[arya44]

Hi there,
I have to practice quietly in some hours of the day. With my Warburton LA 6* I have lots of vibration and it sounds great when I don't need to be quiet but for the quiet time I'm trying to find out the proper reed. If it is darker and stiffer in nature (like Lavoz or Gonzalez) it sounds dull and too breathy in the lowest notes and basically it looses the definition. If I use the softer in nature reeds like Rico Select Jazz, it is overall easier and has better definition with pianissimo but has a tendency to have erratic behaviour with the lowest notes (not very steady for my embouchure) and it varies from hunky to good to loosing definition.

I tried with my usual Rigotti Gold. It is sort of like RSJ behaviour with slightly more definition. I found Rigotti is a good middle ground for balance of warmth and definition however I have a couple of issues using Rigotti that has to do with slightly narrower cut compared to other reeds.
My Warburton LA has a slightly wider and longer opening than most of my other mouthpieces. Also the rails are really really thin so Rigotti reed can not sit properly on the side rails (tend to stop working properly if it is even slightly non-simmetrically sitting on the mouthpiece) and even I had a few instances of cutting my inner lip getting caught on the edge of the reed where is meets the rail.

I'm just trying to find out what is your favourite reed for having a smooth low B, Bb in pianissimo but with good enough definition.

Cheers.

 

[arya44]

Sorry I meant for tenor sax.

 

[stormott77]

If you sand up at the top of the heart of the reed it will make the low end speak easier.

 

[arya44]

So starting from vamp down to sort of middle between the vamp and the tip in the centre of the reed?

 

[stormott77]

I would say the top 3rd of the reed cut away opposite of the tip. Play around with it and see what happens.

 

[arya44]

I would say the top 3rd of the reed cut away opposite of the tip. Play around with it and see what happens.

Thanks. I'll try that with my La Voz. I found that stiffer ones generally work better for the steadiness but I need to nail down the right profile. Of course it changes with time since the moisture and temperature varies A LOT where I live. So I should have a few options with different levels of stiffness and thickness and try which one is good for that time of the day.

 

[JPWGibson]

Here's a helpful chart for working on reeds. Combined with a ReedGeek, you really can't go wrong:

View attachment 60272

 

[stormott77]

Here's a helpful chart for working on reeds. Combined with a ReedGeek, you really can't go wrong:

View attachment 60272

Nice chart!

 

[arya44]

Here's a helpful chart for working on reeds. Combined with a ReedGeek, you really can't go wrong:

View attachment 60272

Thanks. I saw something like this in a handbook before that I used to make my Gonzalez reeds sound more lively. It is a very helpful chart. I head ReedGeek is great. I guess I should invest in it. I think it's easier to work with it rather than the utility knife.

 

[JPWGibson]

I head ReedGeek is great. I guess I should invest in it. I think it's easier to work with it rather than the utility knife.

I picked up my ReedGeek a few months ago, and I haven't purchased any reeds since then. I've been correcting the massive number of reeds that over the years have been thrown into a box marked "defective." Some of these, after Geeking them, have become the very best players I've ever had.

 

[MrSaxMyJazz]

Thanks guys I will be investing in a ReedGeek soon.