Legere Signature Reeds

[Lloyd]

Has anyone managed to get hold of a strength 2 Tenor yet? Reeds Direct only have 2.5 although they tell me that Legere do now offer softer reeds but they haven't got any yet. Same with sax.co.uk although their site states that, according to the manufacturer, we should opt for a 1/4 stregnth harder than our normal reeds. This seems at odds with the comparison chart on Legere's site, which if anything says the opposite.

 

[Chris98]

Hi Lloyd,

I managed to get a 2.5 signature reed but have now gone back to cane reeds. For me the 2.5 felt harder than the new Java 2.5 I'm currently using and the RJS 2M I was using prior to getting it. Considering that, I'm not so sure about going up a 1/4 of a grade.

I liked the response I got from the Signature reed in the bell notes and in the upper 2nd octave notes. Unfortunately I just felt I couldn't get the response or tone I wanted in the middle range of the horn, which is where I tend to be playing!

Maybe the 2.25 would be a better reed for me but it's an expensive experiment! I'm debating whether it's really worth the effort sending the reed to Canada for an exchange, but then again there is no point having it sat around doing nothing.

Sorry not to be able to help with your inquiry.

All the best,

Chris

 

[rhysonsax]

I'm debating whether it's really worth the effort sending the reed to Canada for an exchange, but then again there is no point having it sat around doing nothing.

I bought my Signature 3 from Reeds Direct as it was the softest they then had in stock. It was too hard, so they exchanged it for a 2.5 when that came into stock - no need to send it back to Canada yourself (depending on what your dealer will do).

For me a 2.5 is about right, but the 3 was definitely too hard on my 8* Lawton. I would say that the Signature strengths seem to be close to the Rico and Vandorens I am used too, but their standard reed and Studio cut both seem to play harder than the numbers would suggest.

Rhys

 

[Rogerb]

Hi Lloyd,

I managed to get a 2.5 signature reed but have now gone back to cane reeds. For me the 2.5 felt harder than the new Java 2.5 I'm currently using and the RJS 2M I was using prior to getting it. Considering that, I'm not so sure about going up a 1/4 of a grade.

I liked the response I got from the Signature reed in the bell notes and in the upper 2nd octave notes. Unfortunately I just felt I couldn't get the response or tone I wanted in the middle range of the horn, which is where I tend to be playing!

Maybe the 2.25 would be a better reed for me but it's an expensive experiment! I'm debating whether it's really worth the effort sending the reed to Canada for an exchange, but then again there is no point having it sat around doing nothing.

Sorry not to be able to help with your inquiry.

All the best,

Chris

Well, it sounds as if 2.25 would be what I'd want, too, then , Chris ....I can just about get along with the 2.5s kindly sent to me to try, but have done a little scraping and sanding on them!
As you say it's an expensive experiment ....I have tried, for alto, Legere, Hahn, Fiberreed, and Fibracells!! The Fibracell Premier #2 seems best, for me, on alto.

 

[Jules]

Same with sax.co.uk although their site states that, according to the manufacturer, we should opt for a 1/4 stregnth harder than our normal reeds. This seems at odds with the comparison chart on Legere's site, which if anything says the opposite.

Yup -straight from the horses mouth- the guys from Legere came round to promote their reeds and that was the tip they gave us.... their reeds soften, very slightly, in the first few sessions of playing.. so they say- yet to put this to the test but I might well take one to Glastonbury to put it through its 5 gigs in 3 days paces....

 

[Lloyd]

Thanks Jules, that clarifies things a little.
Will you be getting any 2.25s in? I normally play a 2.

 

[Jules]

Thanks Jules, that clarifies things a little.
Will you be getting any 2.25s in? I normally play a 2.

Yes- over the next week to ten days- we were supposed to have received a first shipment with all options but mysteriously there were no quarter strengths in it......

 

[half diminished]

I've been using a Signature 3 for a couple of week and I love it. What's more, Karen my teacher says she can't hear any difference to my sound when compared to the Marca Jazz 3s I used before. Result. FWIW I can recommend them.

 

[thehunt]

I must admit, having tried Hahn reeds which are very free blowing but lack any subtelty and plasticover ( which i don't like ) i also tried as a back up reed ( on HD's recommendation ) a legere synthetic 2.25 My set up is a Jody Jazz HR7 MP with which i normally use Alexander Superial 2,5 NY reeds, however have found the legere to be very very nice. It will certainly get a bit more play time.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I now have a 2.5 which I find too hard. Also a 2 which is too soft. The one I got at Frankfurt was marked 2.4 so obviously a prototype still in grading test mode. I get the feeling therefore that I would need a quarter strength lower than my normal (2.5).

