[brianincairo]

Hello.

I'm almost finished with my Rico Royal 2.5's and I'm headed over to Rayburn here in Boston at the end of the week.

I think I'm ready to move up to a #3, but I'd like to try something other than Rico. I'm ashamed to admit, I've never tried a reed that WASN'T a Rico.

I don't have a ton of money, so I want to make sure I don't waste 20.00 on a box of something I either can't play or won't like.

What do you guys recommend?

I use a Brilhart 5* (steel)(tenor). I need something, honestly, that will allow me to lay out a super-crisp upper register tone and still hit my low c#, b, and Bb...

Thank you in advance for any direction....

ps: if it's a decent brand, it doesn't HAVE to be a 3#....it could be a good 2.5...


Brian

 

[martinm5862]

Hello.

I'm almost finished with my Rico Royal 2.5's and I'm headed over to Rayburn here in Boston at the end of the week.

I think I'm ready to move up to a #3, but I'd like to try something other than Rico. I'm ashamed to admit, I've never tried a reed that WASN'T a Rico.

I don't have a ton of money, so I want to make sure I don't waste 20.00 on a box of something I either can't play or won't like.

What do you guys recommend?

I use a Brilhart 5* (steel)(tenor). I need something, honestly, that will allow me to lay out a super-crisp upper register tone and still hit my low c#, b, and Bb...

Thank you in advance for any direction....

ps: if it's a decent brand, it doesn't HAVE to be a 3#....it could be a good 2.5...

Brian

Try Rico Jazz Select 3S Unfiled. Most consistent reed I've ever played.
Martin

 

[brianincairo]

Thanks....I'll add that to the "poll...."

 

[dstack79]

If you want to try something "non-Rico", you might want to give the Vandoren ZZ's a shot. You'll spend a little less $ since they're in boxes of 5. If you don't like em, no harm done.

You might wanna try the #3. For a #3, they're fairly soft...it might be a good compromise regarding strength.

 

[brianincairo]

If you want to try something "non-Rico", you might want to give the Vandoren ZZ's a shot. You'll spend a little less $ since they're in boxes of 5. If you don't like em, no harm done.

You might wanna try the #3. For a #3, they're fairly soft...it might be a good compromise regarding strength.

That sounds like a good bet. Thanks for the input. I'm looking forward to trying them.

 

[pumseig]

I've also had good luck recently with the Vandoren ZZ's. It's the only reed that's been consistent and durable for me- of course, that can change tomorrow!

 

[brianincairo]

I've also had good luck recently with the Vandoren ZZ's. It's the only reed that's been consistent and durable for me- of course, that can change tomorrow!

I hear you. I know they're popular. I keep hearing about them...well, this pretty much makes up my mind. I'll try a box this weekend.

Thanks everyone for your remarks...

Brian

 

[Dave Dolson]

Brian: Have you considered Fibracells? They are really strong but when matched to the right mouthpiece, they can really play well, too. They last a long time and are fairly consistent among similar strengths.

I usually match them to closer-tipped mouthpieces using the Fibracell strengths of SOFT or 1 1/2 or 2 in place of Vandoren Java 2 or 2 1/2.

Reeds are nototriously inconsistent, though. Most players reacty differently to brands, cuts, and strengths (just like mouthpieces). DAVE

 

[pumseig]

Dave: I used to have good luck with Fibracells. They were of course consistent and always ready to be played. However, over the past year or so I have bought 3-4 new Fibracells and this has happened with every one:
After a short time of playing (3 weeks or less) the plastic film on the flat side of the reed begins to peel off, totally ruining the reed!
Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[Dave Dolson]

Pumseig: That has not happened to me although I'm only using one of the newer Fibracells (a 1 1/2 on an alto mouthpiece). The one I'm using on clarinet is really old (SOFT, not the newer numerical reeds) but it is still vibrant as all heck.

Others have posted that they felt a difference between the older Fibracells and the newer ones with numerical ratings, but I didn't experience that, either.

Maybe you should report your experiences to the Fibracell company and let us know how they reacted to your report. DAVE

 

[sycc]

I like hemkes. You could buy Hemke 2 1/2s and they would feel harder cause they cut a little thicker. My girls use Hemke 2s on their saxes. They have a fuller darker tone using Hemkes than they do using Rico Royals.