Sax on the Web

Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / reeds for bari

mike
User ID: 0812164 Oct 18th 12:51 PM
What brands of reeds are you using on bari? I'm geeting really frustrated with Rico Royal and Jazz Select, because the reeds keep splitting on me. It's like having to pay a $10 minimum usage fee every time I break out the bari. Any tips and ideas on how to get some life out of bari reeds?

RS
User ID: 9209903 Oct 18th 12:54 PM
I have been using Royals lately with no problems. Been getting about six good ones out of a box. I consider this acceptable.

Bones
User ID: 1307164 Oct 18th 4:47 PM
I swear by Rico Jazz Select on bari. Haven't had the splitting problem you've described. I don't think they warp as much as other brands.

Mk111
User ID: 8792653 Oct 18th 5:05 PM
I swear by the Jazz Selects too. If you're having problems with splitting, why don't you try fibracell?

Bootman Oct 18th 5:12 PM
Rico Jazz Selects work well for me on Bari too. La Voz are good too but tend to be more problematical. No joy what so ever with a Fibracell.

lowkey
User ID: 0394114 Oct 18th 5:30 PM
Just started using the Rico Jazz Select after using Rico Royals for years and so far I like them very well. I wish Vandoren made JAVA reeds for the bari because that is what I use on Alto and Tenor. I use the Jazz Selects on my Soprano as well (only in a smaller less industrial size than the bari).

MBushaw
User ID: 1167284 Oct 18th 7:04 PM
Go to fibracel. Won't split! Have to try a few to find the strength you need though.

Adam
User ID: 9050343 Oct 18th 7:20 PM
I use the plain old orange box Ricos with a fair amount of success (if you consider 3-5 reeds/25 successful). I tried using the jazz selects for a while, but I found that I ended up with roughly the same percentage that worked, and then they wouldn't last nearly as long as the cheap ones (1-2 weeks vs. 3-6 weeks for regular). That didn't make any sense to me, but I am glad that the cheaper reeds work better for me, I don't feel as bad about throwing them into the trash...

super20dan
User ID: 7705853 Oct 18th 9:01 PM
i use rico royal and like them very much

satb
User ID: 1662364 Oct 19th 2:49 AM
I have used Vandoren Traditional no 2 on bari since the start and so far have no reason to change. Although I have used Hemke and Rico JS on my other horns, both have been so inconsistent I think I'm going back to Vandoren which are better-finished, although they take a little longer to play in. Never got on with Java or V16 myself.

Helen
User ID: 1007814 Oct 19th 12:48 PM
I used to use the Rico Plastic Covers, but got tired of always having to toss so many. I switched to Fibercell about 2 years ago, and haven't looked back.

I don't miss the hassles of cane at all. And as far as sound goes, I don't notice a difference, and either do those that listen to me. If I had switched from a plain cane reed perhaps the difference in tone might have been a bit more pronounced, I don't know. But the tone is great and I like being able to play one reed for 6 months!

Jean S
User ID: 9245273 Oct 22nd 3:32 PM
Iam using RICO Frederick L. Hemke 2,5. They are very good.

GaryL
User ID: 9816503 Oct 28th 9:21 AM
YBS-61, RIA .115" metal. My reed progression was Rico Royal #3, then Hemke #2.5, then Jazz Select 3S (best cane reed I've found for SATB), now Fibracell med soft. Haven't used a cane reed on bari since getting the Fibracell a year ago thanks to Paul Coats.

The Fibracell is dependable and always ready to go, doesn't dry out while on the stand, doesn't chirp.

MojoBari
User ID: 1195644 Oct 28th 12:35 PM
Fibracell 3.5 and M with a hole drilled if it seems too stiff. Altissimo can only go an octave or so but that's enough for me. Cane goes higher, but its tough to find one with guts in the normal range of the horn. YBS-52 w/plastic Q 11.

Angst
User ID: 3215874 Nov 7th 11:57 AM
Try a Bari star and they last forever. Be careful with the strength selected.

J. Calhoun
User ID: 0673084 Nov 7th 12:01 PM
Vandoren #3 on everything. (sometimes Rico Jazz Select in a pinch) Usually have to scrape 'em down a little because I'm a wimp. My MP is Vandoren #8S (very old, about 0.110" opening). I use every reed in the box. If it doesn't play right I tweak it till it does. Maybe my standards are lower than yours. At $5-7 PER REED (ACK!) I don't throw any of them away.

SteveC
User ID: 9725373 Nov 7th 12:14 PM
I dig the Alexander DC #3's on my bari. Love 'em!

steve
User ID: 1585334 Nov 19th 8:36 PM
I concur with SteveC...except I need a # 2 with my Berg metal 120/3.

