Bad Reeds

[simon_b]

Do any of you people ever find a bad reed in you selection, i put a new reed on my alto and it just wouldn't play right.Got another one out and it played perfect.Is this normal or not?

Thanks
Simon

 

[Col9]

Hello, Yes, we bought some Arbiter reeds cheap. The cut on some is so far off centre its not true, it makes them much thicker on one side. They play... just not as well as the symmetrical ones.

Col.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Unfortunately it's very normal. A box of reeds will usually contain a selection of good, bad and ugly. I find Alexander Superials and Rico plasticover to be more consistently good than some other reeds.

 

[phil_edwards]

Yes, it is normal. Bear in mind these are a natural product so there will be a mix of consistencies.

I used to get 2-4 'bad' ones out of a box of 10 Rico Royals. Some were unplayable, some just very 'stuffy' and hard work. I've switched recently to Rico Jazz Select and the first box of 10 was 100% good.

Can't comment on the consistency of Vandoren as I've never used them.

regards, Phil

 

[simon_b]

Ok then thanks for the help.Out of 2 boxes or reed i gone throught so far i have had 1 bad reed,hopfully the numbers will keep low!

 

[Bobby G]

Sounds like you're lucky so far Simon B; I'm not too fussy about reeds, I usually find about 80% are fine, and I use Rico Jazz Select or Alexander Superials. Very occasionally I'll find one that seems unplayable, and sometimes I'll get one that doesn't sound too bad but is just really hard work, these can be scraped into shape if i can be bothered.

Incidentally, there was a thread earlier about cut vs uncut reeds (presumably the DC in Superial DC stands for Double Cut?); I bought some Superials at the weekend from Allegro, and it must have been the ends of two tins in the one tin, because one strip of three was uncut, the rest were cut. I have found a slight difference with the uncut, they sound to me just a little richer and fuller, but only a little. In fact, if pushed I would say I prefer the uncut, I wonder if the uncut/unfiled Rico Jazz Select would be similarly richer and fuller.