Can't see that this has been discussed before but apologies if it has!

I am an adult learner of intermediate standard and play on a student model Yamaha. I've been playing again for almost two years (stopped after leaving school, many moons ago!) I now own three mouthpieces and two ligatures but am pretty settled with my Vandoren B40L mouthpiece and Rovner Dark ligature (I do use a B45 from time to time, too!)

Although I've experimented with mouthpieces and ligatures, I have always played on Vandoren Traditional reeds - currently 2.5 but could probably do with a 3 now. I am just curious to know whether other players vary their choice of reed according to the style of music being played, sound required etc.

This is something I haven't done up to now - I've been too busy playing around with mouthpieces and ligatures, so I felt that the reed at least needed to be consistent in order to test them properly! I'm particularly interested to know whether anyone uses the Vandoren Rue Lepics or V12s and how they compare to the Traditionals?

I've never got on with the Traditionals although I have tried them. I've also tried the V12 but I currently use the Rue Lepic and they're my current favourite

I used V12s for some time but about 6 month ago tried the Rico Reserves at the suggestion of another forumite.
I like them and so does my teacher (likes them for me that is).
I was using 2.5 but now on 3s.
Remember it's not essential to move up a reed strength and that reed strength is not a measure of progress or anything. It's what suits you and your set up. If you try a stronger reed and find it hard then I'd leave it at least for the time being. You don't want to have to be pushing too hard to play.
I use the same reeds for all my playing.

I've now settled on the V12's after much trial and error. I also liked the Rue Lepic but didn't think they warrant the extra cost. The V12's come out a bit softer than the traditional Vandoren so I use a 31/2 which is more like a 3 traditional. I also sometimes use a Legere synthetic reed (very expensive) but that's because I'm plagued by dermatitis/eczema below my bottom lip. Others may disagree but I've found the V12's to be more consistent than the traditionals and get a greater number of good reeds from a box

I use a combination of Vandoren traditionals and Rue LePics with an occaisional foray into others. Within these I favour the Rue LPs for smaller orchestra or chamber music as I don't get as much projection and the traditionals for everything else.

I only buy 1 strength (3) but favour the softer reeds within that strength if playing something jazzy that requires bending the pitch around a bit.

I use the Rue Lepics and since discovering them wouldn't use anything else apart from a 3 traditional if really pushed.

I REALLY did not get on at all with the V12s. I hated them with a passion! Just could not get the sound quality I wanted at all - seemed really hard to blow and the sound was all muffly.

I use a Rue Lepic 3 strength reed although they are slightly softer than a 3 traditional - More 2.75 ish. The 3.5s are ok too but take a lot more blowing in. I like the full sound and the projection they give.

I think reed choice is very personal and depends as much on the mouthpiece set-up as anything. I play on a Vandoren 5RV incidentally and I use the same reed type for all playing.

BUT:

I do tend to rotate my reeds and so have a few on the go at once and I do have to admit to having favourites and tend to swing towards a particular reed e.g. for an easier blow at band or a slightly stronger reed if I'm playing the top clarinet part with lots of altissimo notes etc.

I have used nothing other than traditional, but am thinking of trying the Rue Lepics. I know the V12s are considered softer, grade for grade, than traditional, but what about the Rue Lepics?

After 6 months or so of learning I have begun to appreciate that you don't get all that many good reeds out of a box of 10!

It's interesting that there are different views on the amount of projection given by the Traditionals and the Rue Lepics. I am interested in trying the Rue Lepics and I had been under the impression that they were better suited to Jazz. After reading CJB's post, I see that this is not necessarily the case!

I am finding that my 2.5 Traditionals blow very easily these days, so I am now tempted to try a 3 Rue Lepic and see how I get on! My mouthpiece is not really suited to harder reeds, so I will probably stay with a 3 for the time being anyway.

And yes, I too have been disappointed that you don't seem to get ten good reeds out of a box of ten - is there more consistency with the Rue Lepics I wonder?

