Reeds [Poll] Cane reeds / Coated reeds / synthetic reeds

[jools]

Simply... a choice of your favourite reed.

Recently, I have been mostly eating Australian Vintage from www.reeds-direct.com. Yum yum. Dark, woody and with just enough cheeky bite. Meow. Plasticovers are good for rock and soul stuff that I do with the band - always ready to deliver. Need to be at least a 3 or 4 tho to stop them sounding like a kazoo. Fibracell are ok-ish but I've found the laminate comes off and starts to shriek like a banshee after a bit. Dave Liebman turned me on to Bari Star (transparent) plastics, which are great but simply LOUD LOUD LOUD. Great if playing with a rock band, but no soft Ben Webster 'woofing' .

 

[Bobby G]

I've used the occasional Plasticover, mostly on soprano, but I've never used a synthetic reed so can't comment on them. As I'm quite happy using the Alexanders or RJS reeds I've been on for a while now I'd have to vote cane.

 

[Jules]

Currently love palsticovers. I was previously a devotee of Vandoren Javas or V16s but fell foul of a run off duff ones while playing at the shambala festival this summer. loaded p pon a plasticover and never looked back (but, proving your initial theory, I play 50s R&B so it's a pretty full on tone I use). As for synthetics, Fibracell seem ok but I've never liked Baris.. I hear Haan do a great synthetic tenor reed, a few of my customers swear by 'em.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Hope you don't mind Jools, I added another option to your poll so I could vote.

 

[jools]

AAhhh, cheers Pete. Good move (didn't think of that)

Fascinating subject though, don't you think? Specially for new starters who get bewildered by the vast range of options, and no guidance as to what to choose, or why.

 

[jersey_mike]

Hello from (as of now) the lone synthetic vote. I got a Bari reed for my tenor back in March or so for $10USD and have been using the same reed since then. I know it's not as versatile as cane reeds, but I'm not a good enough player to adjust for reeds on the fly, nor do I have the excess time to be messing with trying out reeds whenever I practice. I've recently tried to go back to cane for an edgier tone but just couldn't take the hassle involved.

 

[frankb]

Haven't tried coated or synthetic. Currently I'm using Rico Jazz Select 2M filed.

 

[Mikec]

I started off using cane reeds but got teed off with all the trying out and selection etc. so I tried a Fibracell. I was entirely happy with it on my Jupiter tenor, but when I bought the Trevor James I tried a cane reed just for completeness' sake and found the versatility and response to be much, much better, so now I use Vandoren V16s and put up with all the messing about! I guess I should view reed selection and performance in a "Zen" sort of way as part of the process, but I just find it a pain!

 

[sandeha_lynch]

Vandoren#2.

Just changed a reed this evening. Geez, what a difference - could be the best reed I've played in months.

 

[Linky Lee]

I've never played any of the other types of reeds from cane ones properly so I had to vote cane.

I did play a Plasticover one time and didn't notice any 'obvious' differences.

I like my ZZs, on all my saxes too and I'm quite happy with the consistency, price and durability.

 

[Bobby G]

I've been tempted to try the synth reeds, mainly for their reported long life and consistency, but I'm put off by the cost - what if I don't like 'em? Maybe Santa will bring me one to try...

I remember a thread quite a few months back where a diehard synth reed fan was putting his case quite passionately, even going so far as to offer me one as he was so sure I'd like it. Nothing happened, but on the one hand I feel like maybe I should try one (partly because I seem to knacker reeds quite quickly when I'm playing out), whereas on the other hand I'm happy enough with cane so why change?

 

[jools]

Hmm. Why change indeed. However, it's always fun to experiment. In my view, although organic cane reeds have a 'warmth' that is hard to define, in a blind test it's hard to tell the difference between, say Plasticover or Fibracell and cane. I've done gigs using these and sax players have come up to me after (as they do) and ask all about the set-up etc and are convinced I'm kidding about the reeds till I show them. Perhaps the very best feature is that a twelve quid Fibracell lasts about 6 months to a year and each one is a 'pearl'. You never get a 'dud'. Swings and roundabouts man.

As the old adverts used to say: "suck-em and see"

 

[Bobby G]

Yes indeed Jools, I hear what you say and I'm hoping the basic sound and feel of a synth reed compares to the cane ones I use, and I am totally willing to experiment. I would hope they are closer to a Rico or Alexander as for some reason I don't get on with Vandorens of any stripe, but that's just a personal thing, many people love them.

I didn't realise a synthetic reed could last quite that long; it's still the initial outlay for something I might not like that bothers me, but the feelers have gone out and I might just find one at the bottom of my stocking come next Tuesday.

 

[philthd]

because synthetics are the same price for all sizes, they work out as very good value for baritone and a bit pricey for alto

ive played on a Bari reed which didnt feel anything like cane in my mouth, but once you get past the strangeness plays and responds well. theyre good for trying out mouthpieces because they dont come in many strengths so you can try a range of strength quickly with one of each, and the reed response wont change over the course of a session and colour your judegement of the pieces.

pretty much impossible to rework without ruining them though

im going off my ZZs at the moment - i love the feel and response of them once they get going, but they take too long to play in from new and break too easily. im going to show some gear patience for a bit, but i suspect it wont be long before im back on javas or treating myself to zondas

 

[jools]

Bobby - how's it going with the Fibracell?

 

[Bobby G]

Well, Jules, as I intimated elsewhere I really didn't like it - to elaborate a bit, I found it lacking in tone, unresponsive, inflexible and basically blummen hard work. Maybe it needs to be softened a bit, although I did ask for something equivalent to a RJS 2 Medium. I was under the impression they played straight out of the box and didn't need to be played in like a cane reed - maybe I need to persevere with it a bit or get a softer one. Also, I missed that sweet sweet taste of cane

 

[jools]

Hmm. Interesting observations. Stick with it for a bit see how it goes. Maybe a softer one would be better, they do tend to be a wee bit on the stiff side.


(Know what you mean about the 'taste' tho.)