 

[Lloyd]

I must admit, having tried Hahn reeds which are very free blowing but lack any subtelty and plasticover ( which i don't like ) i also tried as a back up reed ( on HD's recommendation ) a legere synthetic 2.25 .

Is this a Legere Signature? If so, where did you get it from?

 

[Rogerb]

Come on, you suppliers, we (nearly) all want some 2.25s!!!

 

[Chris98]

Does anyone else have a drawer full of receipts in no particular order? Well at some point recently my drawer became so full that I dumped half it's contents into a second drawer. Somewhere in either drawer is the receipt for the Signature reed, and when I find it I intend to take advantage of the exchange policy and get a 2.25. I'm hoping that will be a closer match to what I'm used to.

All the best,

Chris

 

[Rogerb]

Does anyone else have a drawer full of receipts in no particular order? Well at some point recently my drawer became so full that I dumped half it's contents into a second drawer. Somewhere in either drawer is the receipt for the Signature reed, and when I find it I intend to take advantage of the exchange policy and get a 2.25. I'm hoping that will be a closer match to what I'm used to.

All the best,

Chris

I have a house like that, Chris....good luck!!

 

[Chris98]

I've found the receipt, looked at the leaflet that came with the reed, went online to Legere's website, and now I'm stumped...

On their website is says:

Restocking and handling charges of $3.00/reed ($U.S. or $CND) must be included with the return.

There is no mention of this $3 in the leaflet that comes with the reed! So do I or do I not include the $3? If I do, how do I get $3? Somehow I can't see my bank exchanging so small an amount a without charging me some extortionate amount for the privilege. I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill, but at the moment... Suffering with hay fever as well which isn't helping rational thinking.

Yours sniffling,

Chris

 

[rhysonsax]

Where did you but it from ?

I bought mine from Reeds Direct in Cambridge and they didn't have any restocking charge.

Try going through the dealer where you bought it rather than back to Legere, if you can.

Rhys

PS Another option is to sell it used and take a little less money than it cost you. It's possible to disinfect these reeds, but many people would be reluctant to buy it used (not me - I'm not fussy).

 

[Chris98]

Where did you but it from ?

I bought mine from Reeds Direct in Cambridge and they didn't have any restocking charge.

Try going through the dealer where you bought it rather than back to Legere, if you can.

Rhys

Thanks Rhys, I'll do that tomorrow, I got my reed from Reeds Express so hopefully they will be able to help me out.

Anyway, the potential that this new Signature Reed in the right strength will be worth the effort is keeping me going.

All the best,

Chris

 

[jonf]

I got a 2.5 from sax.co.uk during the week. I had origianlly ordered a 2.75, but when I saw Jules' post about the quarter sizes missing, I asked to be sent a 2.5. Arrived the next day, usual top service from sax.co.uk Legere seem to be a bunch of numpties, whatever the quality of their product.

Anyway, having had a particularly stressful day, I was keen to just have a pleasant and relaxing blow in the evening, so I put the Legere on. My last experience of an old style Legere was that their 'reeds' were absolutely useless for anything other than plant labels. The Signature is just so completely different. The 2.5 turned out to be exactly the right strength on my Brilhart Level Air 9, and it played just like a really good cane reed, from the very first blow. Excellent tone, good dynamic range, and an attack that could be anything from soft and gentle to ferocious. Made altissimo easy. Felt comfortable in the mouth, unlike my last experience with a carbon fibre reed (Fiberreed) which lacerated my lip and left me with blood all over the place.

I only played for about 20 minutes last night, as I was absolutely knackered, but so far initial results are far better than my expectation. I really could see me sticking with this reed as a permanent fixture. I'll continue with it and see how we go, but the signs are good. Very good.

 

[Chris98]

They do exist, I have proof...

...it's just arrived and I hope to give it a go later on. The 2.5 was just too strong for me, fingers crossed this 2.25 will be better.

 

[jonf]

I can confirm this too. I was at sax.co.uk in Crowborough on Saturday and there was a Legere Signature 2 1/4 on the display stand.

Also, after a weekend scaring the kids with my new Bauhaus Walstein baritone, I gave the tenor a good blast last night using the Legere Sig 2.5. Excellent, excellent reed. Now the next bit of the test is to keep playing it, see how the consistency holds up and see how long-lived it is.

Jon