Vandoren Saxophone Reeds

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!!

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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