Reeds Forestone Reed just arrived!

[Gallen]

Hi all!
I just got a Forestone F2 alto reed arrive today. Very nice packaging. However, it seems when compared to the cane and synthetics that I have, it's slightly narrower. I've put some pics up for you to see the packaging, and a close up at the mouthpiece and reed (It's a Vandoren Optimum AL4 btw). I tried blowing it, it actually sounds quite good to my untrained ear. However, it seems to require a significant amount of effort to blow, I got worn out in minutes. For the time being, I'm putting it on my shelf, perhaps one day I'll develop the chops for it.

Alvin

 

[griff136]

where did you order it from?

 

[Gallen]

Hi! I got it direct from them: http://www.forestone-japan.com/current/eg/index.html (took about 2 weeks, I ordered on the 1st of February 🙂 )

 

[les3716]

Hi Gallen, Where did you order it from? I think I've discovered a new hobby - collecting reeds!
Les.

 

[Gallen]

Hi Les!
I got mine from the manufacturer direct at http://www.forestone-japan.com/current/eg/index.html

Indeed, i've been collecting reeds, testing out different cane types, and I do buy 1 or two synthetics a month 😀 2.25 legere signature hopefully in tomorrow 🙂

 

[VirusKiller]

I'm interested in your thoughts on the Legere Sig 2.25. Mine is such a blow compared with the 2 that I'm wondering if it got mislabeled...

 

[rhysonsax]

I got my Forestone F3 1/2 bari reed last week - it's pretty good and just the right strength.

It's certainly quite a bright reed, but the sound is much better than most other synthetic reeds I have played on bari (BARI, Hahn, Hartmann, Legere (standard), BARI *) and a whole lot better than the majority of cane baritone reeds I have played recently.

Forestone for me on bari, at least until Legere Signature become available.

Rhys

 

[les3716]

Thanks for the link Gallen, Brill review - Keep me informed.
Les.

 

[Gallen]

Hi VirusKiller!
I got my 2.25 legere signature in today and used it for today's practice. I do have a 2.5 legere signature as well, both sound very similar, very clear, very clean strong tone. I'm almost wanting to say, it's sounds very... "classical" for a lack of word.

I believe this may be because of the strength of the reed - on cane I'm using rico royal #2, hemke #2, plasticover #2.5 - these sound very similar and seem almost the same strength to my newbie embouchure. They just sound very "woody", and have a lot of buzz in the lower register. On the top end though, high A B C is very difficult to play with the correct intonation (short of clamping down on the reed or pushing massive amounts of air).

The 2.25 legere is just clear, and I can still give it a wide sound... definitely more effort to play versus the cane reeds mentioned above, I still have intonation problems with the upper notes but much improved. Or so my tuner indicates ;-)

Not sure if that helps 🙂 The vadoren website indicates a minimum of a vandoren blue 2.5 for my AL4 mouthpiece; I have a gut feel that once I can get the chops to play on a 2.5 legere, there should be even less issues with the upper notes' intonation.

Regards,
Alvin