I've not had a bad one yet. A variation in strength yes but a bad one full stop - no! And I've been using them for about a year now. Also totally at random gave one to a colleage at band and she loved it too. Pricewise Yes I guess they are a tad more expensive but if you buy a box of 10 price is less than £2/reed and my first box a year a go worked out at only £1.60 per reed from (reeds direct) herewhich was cheaper than buying the traditionals in singles as I had been doing. A year on and apart from the couple of loose ones I started out with I am just on my second box and I've been playing a lot so not bad going really.


Oldromola: as said above the Rue Lepic at the same strength as the traditional is a bit softer. A 3 is equivalent to a tradition 2.75 ish if they did them.

There's a chart and diagrams showing reed strength comparrisons and the cuts of the different reeds etc here

I had been using Vandoren V12's which I was very happy with for a time, (maybe I had a good box) but now I'm never satisfied with them and I try all sorts of reeds to try and find another favourite. The trouble is that the V12s, when I was happy with one would last a good length of time wheras recently whatever reed I try seems to turn mushy quite quickly.
So I'm still seeking a favourite type of reed.

I liked the V12s until my clarinet teacher when I was at uni suggested I try Rue Lepics. They seemed almost magical in comparison and I've used them ever since! I've never found a bad one, and have been through many boxes! And I love the tone I can achieve with them without too much effort. I have had a couple of 2 3/4 gonzalez reeds which I liked but was disappointed by the box that I then bought.

Rue Lepics it is then.

And for me too! Watch this space and will let you know how I get on with them!

.... and I'm going to get some too

You may like them you may not, there will be as many different opinions as there are reeds, why not buy a couple of a few different sorts including the Rue Lepics and V12's and then go with what suits you and your mouthpiece

This is good advice, even if you do end up with a couple you don't like as I did. Always get a couple of each though as you may get a real duff one or a truly exceptional one that may not be true of the type.

Do let us know how you get on.

Just a quick update...

So far, I am rather taken with the Rue Lepics (3) but I am also trying V!2s (also a 3) and a Traditional 3 (because I was using a 2.5). I can say for certain that the 2.5 was too soft and that all three sound better! I am playing them on rotation, with the same pieces and will continue to do so for the next few days...

To complicate matters, since the Traditional 3 is so much better than the 2.5 for me, I am also thinking that perhaps I should try the V12s and Rue Lepics in a 3.5 - who knows, perhaps they will be even better?!

I'm very interested to know how other 'testers' are getting on too!

ooo, I thought I'd replied here!...

I did try the Rue Lepics, but to be honest I found there wasn't enough of a positive difference for me between them and traditional blue box reeds. So I'm on the same type of reed that I've been on since I passed my grade 8 nearly 20 years ago : Vandoren blue box strength 3.

So far Iv'e just got one Rue Lepic rotating with my other reeds, and it is very good and was right from the start.
Experiments are continuing................

I should've added to my previous post : no amount of testing convinced me about V12s. They're OK, but for me they're not a patch on blue box reeds, even if I tried a change of strength...

I think the V12 are ok if you have an old ligature that can't tighten as much... thats the only use I have found thus far.
Currently use Rue Lepic 3.5+ unless I'm having a lazy day, or playing in a show where I have to change quickly between other instruments, then I'll use whatever is in my reed tin which is usually a mixture of rico royal, mitchell reeds (never heard of them but my music shop was closing down and had some in the stock room!) and vandoren traditionals...

I tried the 3.5s found them hard to blow in but then possibly longer lasting. Over all though I found the 3s better. I too like B-C could not get on with the V12s though (i still have 2 barely played ones lurking in my case .... I really should throw them away )

OK, so far I'm not keen on the V12s, like the tone of the Rue Lepics BUT for some inexplicable reason I am making the occasional squeak with them. I have just started lessons again and intend to stick with my traditionals for the time being. I've always got on with them but was just curious about different types, as I've never used anything else. My philosophy at the moment is definitely 'if it ain't broke...'!!

So's mine! I've yet to find better for me than blue box Vandoren reeds. I've used these for very nearly 20 years, despite trying others!...

..... MMmmmm...... Interesting....... I too have noticed that on occassion I develop a squeak.... Haven't associated it with the Lepics though. More down to tired embouchure, Trying too hard and closing off the air flow through reed or a generally too soft reed for the register of notes I'm trying to play (altissimo range) I'd have thought I rarely notice the squeaks when performing/just playing but more after doing serious practise....

