Reeds Rico Redux

[Grumps]

... because my only other choice was Vandoren, and they just do not work for me.

They've worked for me, the Java green #3 in alto, tenor and soprano. Reminds me. I gotta get a box of tenor reeds from L&L at the Symposium. Last time I got a box, I forgot they only come in boxes of five for tenor. But if I should ever play enough bari again to burn through the old Royals... maybe I'll try something else. But it would likely be green Javas. I literally don't have to play with them other than maybe an initial rub of the thumb. For many years now.

 

[turf3]

I had the general understanding that La Voz are Rico with a different branding; that Royals are Rico with the corners of the bark taken off.

This of course doesn't address all the various possible permutations of "old cut vs. newer cut vs. newest cut".

It would be interesting, but I'm not going to hold my breath, to compare the actual dimensions on the vamp, of "old old" vs. "newer crappy" vs. "newest good again" reeds. Have they changed the actual cutting dimensions?

 

[skeller047]

I had the general understanding that La Voz are Rico with a different branding; that Royals are Rico with the corners of the bark taken off.

This of course doesn't address all the various possible permutations of "old cut vs. newer cut vs. newest cut".

It would be interesting, but I'm not going to hold my breath, to compare the actual dimensions on the vamp, of "old old" vs. "newer crappy" vs. "newest good again" reeds. Have they changed the actual cutting dimensions?

Your understanding is correct. I find it interesting that Rico is branded as suitable for students, whereas Royals are branded as suitable for students and professionals. The Royal page on D’Addario’s site has a big picture of Bob Reynolds, who has used them for years.

I do have a vague memory of D’Addario saying something about updating their machines a few years ago. It may coincide with the introduction of the USDA organic certification on Jazz Select reeds. They have now moved all their reeds to this status. It is these new ones that seem to play like the Ricos of yesteryear.

Rather than compare dimensions, I have held the new ones up to the light to see the shape of the heart. In general these seem to have a better shape than Ricos I got in the early 2000’s. Heart goes farther up toward the tip, and is darker. I was talking to a fellow saxophonist about this Monday night, and held one of my 6 current reeds up to the light, and his reaction was “Oh wow! Strong heart.”

Time will tell if this continues….

 

[turf3]

I guess each of us "old guys" has an individual reed history. It seems for example that I am one of the few jazz players using standard "blue box" Vandoren. I decided on this some years ago based on inconsistent cane and cut quality from the various Rico brands. It did take a while to get used to them.

 

[Joe from New Orleans]

Your understanding is correct. I find it interesting that Rico is branded as suitable for students, whereas Royals are branded as suitable for students and professionals. The Royal page on D’Addario’s site has a big picture of Bob Reynolds, who has used them for years.

I do have a vague memory of D’Addario saying something about updating their machines a few years ago. It may coincide with the introduction of the USDA organic certification on Jazz Select reeds. They have now moved all their reeds to this status. It is these new ones that seem to play like the Ricos of yesteryear.

Rather than compare dimensions, I have held the new ones up to the light to see the shape of the heart. In general these seem to have a better shape than Ricos I got in the early 2000’s. Heart goes farther up toward the tip, and is darker. I was talking to a fellow saxophonist about this Monday night, and held one of my 6 current reeds up to the light, and his reaction was “Oh wow! Strong heart.”

Time will tell if this continues….

I played Rico Royals my entire 50 year career. I tried Vandorans and at some point in the early to mid 1970s I experimented with plastic reeds- IMO those were ****e. On bari, the Rico Royals worked for me.

 

[PigSquealer]

I played Rico Royals my entire 50 year career. I tried Vandorans and at some point in the early to mid 1970s I experimented with plastic reeds- IMO those were ****e. On bari, the Rico Royals worked for me.

Plastic (plastic cover cane), carbon fiber , composite or synthetic reeds have greatly improved since the ‘70’. All from my understanding & studies. This of only the last nine years and limited to Hartman and Légère reed product only. It may be worthwhile revisiting the current options.

Keep in mind I’m a mechanic-tech that plays. By no admission a talented musician. Just an average person who has to make/ meet in comparison to the customers level with equal goods they play with. Many furnish a mouthpiece to be used for tuning purposes and with a reed specified but not furnished. This being anything from a COA to full repad.
All this said…..
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised that environmental and technological differences (processing) exist within old to current cane reed sources . Old growth cane to forested modern cane and / or geographical environment differences are real. Only people like you and others reporting results of current use can compare or comment to what was back then to now.

 

[skeller047]

Cane as a crop is relatively new. I believe it was the 1970’s sometime that Rico (the company) bought some land in the Var region of France and started growing cane using modern farming methods. Vandoren soon followed suit, though they had been cultivating cane on family-owned farms since the 1950’s or ‘60’s. Rico now owns land in the Var region of France, and in Argentina. They tried growing some in California, but that effort failed. Arundo Donax is considered an invasive weed by the California Dept. of Agriculture.

Before the 1960’s, we woodwind players were dependent on the reed manufacturers maintaining good relationships with the grape growers and other farmers in SE France. The farmers use cane as windbreaks around their fields. Now all the major manufacturers own and operate farms that grow cane. Rico, Vandoren, Rigotti and Marca in France, and Rico and Gonzalez in Argentina.

 

[PigSquealer]

Arundo Donax is considered an invasive weed by the California Dept. of Agriculture.

Yeah, there’s areas around here the plants grow wild. A big problem in the storm river beds.
Funding is a big issue. Here’s the local funding report.