Is there any way I can buy an assorted sample of reeds to try out?
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One local music store in where I used to live allowed the customer to purchase individual reeds instead a whole box (Vandoren, Rico, etc). I am afraid that no Online store would do so nowadays. The closest thing might be the Vandoren mix pack (four reeds corresponding to Java red, Java green, V16 and ZZ).
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Seems like a great opportunity for a distributor, but I wouldn't hold out much hope.
Tenor: Eastman 52nd St, Alto: P. Mauriat 67RDK, Soprano: Eastern Music Curvy
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The D'addario sampler and Vandoren sampler are the best for this. Also, just found out GetASax will let you buy various strength Rigotti reeds for sampling and finding the right strength. Most people that buy single reeds are referring to a local music store that allows this. It's not overly common anymore and I don't think it's available online anywhere.
Another option is to check the forum sales. Sometimes members will sell off random stock of reeds they've accrued. Speaking of which, it's probably time I do this haha.
Edit: here's a link to those samplers:
D'Addario Select Jazz Tenor Sax Reed Sample Card - Find Your Reed!
The D'Addario Select Jazz Tenor Sax Reed Sample Card allows you to test out a small cross section of strengths to find the perfect jazz reed for you!
www.kesslerandsons.com
Vandoren Tenor Sax Jazz Reed Sample Kit - Always 50% Off
Vandoren Tenor Sax Jazz model reeds are available in 4 different models. Test them all out in one low cost kit! Made in France
www.kesslerandsons.com
That's the jazz sampler. Vandoren also offers a classical mix consisting of Traditional (blue box), V12, and V21 reeds.
If you bought one of each of these packs, you'd gain access to the entire line of Vandoren saxophone reeds.
D'Addario doesn't offer as many different types of reeds, so their mix packs are based more on sampling different reed strengths.
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This was one great thing back when mom and pop music stores were a thing. You could go down there and just get one or two reads and if you were friends with the owners they would even let you select them. As J-Moen said the D'addario and Vandoren select packs are going to be your best bet. As LostConn said the Vandoren set is designed for you to sample all their lines in a couple of packs the D'Addario one is more to allow you to try different strengths in one line. They have a pack designed for their Reserve (classical) reeds as well. Now, they won't let you try out the entire range, as they are limited to 2.5-3.5 or so, but they will at least give you a good idea.
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Caution on the sample packs: you are not getting perfect examples, like in any complete box. I bought a Vandoren sample pack some time ago and the reed model(s) that were supposed to be softer were harder so the sample trial was essentially a bust.
That's a darn good question.
For those brick and mortar stores that do still exist, do any of them allow single reed purchases? I'd guess that some do, for the most common reeds like Rico and Vandoren. You'll have to calll around. I agree that if you're just trying something out, a whole box is excessive.
For those brick and mortar stores that do still exist, do any of them allow single reed purchases? I'd guess that some do, for the most common reeds like Rico and Vandoren. You'll have to calll around. I agree that if you're just trying something out, a whole box is excessive.
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Most of the brick and mortar stores that I see anymore are Music & Arts (owned by Guitar Center) and don't. ]Most of the old local music shops I know have closed down. The one I used to go to when I was in Jr. High and High School was bought by Music & Arts when the owner decided to retire. The staff is the same but they don't sell reeds individually or anything like that anymore.
I was in a big store last month (Volkwein's in western Pa.), and it was possible to buy individual Rico orange box reeds, but no others (except maybe Royals; I'm not sure about them).
Keilwerth saxes (S/A/T), Selmer clarinets (S/B), Altus Azumi flute
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You can also buy individual reeds from Michael Lowenstern's Earspasm shop, which would let you put together your own sampler pack.
He only has Vandoren reeds available, but he has most varieties available, and the prices are very reasonable (less then the itemized price you'd get by buying a box from most retailers).
He only has Vandoren reeds available, but he has most varieties available, and the prices are very reasonable (less then the itemized price you'd get by buying a box from most retailers).
