Jeff

I’ve just had a look at the Venn synthetic price and it’s the same as seven cane reeds. It will have to be very good to beat seven Vandoren reeds.

James, how do the clarinet reeds compare to the alto sax reeds? Wider or longer?
The clarinet ligature is working well on my alto MP, but I had to get a soprano lig for the Alto H2O MP.
I have a friend who works on lathes, he gave me a short piece of a broken cutting tool steel, and that also works for leveling and shaping reeds as they have sharp…[Read more]

Good video, very informative. Now to get the throat really open.

Oops, have you converted to AI? Artificial Intonation? LOL – as long as it makes you happy. Now how’s about a recording? I’ve gone back to my H2O on the YAS62 – U can’t rush these things U know. I’ve got to develop my lung power first before going DARK SIX. I’m busy with Dr Wally’s daily exercises. Cheers Jeff

Hi Robert, great fun and no hangover! We could do with a lot more of this, excellent.

Hi James, so are you going to buy a nice set of five? Or just the Hemp reed for the darkest tone?

Last week I was very happy with my H2O on the YAS26.
This week I can’t believe how crap it sounds.

Buying a JJ HR* Custom Dark for my YAS62 has ruined the tone of my YAS26 – LOL
Quality ruins our appreciation for the mediocre, and my debit card is looking nervous.

Re. “How well you store your reeds and rotate them will only give you a slight advantage in the life expectancy.”

Doesn’t it make you wonder how any sax player gets through a gig? I think the reed manufacturers will have a lot to say about that statement.

Being knowledgeable on reed maintenance and modification can save you a packet just ask…[Read more]

I played for two hours the other day and the reed was performing better after it was thoroughly wetted. The only reason I had to stop was because my lip was becoming tender. I don’t have any problems with the cane reeds, but that is probably because I look after them properly and never leave them to dry out on the MP covered in saliva.

It would be interesting to hear a pro saxman play all these reeds for comparison. I wonder how great the difference would be between them. I have a feeling that it may have more to do with the feeling the player of the reed experiences. Where are those folk who say the sound is unique to the person, and doesn’t change when the equipment changes?

That’s great news James I’m glad you have no issues with their hardness. In South Africa the synthetic reeds cost more than a box of ten cane. I have two reeds in a plastic tube with a sponge soaked in listerine. I play these two for many months alternating between the two and this way some have lasted nearly a year before they become too soft. I…[Read more]

Hi John, of course it’s impossible to know. I polish the table side of the new reed on an A4 sheet of paper until it shines evenly and is smooth. The lip side gets smoothed down with a soft flexible nail file until it also shines and is smooth on the lip. If it looks a little uneven I’ll even take some reed off the thicker side. I haven’t had a…[Read more]

I think it would be a better approach to buy five single reeds in 1 to 3 reed strength,
in a dependable quality reed like say a Vandoren Blue box reed.
If the #3 reeds are too hard, you won’t be able to use any of them on your new MP.
I’m presently using a #1 reed on my 6 MP and I can still play the upper high notes on it.
Having a softer reed…[Read more]

Hi James, I see that Martini of 0.063″ is nearly the same tip opening as my H20 of 0.061″.
My JJ HR* Dark Custom is a 6 at 0.078″ which I’m playing with a #1 reed at the moment.
Cheers Jeff

Hi James, so now you can play during the day and at night 🙂

I feel the same way, my H2O and the JJ HR* Custom Dark will do me very nicely. Cheers

Hi James, I received my JJ Custom Dark MP today and played it for a couple of hours.
It is wonderful, adding depth of tone on the low notes and making the high notes clearer and louder.
I need plenty of practice time on it but give this MP a test run if you can.
I only which I had acquired one decades ago.
Cheers
Jeff

Hi Saxomonica, Tucker is really Putin the truth out there! I watched the whole video and clearly Putin is a sensible guy. Funny that people don’t want to discus solutions with him. I guess they have another agenda or someone else’s objective in mind. Better we just go fishing hey? MY wife and I sat on our local river the other day for the first…[Read more]

James, that’s good news that you got your sax fixed. I shall see what I can do. Don’t right off the YAS26 it is a gem when played in church with the H2O MP – softly softly.
I think I’ll have to record something on that for the doubters out there. The YAS62 is very nice, but it cost 63k where the YAS26 was only 18k. Can I really justify the…[Read more]

James, have you been able to get your alto repaired after the accident?
My new JJ Custom Dark MP is on it’s way. I’m very interested to see how it will play on the YAS62.
I have quite a collection of MPs now. (to my shame)

Hi James, you are really making me feel useless now. I’m wondering what I have done in the last six years.
I was listening to my three soundcloud recs and thought I was better skilled then – shock – horror!
I suppose that’s what happens when one becomes demotivated and stops investing in the skills.