Bill
User ID: 0512724 Dec 6th 3:20 AM
I use Lavoz,, medium,,, they work great with my dukoff mp... Tried Rico,,, didn't work to well,, no punch,

David T.
User ID: 9467593 Dec 6th 4:29 AM
Using Lavoz MH right now (HR Berg 120/0). If your having problems finding any good reeds in a box, check the mouthpiece! I sent the Berg to JVW a while back, and haven't had reed problems since. 4/5 or 5/5 from a box. Best reeds I ever used were 10 year old Orange Box 3.5s I found in a drawer in my parents house when I cleaned out the old room a couple of years back. Man was I sad when I slapped the last one on the mouthpiece.

mike User ID: 0812164	Oct 18th 12:51 PM What brands of reeds are you using on bari? I'm geeting really frustrated with Rico Royal and Jazz Select, because the reeds keep splitting on me. It's like having to pay a $10 minimum usage fee every time I break out the bari. Any tips and ideas on how to get some life out of bari reeds?
RS User ID: 9209903	Oct 18th 12:54 PM I have been using Royals lately with no problems. Been getting about six good ones out of a box. I consider this acceptable.
Bones User ID: 1307164	Oct 18th 4:47 PM I swear by Rico Jazz Select on bari. Haven't had the splitting problem you've described. I don't think they warp as much as other brands.
Mk111 User ID: 8792653	Oct 18th 5:05 PM I swear by the Jazz Selects too. If you're having problems with splitting, why don't you try fibracell?
Bootman	Oct 18th 5:12 PM Rico Jazz Selects work well for me on Bari too. La Voz are good too but tend to be more problematical. No joy what so ever with a Fibracell.
lowkey User ID: 0394114	Oct 18th 5:30 PM Just started using the Rico Jazz Select after using Rico Royals for years and so far I like them very well. I wish Vandoren made JAVA reeds for the bari because that is what I use on Alto and Tenor. I use the Jazz Selects on my Soprano as well (only in a smaller less industrial size than the bari).
MBushaw User ID: 1167284	Oct 18th 7:04 PM Go to fibracel. Won't split! Have to try a few to find the strength you need though.
Adam User ID: 9050343	Oct 18th 7:20 PM I use the plain old orange box Ricos with a fair amount of success (if you consider 3-5 reeds/25 successful). I tried using the jazz selects for a while, but I found that I ended up with roughly the same percentage that worked, and then they wouldn't last nearly as long as the cheap ones (1-2 weeks vs. 3-6 weeks for regular). That didn't make any sense to me, but I am glad that the cheaper reeds work better for me, I don't feel as bad about throwing them into the trash...
super20dan User ID: 7705853	Oct 18th 9:01 PM i use rico royal and like them very much
satb User ID: 1662364	Oct 19th 2:49 AM I have used Vandoren Traditional no 2 on bari since the start and so far have no reason to change. Although I have used Hemke and Rico JS on my other horns, both have been so inconsistent I think I'm going back to Vandoren which are better-finished, although they take a little longer to play in. Never got on with Java or V16 myself.
Helen User ID: 1007814	Oct 19th 12:48 PM I used to use the Rico Plastic Covers, but got tired of always having to toss so many. I switched to Fibercell about 2 years ago, and haven't looked back. I don't miss the hassles of cane at all. And as far as sound goes, I don't notice a difference, and either do those that listen to me. If I had switched from a plain cane reed perhaps the difference in tone might have been a bit more pronounced, I don't know. But the tone is great and I like being able to play one reed for 6 months!
Jean S User ID: 9245273	Oct 22nd 3:32 PM Iam using RICO Frederick L. Hemke 2,5. They are very good.
GaryL User ID: 9816503	Oct 28th 9:21 AM YBS-61, RIA .115" metal. My reed progression was Rico Royal #3, then Hemke #2.5, then Jazz Select 3S (best cane reed I've found for SATB), now Fibracell med soft. Haven't used a cane reed on bari since getting the Fibracell a year ago thanks to Paul Coats. The Fibracell is dependable and always ready to go, doesn't dry out while on the stand, doesn't chirp.
MojoBari User ID: 1195644	Oct 28th 12:35 PM Fibracell 3.5 and M with a hole drilled if it seems too stiff. Altissimo can only go an octave or so but that's enough for me. Cane goes higher, but its tough to find one with guts in the normal range of the horn. YBS-52 w/plastic Q 11.
Angst User ID: 3215874	Nov 7th 11:57 AM Try a Bari star and they last forever. Be careful with the strength selected.
J. Calhoun User ID: 0673084	Nov 7th 12:01 PM Vandoren #3 on everything. (sometimes Rico Jazz Select in a pinch) Usually have to scrape 'em down a little because I'm a wimp. My MP is Vandoren #8S (very old, about 0.110" opening). I use every reed in the box. If it doesn't play right I tweak it till it does. Maybe my standards are lower than yours. At $5-7 PER REED (ACK!) I don't throw any of them away.
SteveC User ID: 9725373	Nov 7th 12:14 PM I dig the Alexander DC #3's on my bari. Love 'em!
steve User ID: 1585334	Nov 19th 8:36 PM I concur with SteveC...except I need a # 2 with my Berg metal 120/3.
Bill User ID: 0512724	Dec 6th 3:20 AM I use Lavoz,, medium,,, they work great with my dukoff mp... Tried Rico,,, didn't work to well,, no punch,
David T. User ID: 9467593	Dec 6th 4:29 AM Using Lavoz MH right now (HR Berg 120/0). If your having problems finding any good reeds in a box, check the mouthpiece! I sent the Berg to JVW a while back, and haven't had reed problems since. 4/5 or 5/5 from a box. Best reeds I ever used were 10 year old Orange Box 3.5s I found in a drawer in my parents house when I cleaned out the old room a couple of years back. Man was I sad when I slapped the last one on the mouthpiece.