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Rigotti has a 3-pack too for their Gold reeds (the blue one)
When I was a kid, I could walk into the music store and pick individual reeds. I got pretty good at holding them up to the light and picking the most perfect looking one. But that didn't necessarily translate in to the best playing reeds.
I remember being able to pick individual reeds at the music store as recently as 15 years ago, but not since. These days, the best you can do is a 3 pack. But synthetics of course are sold individually. Good to hear you can get individual ones from Earspasm.
Do you have any sax player friends you can get individual reeds from. There are a couple of dozen sax players that I play with locally at various times, and many are willing to trade a reed or two. That's how I've been able to sample a lot of reeds in the past several years. I've even traded entire boxes with other players.
I remember being able to pick individual reeds at the music store as recently as 15 years ago, but not since. These days, the best you can do is a 3 pack. But synthetics of course are sold individually. Good to hear you can get individual ones from Earspasm.
Do you have any sax player friends you can get individual reeds from. There are a couple of dozen sax players that I play with locally at various times, and many are willing to trade a reed or two. That's how I've been able to sample a lot of reeds in the past several years. I've even traded entire boxes with other players.
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This topic has come up fairly often on here.
I'd say a 3-pack would be the way to go if you want to test a variety of reed brands or sizes. I guess not every brand offers a 3-pack, but many offer boxes of 5. Rigotti is not a bad starting point, if you can get it in 3-packs. The problem with testing only one reed is that reeds are inconsistent (who knew?), so that one reed may be a dud or a rare exceptional one. There's just no getting around this fact.
This has happened to me too.
I still think sample packs are a great idea, and in principle I’d use them again, but this can happen.
My local brass/woodwind shop (Dawkes) does still sell reeds singly in store, but I’m not sure they would do it online.
These days the 3-packs are the best you can do for 'economical' reed experimenting. The old days were great in many ways but one of the greatest things was asking for a certain kind/strength reed and having the counter guy pull out a box and set it there for you to pick them out. It was my experience that this produced nothing special at all and only served to exclude visibly damaged/defective reeds that probably got that way from being handled. I used to pick out the ones with dark areas on the bark and I tried to get the ones with an even appearance - where the heart comes to a point in the center. This just made me remember that they sometimes had a little light box on the counter for checking this. It was fun, but I really don't think I ever found any characteristic that had a repeatable effect on how the reed played. Even with all this examining, it was still a 'shot in the dark'.
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Locally - we can get single reeds from anything he has in stock - very useful for trialling mpc’s / horns etc.
Apart from the Rigottis sets off 3, I see that Marca is also offering a mix-pack. MARCA MIX PACK
Apart from the Rigottis sets off 3, I see that Marca is also offering a mix-pack. MARCA MIX PACK
Maybe you shouldn't pay attention to me because I probably am the least competent player to respond, but I'm not a fan of sampler packs.
When I bought my alto I bought Vandoren jazz reed samplers in two different hardnesses and I believe they only gave me a somewhat accurate impression of two reeds (V16 and ZZ). Those Java red reeds were nothing like the box of reds I later bought out of desperation for my tenor a few years later. I actually liked the latter. And those two Java green reeds sounded awful. I've never had the courage to try a green again. Maybe they weren't typical, but why chance it? Full disclosure: that was before I learned the rudimentary basics of adjusting reeds.
I assume you have a reed you prefer or at least tend to use. Keep playing those but buy an occasional box of something else when you're feeling reed curious.
When I bought my alto I bought Vandoren jazz reed samplers in two different hardnesses and I believe they only gave me a somewhat accurate impression of two reeds (V16 and ZZ). Those Java red reeds were nothing like the box of reds I later bought out of desperation for my tenor a few years later. I actually liked the latter. And those two Java green reeds sounded awful. I've never had the courage to try a green again. Maybe they weren't typical, but why chance it? Full disclosure: that was before I learned the rudimentary basics of adjusting reeds.
I assume you have a reed you prefer or at least tend to use. Keep playing those but buy an occasional box of something else when you're feeling reed curious.
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If you don't find any retail outlets, why not ask in the Marketplace?
I'd be game to consider selling a sampler if I have what you need. I have a whole shoebox full of boxes of reeds (all tenor).
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