Vandoren Saxophone Reeds
Vandoren Traditional
(Blue Box):
Traditionals feature the thinnest tip with the thickest heart, resulting in crisp articulation with a full, dark sound.
The Traditional box are the standard by which we judge all else, preferred by classical players (although suitable for any style) and used the world over.
French Filed.
Vandoren Java:
Developed in 1983 for Jazz and Popular music.
The Java reeds have a thicker tip and more flexible palette to allow maximum vibration and elasticity.
The Java reeds are more flexible than the V16 or Traditionals and create a bright sound with immediate response.
American Unfiled.
Vandoren V16:
Launched in 1993 to answer the demand of some American jazz musicians (a Java with even more wood).
The V16 has a thicker tip than the Traditional reed and a medium-thick heart.
The profile of the reed is designed for producing a strong, percussive attack with a deep, rich sound. American Unfiled.
Vandoren ZZ:
ZZ reeds combine the medium-thick heart, spine and rounded tip of the V16 with the flexible palette design of the Java,
giving the player a rich, colourful sound with quick response.
In tests with Jazz Saxophonists, the artists found the new ZZ reed to be immediately responsive without sacrificing brightness or tone quality.
Vandoren Java Red Cut:
The most recent of the Jazz style reeds released by Vandoren. Based around
the original design of the green box Java but with a filed cut the Red box
Java are even more flexible and offer a little more tonal body to the
sometimes bright feeling green box. Great for jazz and commercial mouthpieces.
Vandoren V12:
The success of V12 in the clarinet world led Vandoren to transpose their characteristics and advantages into the Sax world.
The V12 Saxophone reeds are produced with a thick heel and are cut on a longer palette than the blue box, which means that more of the reed is vibrating and
as such it has a deeper, richer sound. The thicker tip gives more body to the attack and less brightness.
What does Filed or Unfiled mean?
The technical difference is that with a Filed reed the bark is removed with a definite cut before the vamp is shaped.
With Unfiled reeds the vamp is shaped straight into the bark. So, what difference does this make?
Well it's really a reference to the French style of Filed reeds and the American style of Unfiled reeds.
How the two different styles respond differently has a large amount to do with the mouthpiece style and the player.
Most manufacturers state the Filed reeds have a more focused, flexible tone whereas Unfiled reeds will have a more powerful, dark, projecting sound.
Every player finds their own preference here though so nothing is set in stone but there is method in the madness!!
Second Hand