Author: seabreeze
Date: 2015-03-08 09:16
Short answer:
The Vandoren #3 traditional cut and #3 in the new Vandoren 21 cut work best for me on the ES MCK1's.
Long answer:
I play several different mouthpieces, depending on the music and the setting. Other than the ES MCK1's I play a Behn Vintage D, a Kuckmeier Play Easy B2 (refaced) if I want a covered quasi-Germanic sound, a Vandoren CL4 for a very focused, centered French-type sound. All these have been refaced to have close tip openings (1.01 mm or less), and medium-long facings, and I play double lip on them.
Years ago, I used to play heavy Moree (I think just 2.5 strength in those was stiff) and Vandoren #5 reeds, but I now find that method of production forced and use #3 reeds on all my mouthpieces. I've tried just about every cane reed (I've never used composites and know little about them), but I find myself returning again and again to the Vandoren traditional cut (#3) and, more recently, to the Vandoren 21 (also #3).
I use the Vandoren etched glass plate to fine tune the reeds pretty much according to Ridenour's ATG system. Even so, only about 4 or 5 of the Vandorens out of the box of 10 play the way I want to.(I can usually scrape the others to play, but I don't get exactly the sound I want). There are plenty of other reeds that seem to give a richer sound with more "haze" around the core, but Vandorens for me play with the most vibrant and lasting core sound--and that's what I most want in a reed.
This may or may not work for you--especially if you don't play double lip or you're not looking for a lot of core and center. The EMS pieces play very round and smooth, and I like to add more vibrancy while still keeping a modicum of cover and darkness on those particular pieces.
Hope that helps a little.
Post Edited (2015-03-09 00:19)
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