Maybe I should try traditionals to compare.... But I do so like the lepics..... Maybe it's down to different relative strengths.....

Hi Dawn,

Yes, I too tend to squeak when I've probably played too long - some evenings I just can't stop playing!! However, for me, it's definitely worse with the Rue Lepics. I don't get as much projection with them (I think that CJB also said this earlier in the thread?) and perhaps it't simply that I'm blowing too hard but it's less of a problem with the traditionals (certainly won't claim that I don't squeak on them from time to time too, though!) So, after my little experiment, I will be staying with the traditionals after all!

I got free reeds at the ELCC playday on Saturday.

I think they were called Rico Special, or Classic Reserve. Certainly, it was a brand new Rico product, due for launch this March.

I played on it for about 45 minutes. I have never in almost 30 years had a reed cause dryness/tenderness on my bottom lip before. Until I played on this thing...

That makes 3 of us.
I think it's Reserve Classic.
I already use Rico Reserve so was rather surprised by these.

I think you're right : I can't read the print on the back of mine.

I was given some of these at the NCBF finals in Cardiff last year on the first day there. It was AWFUL! I was then offered some saxophone ones the following day and quickly turned them down! The person giving them out told me they would be better than any Vandoren reed I'd ever play on! Hmm...

Did you find they irritated your bottom lip as well Clare?

I hope you will all send them some feedback about their reeds

We will.

I'm delaying my trial

Interesting reading .....

I played some kind of Rico reed when playing the bass clari back in October. It really irritated my lip and to be honest although it has at times improved and at times flared up I seem to have a constant red patch under my bottom lip that gets quite itchy and sore at times. All started with the bass clari reed....

Oh yes. We will...

I also have a constant red itchy patch under my lip, however any type of reed tends to aggravate it, have tried all the lip balms going and the only one that seems to help a bit is the cheap boots essentials lipsalve as long as it's the plain (not flavoured one)

I thought the Rico Classics were much better than the Reserves, which were better than Vandoren. I'm looking forward to their launch in March and hope the bass clt reeds are just as good when they're launched later in the year!



Have you tried Aloe Vera gel? It seems to work on a lot of things so could be worth a try!

I gave the one I'd tried a bit of a rub down with my chamois pull through which removed the sandpaper effect but I didn't find that it had the clarity of the Reserves.

I'll give that a go, and get back to the forum with test results...

It does remove much of the sandpaper effect, but it's very hard work to produce anything close to a nice sound. The sound is generally very muddy and unclear. Sorry Rico, it's very unlikely I'll buy any...

It was like that for me too.

I don't like them either, which is why I didn't bother to go and get a free sample.

ah...I guess you tried them with similar results before then...

I can't actually remember whether I had the sandpaper effect (I may have teaspooned them smooth) but the Rico Reserves I had I just couldn't get a good sound with them , muffled and woody not clear and clean at all.
I'm using Vandoren 56 Rue Lepic now and very happy with them.

I tried the 56s a while back (must've been just after they came out), and though they are very nice reeds, with the box I tried, I didn't think it was worth paying the extra to switch from blue box Vandorens. I might give them another go sometime, to see if there have been any further improvements...

I've just ordered another box of these. I'm a fan too. Though I am going to experiment with a couple of reeds from each of about 3 alternative brands too - once the Myatts website is up and running again.

Just out of interest have any of you tried a Legere synthetic reed? As I get a sore itchy patch under my lip I have toyed with the idea of whether a synthetic reed would be better but they are Sooo expensive. Do they last indefinitely and maintain their consistency or what?

I like the Rico Reserves and they are my regular reeds.

....and if we were all the same, we'd have nothing to talk about!

I've tried a legere quebec cut reed to see if it helps with my sore lip. I bought a 3 strength it came up very soft and the altissimo notes sounded awful, whether because it was too soft, having said that I've had this one for at least 6 months and it's still as good as new I do sometimes use it for practising when my lip is particularly sore. I'd want to be able to try before I buy next time