[silverstuff]

iv heard and read GREAT things about gonzalez reeds. i played a clarinet gonzalez reed and it was THE best clarinet reed iv ever played. However, it seems like the sax reeds don't fit, literally. The tip is way too flat(or straight) for any of my mouthpieces(selmers and links). anyone else notice this? iv tried filing the reed down, but that just ended up ruining them =(

 

[bandmommy]

Not every reed is going to match the tip of you mouthpiece 'perfectly'.
If the reeds work, play them as they are.
Otherwise instead of ruining them, buy a reed clipper and use it to reshape the tips of your reeds, or just use the brands that fit the curve of your mouthpiece.

 

[silverstuff]

no but its not just one particular mouthpiece. i haven't yet found a mouthpiece on which they fit without having excess flappy edges coming off the sides.

 

[milandro]

so Gonzales have deliberately made a reed that doesn't fit any mouthpiece? I don't think so. I have used them they fitted my Ponzols and played well

 

[bandmommy]

Have you tried placing the reed just 'slightly' lower on the mouthpiece?
You might just be putting the stupid thing on too high.

 

[silverstuff]

well then the tip of the reed doesnt meet with the tip of the mouthpiece. that also produces quite a weird sound.

 

[Peter B]

well then the tip of the reed doesnt meet with the tip of the mouthpiece

Don't want to start a beginner's forum thread here about where to position the reed on the mouthpiece, but I use Gonzalez reeds on a Meyer sop piece, a Selmer S80 alto piece and on tenor at different times for different reasons a Selmer Soloist, a Brilhart Personaline, the original Mauriat piece and a DM Sharkbite metal. Guess what.......the Gonzalez reeds don't fit any of them perfectly, and to be honest I wouldn't expect them to. The one they best match the tip contour on is the vintage Brilhart tenor, strangely, and the worst is the DM metal not surprisingly.

On each mouthpiece I position the reed with just a small amount of the tip curve showing, maybe ½mm, when I press the reed against the tip with my thumb and they all play beautifully when set like this, but I use Francois Louis Ligs which might also be something to do with it.