Reeds Plasticovers on alto?

[Bobby G]

Any thoughts on the Plasticover reeds for alto? I like them on my soprano and am considering getting some for alto as yet another store seems to have stopped stocking Superials. I know I can still get them online, but I do really prefer to buy things with cash money in a real shop.

 

[losaavedra]

On my alto I'm so new to it that I'm still trying to figure out which reeds to stick with. My reed collection includes some anonymous 1.5s that came with it (they worked quite well but I more-or-less ate them in the first couple of weeks ) some ornery Rico 2s, some Vandoren 2.5s (I find those hard work) ... and finally four Rico Plasticover 2s. Except for a quick experimental blow I'd ignored the Plasticovers until yesterday, being reasonably happy with one of my regular Rico 2s I'd sprayed with clear lacquer (I tend to do daft things like that!). Anyway, having finally got around to giving the them a proper test (which means I wandered around our back field blowing like mad and scaring our dogs and chickens) I think I'll stick with them for a while as the sounds that came out seemed pretty reasonable. One thing I've noticed with coated reeds (own-coated or proper ones) is that they don't seem to gather water droplets on their inner surface to the same extent, thus are less 'squeaky' than any of my regular reeds seem to get after ten minutes or so. That may just be me though ... I've a tendency to forget to swallow (or even breathe in now and again!) while playing ... so I'm probably generating a fair bit of humidity.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I quite like them, they play well straight out of the box. Some people find them a bit edgy though. Which may or may not be a good or bad thing.

 

[Bobby G]

Pete Thomas wrote:
I quite like them, they play well straight out of the box. Some people find them a bit edgy though. Which may or may not be a good or bad thing.

Being good straight out the box sounds ok, I've found this to be the case with the soprano plasticovers. Being a bit edgy could also be good as I seem to be moving in that direction - I've been using the Levelaire and really liking it, and I've got to the point with it where I can get it's really screamy properties backed off a little, even getting a pleasing subtone-with-edge sound, so perhaps the Plasticvovers might be suitable.

I'm kind of taken with the sound that has been described by Jools as 'retro sci-fi' aka Andy Mackay et al, although that Junior Walker gets a great sound too.

 

[Bobby G]

Hmm, I've become ever-so-slightly less keen on the Levelaire, the bottom end isn't exactly right (probably operator malfunction), so it's back to the trusty Meyer 8M. Figuring that Plasticovers on the Meyer might give me the best of that mpc and the Brilhart, I popped in to Myatt's to buy some on Saturday.

They've sold out 😡

 

[jools]

Wierd innit? - plasticovers didn't work for my Levelair either. Gone back to Hemke. The 'bottom' end of the Levelair is VV juicy on mine - that could be your lay/ cut/ opening/ reed ...blah blah. I decided to just settle on a mouthpiece and make it WORK for me. I'd rather swap reed to get the sound I want, than another MPCE. Keep experimenting man. For the Brilhart, I reckon cane is better.

Plastidoodahs are great fun tho, - straight out tha box, but totally agree: a bit edgy. Good for rocking out.

BUT - like a thousand threads right here will prove... what works for me might not work for you. That's why the sax is so fascinating!

 

[Bobby G]

Haven't actually put the Plasticovers on the Levelaire yet, I'm using RJS 2H as it's not a very big opening (3*) but as soon as I get some I'll perform some more of my evil experiments I get a feeling the Plasticovers on the Meyer (which is the piece I have best overall control on) could well be the one...

 

[stephen_howard]

Love 'em...been using them on all saxes ( and clarinet ) for almost 20 years.
I find that they take a while to 'initialise'....so when assembling the horn I give it a quick 30 second blow to wet the reed, then leave the thing to stand for five minutes. It's a good idea to wet your standby reeds on a gig....nothing worse than having to switch to a new, dry plasticover just before a 48 bar solo.
I also find they have a quick drop-off when they finally go...a bit like rechargeable batteries. On minute they're fine, the next they've gone soft.
Best way to get the most out of one is to buy a strength harder than you usually use, then give the reed a damn good blast for a minute or two ( full volume bell notes and sustained altissimo ). This knocks the stuffing out of the reed and makes it more pliable, and I find reeds so treated tend to stay at strength a great deal longer than those bought to play straight out of the box.

I've got plasticovers that have been in use for over a year..when the gigging ones are too soft they go onto the workbench test pieces....before finally ending up as glue-stirrers and key wedges.

Regards,

 

[Bobby G]

I just threw another spanner in my works today, and overcame a prejudice of mine - going through some old reeds I came across one called a 'Java', which either came with Jambo's Dolnet or with the special Mr Lucky's Sax-o-Glue reedholder. Anyway, I stuck it on the Meyer and was almost instantly blown away by how great it sounded, from a scream right down to a very whispery subtone. Very full tone right through the register, and loud if you need it.

Is this just a fluke reed or have I discovered something? Previously I haven't really been a Van Doren fan, having tried V16, ZZ and the plain ol' blue box reeds, but this could just change my mind.

 

[philthd]

javas are very playable reeds - nice and woody

 

[jools]

Yeah.. seconded. I like those too. "made for jazz" -apparently.

 

[Jules]

Jools wrote:
Yeah.. seconded. I like those too. "made for jazz" -apparently.

What ever that means*! Good reeds, I'm quite partial to 'em but find V16s do pretty much the same thing but are a bit more robust and long lasting (plus they can handle rocking out better)....

*this is one of my personal annoyances, 'jazz' is such a wide term when it comes to sound that it's pretty much meaningless.
"I'm looking for a jazz tone"... would we be talking Ben Webster or Albert Ayler here..?

 

[philthd]

does rock mean bruce lamont or lee allen?



broad genre terms are just generalisations

and all generalisations are meaningless

 

[Jules]

philthD wrote:
does rock mean bruce lamont or lee allen?

Bruce Lamont- who he?

 

[philthd]

he plays sax and sings in a metal band whose name i have forgotten

EDIT: google tells me they are called yakuza

here he is talking about microphones

i mention him mainly as an example of an extreme form of a genre

 

[Jules]

Yakuza.... well, that's... intense!
By the way- this has been bugging me, what's your avatar?

 

[philthd]

this was discussed recently, but its some treacle (with some contrast adjustments)