trying out various reeds

[sxpoet]

years ago when i started trying out different reed types, i used to buy one different type of reed and try it out at home every few weeks, and when i read up about what the manufacturer claimed about the reed, it didn’t make sense about their description, all i could tell was if they were too difficult to play.

this time i bought 11 different reeds and played them one after another, and i could tell from the difference in the way the reeds played and sounded that they matched the manufactures description – that was because the sound of each one after another was still fresh in my mind and the reeds were brand new and not worn out.

If any one of the reeds is not good, then i still have the option of buying another one and trying it out.

imho – just buying one type is a complete waste of time if you don’t know what reed to buy – instead buy a range of reeds of the same strength, it opened my eyes.

So i’ve got 11 different reeds, equivalent of buying a box of reeds, and it’s not a waste of money as i can use all of them for practicing, with the advantage, that i know which types are suited to my mouthpiece, and what to buy next time.

[Leo Salu]

Hello James, when i started playing again i had no idea what reeds would work for me so tried a bunch, i was burning threw a bunch of reeds they just did not hold up well, then noted Johnny (our Mentor) was using the fiberreed exclusively so i bought one of each type they had (pricey) and landed on the hemp medium love it, will stick with it, I now i Have three of them, (hemp) and rotate thru them, they seem to go on forever. You are lucky to have a music store you can buy individual reeds from the nearest sax store to me is about 75 miles away.

[sxpoet]

Hi Leo,
my local store is a tiny store, it only has a very small selection of saxes mainly yamaha’s and Yani’s in the student price range, they do stock most of the vandoren and d’addario reeds, as well as sax accessories and a good repair shop, but it also sells clarinets and flutes – but again it’s mainly the price range for students.

However there is good sax store about 90 miles away in london that is larger, the advantage if i buy online i can get anything delivered from it in less than a week.

i ordered my dark mouthpiece from America, and i got it in less than a week by fedex, and the synthetic reeds i ordered from Germany took 2 weeks even though Germany is closer.

The only problem with the london store, is a lot of the expensive stuff they don’t tend to be in stock so you have to preorder it and wait weeks for it to be back in stock.

The only real benefit of a local shop, is being able to try out the saxophones, and talk to an experienced professional orchestral player who has a vast knowledge of wind instruments and tricks of the trade shared amongst fellow musicians with regard to instruments, reeds and accessories.

So i’m not talking to a snake oil salesman when i walk in the shop, he’s talked me out of buying various stuff based on what i’ve looked for in the past.

i have a yamaha alto 480 and he’s talked me out of buying the yamaha 62, giving me details of the differences. So if upgrade my sax, is has to be something different to make it worthwhile. But i wouldn’t go for a new selmar as the price is too overpriced

[Leo Salu]

James i buy just about everything to do with a saxophone on line, including all my saxophones but with people like you supplying great info on a wealth of maters it is not like i am buying blindly. Your little music store sounds like a great place to hang out.

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