What type of reeds do you guys use for your instruments? Do you use the same brand for all? Or a different brand for each instrument? It'd be cool to know. For me, I'm currently using Vandoren V-12 (strength 3) reeds for my clarinet, and the reeds I used before were Rico reeds of various strengths. For saxophone reeds, I'm using La Voz reeds (medium soft or medium strength). I've used La Voz reeds when I first started sax and I love them. For my oboe, I need to get soft reeds since I am just starting because the reed I tried to use at my first lesson was a little too hard so I gotta go out and get those types of reeds. I think it's fiber wood or fiber cane.
What types of reeds do you use?
- Thread starter snakeman5001
- Start date
You've gotta remember that Merlin will come in here and post about 150 different reeds for all the instruments he plays 
. While I don't mind list threads, I'll point out that the type of reed/strength of reed you use will depend on your mouthpiece*, ligature, style of music, what gig you're playing, your mouth itself, etc., etc. I expanded on this a long while ago, here.
OK, disclaimer over. I might list my equipment I've used, later. It'd take awhile. In a general sense, I used Vandoren Jazz medium hard reeds on bari sax. They haven't made these reeds for about 20 - 30 years. They were a lot longer than most other reeds. I liked my experience with medium hard Rico Plasticover reeds for multi-instrument gigs. Otherwise, I tend to buy Vandoren medium-hard, when available. I tend not to stress too much over my reeds, so if those aren't available at whatever store, I'll just buy whatever.
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* If you have one. I don't want to neglect the flute, double-reed, bagpipe and other reeded instrument players.
. While I don't mind list threads, I'll point out that the type of reed/strength of reed you use will depend on your mouthpiece*, ligature, style of music, what gig you're playing, your mouth itself, etc., etc. I expanded on this a long while ago, here.OK, disclaimer over. I might list my equipment I've used, later. It'd take awhile. In a general sense, I used Vandoren Jazz medium hard reeds on bari sax. They haven't made these reeds for about 20 - 30 years. They were a lot longer than most other reeds. I liked my experience with medium hard Rico Plasticover reeds for multi-instrument gigs. Otherwise, I tend to buy Vandoren medium-hard, when available. I tend not to stress too much over my reeds, so if those aren't available at whatever store, I'll just buy whatever.
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* If you have one. I don't want to neglect the flute, double-reed, bagpipe and other reeded instrument players.
go ahead Merlin mio amico...
post those 150-1500 reed pics, (lol i got them too!)
but I think this picture kinda sez it all about my reed-life:
View attachment 1744
What is that? It looks like they're reeds to a mini oboe and something else...
yes both are double reeds for bagpipe chanters.
the reed on the left is for the chanter of the Breton BiniouKozh;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL-OkzdyP4Q
the reed on the left is for the upper chanter of the Italian Sei Palmi Zampogna:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgnjGOcE0Fw
oh, & heres a 4-bladed Shehnai reed:
my salient point being that the sheer variety of the worlds reeds makes the choice of premanufactured single & double reeds for standard 'western' instruments much less intimidating. So if at all possible, dont be afraid to try several brands and settle on those that fit you best as you gain facility on the horns. It;s waaay easier than doing it all from scratch- that's when the horrors of *true* reed frustration make thmselves apprent.
the reed on the left is for the chanter of the Breton BiniouKozh;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL-OkzdyP4Q
the reed on the left is for the upper chanter of the Italian Sei Palmi Zampogna:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgnjGOcE0Fw
oh, & heres a 4-bladed Shehnai reed:
my salient point being that the sheer variety of the worlds reeds makes the choice of premanufactured single & double reeds for standard 'western' instruments much less intimidating. So if at all possible, dont be afraid to try several brands and settle on those that fit you best as you gain facility on the horns. It;s waaay easier than doing it all from scratch- that's when the horrors of *true* reed frustration make thmselves apprent.