Interesting, thanks for this!
For what it's worth, my experience with Vandoren reeds is shared by another SOTWer with whom I had an e-mail exchange recently about this very topic. I'm a hobbyist, mostly on tenor, and I used to play red Vandoren Javas on alto and tenor for years, ever since they came out. Never had a problem with them, especially the alto reeds: every reed in a box was at least good enough for practice. I never worked on my reeds, either: just put them im my mouth for half a minute before slapping them on the mouthpiece. I liked the balance of buzziness and darkness that the red Javas gave me, on both horns.
Then, three years ago, everything changed, literally from one box to the next. I came back from a 4-week vacation and opened up a new box of red Java alto reeds because I'd forgotten to close the ziploc bag in which I keep my reed guard before I left. At first I thought my horn (Mark VII) had somehow mysteriously managed to get out of adjustment while sitting in the case, it was so bad. Eventually I put on a new reed, and luckily that one played well. Turned out that that one, the second one I tried, was the only playable reed out of the box of 10. Everything else was craptaculous.
The next ones to go, about 5, 6 months later, were the red Javas for tenor. In my desperation, I got a ReedGeek and learned how to prep my reeds: that helped some, but I would still have to go through 2 boxes to find 1 reed that was good enough to gig with.
I then embarked on an epic journey of about a year, spending way too much time reading up stuff on SOTW and WAY too much $$$ buying every reed under the sun, including the entire Vandoren line, and including various synthetics. This was for tenor.
The Rigottis came closest to my sound ideal -- and they are indeed very consistent -- but I missed the clarity and punch and that I would get from a good Java red. I didn't like any of the synthetics -- like, at all... In my recollection, I got pretty much the same results sound-wise from the various Vandoren reeds on tenor as the OP did on alto.
I eventually settled on green Javas. They are, for me, I'd say about a quarter strength softer than the red Javas (again, that's on tenor) and they are a bit brighter too. But for the last 12 months or so, every green Java has been at least good enough to practice on after just a few swipes with the ReedGeek.
I only recently ordered a bunch of green Javas for alto, too, and my initial experience seems to parallel the OP's: I used to play the red Javas in 2-1/2 strength, but the green Javas work better for me in 3. I say "seems" because I only opened one box of green Javas each, one 2-1/2, the other 3: the first one of the weaker reeds was absolutely concert quality if a little on the soft side already, the first two of the stronger reeds evenly divided, one good enough to practice on, the other ready for the stage.
The green Javas are brighter, too, on both alto and tenor. But for me, that's not a problem because I'm a naturally dark player to begin with.
Again, this is just my experience. The teacher who I was taking lessons from two years ago counseled me against the green Javas because they were the most inconsistent in the Vandoren line, he said. But me, myself, and I, so far we haven't had to throw away a single green Java.
Just last week, I opened up two boxes of red Javas #3 for tenor: even after careful and individual prepping, I ended up with one concert-ready reed, and one good enough to practice on. 3 were beyond redemption, clearly. The remaining 5 will require more sanding etc. to determine if they're salvageable.
I'm hoping, reeeeeally hoping, I won't have to hop on the reed carousel again any time soon. If the green Javas go potty for me too, then I think I may just have to make an appointment with a certain gentleman at the midnight crossroads and talk about a business deal.........
-j.
For what it's worth, my experience with Vandoren reeds is shared by another SOTWer with whom I had an e-mail exchange recently about this very topic. I'm a hobbyist, mostly on tenor, and I used to play red Vandoren Javas on alto and tenor for years, ever since they came out. Never had a problem with them, especially the alto reeds: every reed in a box was at least good enough for practice. I never worked on my reeds, either: just put them im my mouth for half a minute before slapping them on the mouthpiece. I liked the balance of buzziness and darkness that the red Javas gave me, on both horns.
Then, three years ago, everything changed, literally from one box to the next. I came back from a 4-week vacation and opened up a new box of red Java alto reeds because I'd forgotten to close the ziploc bag in which I keep my reed guard before I left. At first I thought my horn (Mark VII) had somehow mysteriously managed to get out of adjustment while sitting in the case, it was so bad. Eventually I put on a new reed, and luckily that one played well. Turned out that that one, the second one I tried, was the only playable reed out of the box of 10. Everything else was craptaculous.
The next ones to go, about 5, 6 months later, were the red Javas for tenor. In my desperation, I got a ReedGeek and learned how to prep my reeds: that helped some, but I would still have to go through 2 boxes to find 1 reed that was good enough to gig with.
I then embarked on an epic journey of about a year, spending way too much time reading up stuff on SOTW and WAY too much $$$ buying every reed under the sun, including the entire Vandoren line, and including various synthetics. This was for tenor.
The Rigottis came closest to my sound ideal -- and they are indeed very consistent -- but I missed the clarity and punch and that I would get from a good Java red. I didn't like any of the synthetics -- like, at all... In my recollection, I got pretty much the same results sound-wise from the various Vandoren reeds on tenor as the OP did on alto.
I eventually settled on green Javas. They are, for me, I'd say about a quarter strength softer than the red Javas (again, that's on tenor) and they are a bit brighter too. But for the last 12 months or so, every green Java has been at least good enough to practice on after just a few swipes with the ReedGeek.
I only recently ordered a bunch of green Javas for alto, too, and my initial experience seems to parallel the OP's: I used to play the red Javas in 2-1/2 strength, but the green Javas work better for me in 3. I say "seems" because I only opened one box of green Javas each, one 2-1/2, the other 3: the first one of the weaker reeds was absolutely concert quality if a little on the soft side already, the first two of the stronger reeds evenly divided, one good enough to practice on, the other ready for the stage.
The green Javas are brighter, too, on both alto and tenor. But for me, that's not a problem because I'm a naturally dark player to begin with.
Again, this is just my experience. The teacher who I was taking lessons from two years ago counseled me against the green Javas because they were the most inconsistent in the Vandoren line, he said. But me, myself, and I, so far we haven't had to throw away a single green Java.
Just last week, I opened up two boxes of red Javas #3 for tenor: even after careful and individual prepping, I ended up with one concert-ready reed, and one good enough to practice on. 3 were beyond redemption, clearly. The remaining 5 will require more sanding etc. to determine if they're salvageable.
I'm hoping, reeeeeally hoping, I won't have to hop on the reed carousel again any time soon. If the green Javas go potty for me too, then I think I may just have to make an appointment with a certain gentleman at the midnight crossroads and talk about a business deal.........
-j.
