Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-11-20 17:32
Benjamin -
Rico makes contra-alto reeds, but only in the cheap orange-box style. It's better than nothing, but not much.
For my Selmer Eb contra-alto, with a Selmer mouthpiece, I've found that Vandoren bass sax reeds are just the right size. (Vandoren doesn't make contra-alto reeds, and their contrabass reeds are made for the older Leblanc mouthpiece, which is considerably wider.)
Contra reeds last for a long time, so it's worthwhile to do some work on them. Contra reeds should be as soft as possible -- just stiff enough to avoid a "flapping" sound on loud low notes.
However, these reeds almost all warp down the center of the bottom, which kills the response and causes squeaks. Therefore, I buy Vandoren # 4s, which are much too stiff, and put them on a fine-tooth file (or 400 grit sandpaper over a sheet of plate glass). By the time I get them truly flat on the bottom and balance them from side to side, they're about # 2 or 2-1/2.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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