[shaunliu]

What is the most Buzz / Edge / bright / easiest overblow reed? on an alto, like what brand would it be? soft reeds match these criteria more than hard reeds?

 

[Michael Ward]

Alexander Superial Yellow tin.

 

[Dr G]

Rico Plasticover

 

[sinkdraiN]

Rico Jazz Selects are the buzziest reed I've ever played.

Edge and brightness are much harder to define than buzzy, though.

 

[Canadiain]

Soft Fibracell

 

[Martinman]

I would also go with soft fibracell, or maybe a soft BARI reed.

 

[zorroperro]

Plasticover here.

I think Plasticover gives you all you ask, but have to be picky with the reed you take out of the box.

 

[ZenBen]

Alexander Superial Yellow tin.

I agree - for a cane reed.


Its been a long time but I remember Plasticovers being extremely bright.

 

[shaunliu]

fibracell and Bari.... i never see them in the shops.....sorry, i'm from australia.
i use alexender superial DC, i love them besides the price and availability. i should go try the jazz select and plastic cover.........the plastic cover is referred to rico plastic cover? and the jazz select, should i get the soft, medium or hard on 2.5 ?

 

[CountSpatula]

x_X Opposite experience here, I switched to RJS because they were darker and less edgy compared to Superials.

 

[dirty]

I found the yellow box Superials to be super buzzy and bright (for me), while the black box was darker, but no less buzzy. So, maybe the yellow tin Superials would be best for this cause?

 

[shaunliu]

i'll try to get a piece of the yellow box too.....but the reason i'd like to find out about other brands is that alexender reeds are very hard to get hold of here where i stay, the shop that i visit often told me that there are only 2 guys in the whole brisbane city comes for alexender reeds and i'm one of them.

i bought a piece of plastic cover just now.....they are very bright and loud, but no buzz like the superials. however they are very easy to split tone and go way up high on the altissimos. I'll try to check out on the RJS and the yellow alexender and compare all those on quality, price and availability. As they are out of stock now.....

good ****es are very hard to get here, and they cost like hell. u get a box of 10 superial DC here for $46 USD

 

[dstack79]

I find Vandoren ZZ's to be brightest and buzziest

 

[patseguin]

I agree on the ZZ's, although they seem to lose their nice buzz after a few hours.

 

[playitfunky]

Rico Plasticover

believe it or not thats what Pete Christlieb plays.

 

[saxdude48]

Plasticover, just be sure and don't use them on a mpc that's already bright to begin with.

 

[shaunliu]

a bright mpc + plasticover = ??? why not use a bright mpc to begin with?

 

[Martinman]

a bright mpc + plasticover = ??? why not use a bright mpc to begin with?

Why not use both like Pete Christlieb?

He sounds pretty dang good to me...

 

[playitfunky]

Why not use both like Pete Christlieb?

He sounds pretty dang good to me...

I think he is one of the best Tenor players alive today but really opinions like that are all in the eye of the beholder. It doesn't hurt that he plays in my city quite often and I have gotten to hear him 3 feet away from the bell of his horn at Charlie O's in the valley. Pete told me he goes through many, many reeds before he finds one he wants to play on. He also mentioned when you get them for free it doesn't really matter. For the rest of us who can't afford to throw away 10 reeds it's not as easy to find the golden reed. I'm still amazed how warm his sound is while still being bright. He really is a modern monster on the Tenor Axe. If you don't have the album Apogee I suggest you get it and listen to one of the most respected set of Jazz tracks ever thrown onto a record. The way Warne Marsh and Christlieb styles compliment each other on that record is really an all time set of recording.

 

[Dr G]

believe it or not thats what Pete Christlieb plays.

... and Ernie Watts.