thank everyone for their help. I found a lot of tips that I am definitely going to put into practice. I now realize how uneducated I am about reeds. I was never even told about V-12s/. All I did was go to the local music shop and ask for "Vandorens" (3). Now, I know there is a lot more to it. Thanks for the help and keep any suggestions coming.
Marsha
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-08-02 19:12
If you don't like Vandoren's try a Mitchel LKurie premium reed they are excellent reeds and for a box of 5 ( they only come in boxes of 5) is a good price (about 6.00) and mostly all of them play.
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Author: Brent
Date: 2001-08-02 20:04
William mentioned that he gets about ten hours of good playing from a properly broken-in reed. I'm truly flabbergasted...i have reeds two years old which are going strong. This is what i liked about the Steuers. I rotate about 18-20 reeds. I play only about 10-15 hours/week (i have a job and family) so let's say 10 hours divided by 20 reeds is 1/2 hour per week, times 50 weeks times two years. That's 50 hours playing time on a reed which is nowhere near dying.
To me that is tremendously important, because of the limited amount of time i have to practice. I don't want to spend it all breaking in reeds. And yes, i know about Legere reeds. There are times when they are what i want, but sometimes i want to do things that work best with cane. Cane is still my preferred reed most of the time, even when praciticing.
So...what reeds last the longest for you?
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-08-03 01:14
>Brent wrote:
i have reeds two years old which are going strong.
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Some people say, especially reeds freaks, that aging or climatizing before using a reed box for some time makes reeds last longer. One opinion is 3 months aged reeds last two times longer than new reeds. (Climatizing means to let the reeds accustomed to the actual playing environments.) Some (professional) people use 20 years old reeds.
>a properly broken-in reed
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1)Ordinary opinion is 'First day 5 minutes and only lower register, second day ....
2)Another opinion is 'First day 5 minutes and give it a rest second day, third day,...
(This way of braking-in of a reed need about one month.)
3)A famous German professor's first criteria on whether reeds are usable:
Soak a new reed in water for say 40 minutes and put it on a flat surface like a
glass plate and leave it for one year(!!!). Reeds with warpage after one year are
useless.
I feel aging works without doubt. I would make an experiment for above 3).
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Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2001-08-06 15:05
There is no such thing as a perfect reed! This is a myth. There are, however, some reeds which behave better than others. There is some cane from different parts of the world which behave better than other parts of the world. There are some brands which have been set up as being the "only" reed, even if you have to throw away half of a box to find a good one. Consistency, to me, is economically a better standard than than one in a dozen good reeds which you might find in one box. Condider this in your quest for the "perfect" reed, regardless of the current brand you use.
Respectfully,
Bob Curtis
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