 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: vjoet
Date: 2006-04-05 22:13
Disclaimer: I'm not connected financially in any way with Xilema reeds or with any of the 3 retailers of them that I know about. Furthermore, I am an amateur clarinetist, not a pro, not a teacher. I post this, for I have found a reed that -- FOR ME -- is perfect, and I know of no joy that a person wants to keep to himself.
It was by chance that I stumbled upon Xilema reeds, a Spanish product. I was ordering some supplies, and would get free shipping if the dollar amount exceeded a certain amount. So, knowing nothing about them, and having heard nothing about them, I ordered a box of Xilema reeds.
I have now used them exclusively for over 3 months, playing in a community band, a college orchestra, as well as my private practice and lessons. My current setup is Richard Hawkins B mouthpiece, Bay inverted ligature, Doctor's Products Power Barrel (like a Moenig), a vintage 1961 R13, and a Xilema grade B reed.
I have found the Xilemas to be excellent in every way:
1. Out of a box of 10, 10 are playable, and 7 are "concert quality". Now, I always adjust my reeds--previously with very fine sand paper, and reed rush and now, with the Vandoren glass reed resurfacer, but with the Xilema I find only the slightest amount of adjustment is necessary. (I generally take a few swipes along the sides.)
2. I've never been able to play on a reed as long as others do (because of exceptionally high mineral content in my saliva), but the Xilema seem to last twice as long as anything else.
3. With the Xilema, I have a wider range of tonal colors easily at my disposal, and a wider dynamic range.
4. Articulation is easy in all registers.
5. The Xilema website http://www.xilema.net/ingles.htm lists some impressive Xilema artists, including the principal clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic.
6. The grading on them is A, B, C, and D, with A being about a 2.5 and B a 3.
They are hard to find, but you can get them through sponsors of this board: Omar Henderson (Doctor's Products and Forte Clarinet) and Ben Redwine (RedwineJazz), and from WWBW.
vJoe
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: redwine
Date: 2006-04-05 23:43
Hello,
Disclaimer: We do sell Xilema reeds, however, you can get them more cheaply from Doctor's Products and WWBW.
Before I started selling the reeds, I asked the owners of the reed company (Inma and Miguel) to send me some to test. When they arrived, I instantly fell in love with them and, in fact, switched brands for my recital which was about 3 days later. I have continued to play them and am consistently getting 10 reeds per box that I can play with just a little bit of work on them with both sandpaper and the Reed Wizard.
Leslie and I have visited the factory in Spain (and in fact are visiting again next week) and we are both extremely impressed with their set up. They employ 5 professional clarinetists to handle quality control, which is why the consistency is so good. Inma's brother, Jose Herrera, is principal clarinetist with the Valencia Orchestra and studied with Alfred Prinz. Jose is quite famous in Spain as a reed maker. He designed the two cuts of Xilema reeds.
Over the past year, they have researched their operation and have determined that the single cut reeds were not as consistent, so now they are only producing French File cut reeds. Additionally, they have refined the selection and purchase of cane and as a result have been consistently receiving accolades for their product.
The Artesana and Professional are the same cut, except that the Artesana has been hand finished at the factory. I equate these two models to the V-12, however, they are different.
The Classic cut (the cut that I prefer) I equate to the Vandoren Traditional cut, however, these are different as well.
They letter their strengths instead of numbering them. The equivalents are: A=2.5, B=3, C=3.5, D=4, E=4.5. I do find that these equivalents are slightly softer than advertised. So, I would classify them as A=2.25, B=2.75, etc.
We display these reeds at both the Oklahoma and International conventions each year, where we give away free samples.
Thanks for you interest and we welcome any questions!
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kchui999
Date: 2006-04-06 02:39
I've done some research on Xilemas, but always get the same descriptions. How are the Artesanas and Professionals different, besides the fact that artesana gets "hand finished at the factory"? What does this mean, exatly? Do the professional reeds get hand finished somewhere else?
Anything more specifics would be greatly appreciated. I think i'm going to go and order a box and see how it goes.
Chui
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-04-06 05:54
I've recently tried all three types from Xilema, and for me they were very bad. It was not the strength that was problematic, but they gave me very strange sound, especially on some notes. My conclusion was they were completely wrong with my mouthpiece.
What's weird is the Professional and Artesana cost exactly the same at WW&BW.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2006-04-06 10:58
(Disclaimer - I sell Xilema reeds)
There is no one reed type or cut that will make everyone happy - this I would put forward as a generalization, theory, or law all at the same time. Most of my customers (who have tried the reed and like them - a biased set to be sure) find them more consistently good than other brands and many like them above other brands. Obviously you must try them in your search for a favorite reed and make your own decision about what is right for you. The Professional series I find more akin to the feel of V-12's in my own playing experience.
L. Omar Henderson
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: redwine
Date: 2006-04-06 11:45
Hello,
Disclaimer: I sell Xilema reeds.
Cuts of different brands of reeds are not for everyone, so the Xilema may not be for you. I did identify the problem with the single cut/French file cut problem. If you have Xilema reeds that do not have the French file cut, please send them to me for a replacement box.
From my observations at the factory, hand-finishing on the Artesana reeds consists of running each reed over 1200 grit sandpaper on the flat side of the reeds both with the grain and in both circular directions, then sandpaper is used on the top of the reed to close pores. Other than that, the Professional and Artesana are the same. If you don't like messing with reeds, the Artesana may be the best for you, if you do, the Professional may be. All cuts of Xilema go through the CNC machine for precise cutting. Then, when they come out, they are double checked with the hardness meter and put into appropriate boxes.
Big stores like WWBW deal in such volume that sometimes their prices are inexplicable.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
