To modern orange boxes. It's just made in those times when reeds were reeds.

 

i can say for sure that today's orange box Ricos don't sound the same as the V style Ricos of the past. A few years ago when cheep-o Ricos were V style, on the back of the reed it said V3 (3 being the strength i used) i bought about 24 boxes of 25 reeds, obviously they lasted me quite a few years ( 7 or 8 i think). A couple of months ago i finally finished the last of those reeds. So i bought a few boxes of the current orange box, with the annoying plastic reed holder (what ever happened to being environmentally friendly?) These reeds just have the strength on the back (no V) and they don't sound the same, nor play the same. It seems to me a different thing altogether. My quandary is trying to find a reed that plays (sounds) like the old V style Ricos.
i not good at putting a sound into words, so i don't know how to describe the difference, but i miss the sound of the V style Ricos.

 

So i bought a few boxes of the current orange box, with the annoying plastic reed holder (what ever happened to being environmentally friendly?).

Agreed! I wrote to the company about that and got a rather lame response. All that plastic is completely un-necessary and a drag. I would suggest that if they got enough feedback from saxophonists maybe that could change. I wrote via their website: http://www.ricoreeds.com

 

Mascio, you are perfectly right. I have few ricos from 70es-beginning of 80es, when they were packed in a plain cartoon box with no plastic.
With V on the back. They are wonderful! Anyway, modern "orange boxes" suppose to be the same, but they are not. On this subject you can
clearly see a degradation of music industry. BTW I do have old Vandorens also.....can say the same.
There is no reed what will play and sound the same like old V-rico.

 

Interestingly, back in the day, Ricos could be purchased in A, B, V, or D cut--no idea what the differences were. I suppose one could compare it to the various Rico products available today: Orange box, LaVoz, Hemke, Jazz Select Filed, Jazz Select Unfiled, Reserve, etc.
See here:

 

Right -on, i will write them a note right now.

 

Here's 5 boxes Rico V #2:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Box-25-vintage-...5636?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Instrument_Accessories&hash=item4cefaa8a44#ht_998wt_913

 

Thanks for the tip, but i use #3.

 

I too use the same cane reed that you guys, and you are saying the truth. I too use number 3 since 50 years and they change a lot from when they came with the brown box of 25, I use all of them out the box, without sand or cut, is truth!

 

I think the unfiled RJS reeds are closest to the old brown box V reeds.

 

What does RJS represent? Is it the company name? i would like to try these. i may have found the answer to my own question if RJS is Rico Java Series?

 

Rico Jazz Selects.

Rico Saxophone Reeds

 

Thanks MP.

 

i just bought some Rigotti Golds and my first impression is that they have a similar vibe to the old V cut Ricos. Time will tell if i have found my new reed.

 

I know this is a very old thread but I am very curious what you think of the Rigotti's compared to the ol' V's.

 

On tenor, I was playing the Rigottis (3 strong) and started trying some orange box (3 1/2) and note the orange box are significantly brighter or buzzier than the Rigotti. However, they don't last as long and don't seem as consistent.

I'm on a pretty dark piece and wanted a little more edge, but I'll be trying something else. Likely some jazz selects, although I've had good experiences with the Rico Royal, Hemke, and certain Java reeds in the past (green box, V16). Haven't tried the ZZs yet.

I'd like something I could get that extra edge on, but with a more core/robustness to the tone. The best orange box reeds I played were pretty close initially, but seemed to fade a little quickly. I don't like to change reeds a lot, maybe I need to switch back to some type of Vandoren. They typically had denser cane and would last pretty long.

I played a couple old V16 3 1/2s for a bit before trying the Rigottis...those were nice. Not sure how the ZZ compares to V16, as far as thickness at tip and low register response.

 

On tenor,
I'm on a pretty dark piece and wanted a little more edge, but I'll be trying something else. Haven't tried the ZZs yet.

I'd like something I could get that extra edge on, but with a more core/robustness to the tone.
.

Try a box of Alexander Superials (yellow box)...I play extremely dark on dark pieces and these edge up a little, 3 or 3.5 work well for me. The ZZ are the worst reeds I've ever heard or played-they're terrible.

 

Everybody always says "old reeds were better". That's because they find a couple boxes in the back of the drawer, pull them out and they are great reeds.

The real reason is that the cane has now aged for several years. So when you buy new reeds, always stick a couple boxes away for two years (or more) from now. Eventually you'll get to the point where you are buying new reeds, sticking them at the bottom of the pile, and playing old ones. Even 1 year makes a big difference.

 

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm in the same situation. I'm playing some old V3's that I don't even know where they came from, but like them and would like to find something similar to replace them.

 

Rico Select Jazz unfiled is your best bet. Rigotti's are thicker, IMO, but may also work for you.

 

Thanks Steve.

 

I contacted Rico International directly and asked about the vintage Style V reeds.

I sent the following message to Rico International

"I've been seeing a lot of Rico Style V reeds for sale on eBay; no harder than a 2.5. What is/was the significance of Rico Style V reeds?

Is there a modern equivalent?"

This is what they told me

"V was our most popular cut years ago. It's the cut that became orange box Rico. So yes, there is a modern equivalent."

I've heard many people complain about the new/modern Rico orange box reeds not being the same as a the vintage Rico Style V reeds. I'm thinking that the reason behind it is simply because the Style V reeds are "vintage". Its like having a vintage scotch compared to a modern bottle of scotch, or even better its like going to the store and buying a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 Year Old and receiving a bottle of Glenfiddich 40 Year Old from the company. The vintage bottle will; to most people, be far more refined and smooth compared to the new bottle you get from the store.

It's the same with the Rico Style V reeds compared to the modern Rico orange box reeds. Many professionals today still use the Rico orange box reeds with great success. Jim Horn, Michael Doyle, Roger Eckers, Louis Taylor, Steve Wilkerson, Chris Vadala, Marshall McDonald, Tim Price, Lauren Sevian, the list goes on and on.

So to answer your question Di, something to replace them would be the Rico orange box reeds, according to Rico International. They are what used to be sold as the Style V reeds.

 

IMHO, the RJS reeds are nothing like the old Rico V. Completely different animal altogether. Again, IMO. There was way more heart to the old V reeds. RJS have less heart then even the new orange box Ricos. To me, a LaVoz or Vando V16 are closer to the old ricos. With the new orange box, go a 1/2 harder then you did with the older reeds. They seem to come around with a day or 2 of break in, where the older ones just seemed to play out of the box. Again, just my experience with these. Your results will probably vary.

 

I agree with you Woody, I was thinking the La Voz would be an excellent modern equivalent to the vintage Rico Style V. I agree with you also about going a 1/2 strength harder with the modern orange box Rico.