Advantages: Exceptional tone quality.
Disadvantages: Can be hard to blow initially.

...I have been using Vandoren reeds for the past seven years, since I changed clarinet teachers. My first teacher had started me on Rico reeds, and having no experience of clarinet playing did not know that better reeds were available. Since using Vandorens I have managed to improve my tone quality tremendously. I am sitting my grade 8 exam in a few months, most definitely using a Vandoren V12 reed (strenght 3). As with all reed brands, Vandorens come in several strengths (from one to five). I have found that, even increasing strength by only half a unit at a time, changing strength can be a challenging time leading to sore lips and throats. I have also found that the strength and quality of individual reeds vary greatly. One reed may be easy to blow, or even over blow easily, while the next reed in the pack will take a week... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap
Disadvantages: Don't produce the Best tone in the World

...in the Clarinet Reed field, and they are Vandoren and Rico. This review is about Rico Reeds, but it's hard to talk about them without giving some comparison with the main competitor, since your basic purchasing decision will be between these two brands. Here's what Vandoren say about their standard B flat Clarinet Reeds: "The most widely played Reeds in the professional world." And here's what Rico claim about their most similar product: "The world's most popular Reed." One thing you may be able to deduce from this is that Vandoren Reeds are better and also more expensive. They produce a better tone for professionals, who are more picky about these things than amateurs. However, there are many more amateurs piping away in their bedrooms on a Sunday afternoon than there are professionals, and they tend to choose Rico, so they can't be all bad... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Good quality and reliable brand
Disadvantages: Can be more pricey

...Play around with it in your hands. Is it a good weight? Is it symetrical with a good curvature? Give it a good blow. Put it right in your mouth. Does it feel good? As your lips curl around do you contact in the right places? Now for the cap. .......wondering what I am on about? Why, clarinet mouthpieces of course! If you are a beginner then unless you are in the extremely rare position of owning an instrument without a mouthpiece stick with the basic mouthpiece that comes with the clarinet. As you progress, as with reeds, and instruments, it is quality that counts. I have found vandoren reeds and mouthpieces to be about the best around for a good, but amateur player. I use a B45 mouthpiece and it took me right up to performance diploma level with my pair of Buffet R13s. However, there really is no hard and fast rule... Read review

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