I recommend Rico Royal (strength 2½ or 3) or LaVoz (strength medium) reeds. Buy them by the box so you will always have plenty of new reeds on hand. | |
As students get more experienced, they may want to move up to stronger reeds (Rico Royal 3½, or 4, or LaVoz medium hard) | |
Advanced players may find that they prefer Vandoren or Hemke reeds (3, 3½, or 4). |
Here is a chart I made giving current prices in December 2001. "Yes" means that the store carries them but I wasn't able to get the price. Prices have gone up significantly since then, but the general comparison (dramatic differences between stores) remains the same.
When buying reeds and other accessories, you want to consider
the convenience factor of a local store, | |
your desire to support local businesses, | |
the service you get, | |
and the cost of local sales tax vs. shipping. |
If an item is available at a local store, it may be very convenient to pick it up there. But sometimes an item might be in stock at the larger mail-order houses, and available for shipping out the next day., whereas the local store would have to order it and wait for it to arrive.
These prices are as of December 2001! They have gone up... |
Clar |
Alto |
Tenor |
Shipping |
||||||||
Store
/ Hours |
Phone |
Address
/ Web Site |
LaVoz |
RicoR |
Vand. |
LaVoz |
RicoR |
Vand. |
LaVoz |
RicoR |
Vand. |
|
The
Music Source M-F
12-5 |
698-0444 |
1345
East Putnam Ave |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
21.95 |
Yes |
24.95 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes* |
tax
6% |
Greenwich
Music M-F
10-6, |
869-3615 |
1200 E Putnam Ave, Riverside, CT |
no |
17.99 |
19.99 |
|
22.99 |
25.99 |
Yes |
29.99 |
18.99* |
tax
6% |
Frederick
Weiner Music M-W
9-6, Th 10-7, Fri & Sat 10-5 |
800-
622-2675 |
9.75 |
9.30 |
12.60 |
14.00 |
13.00 |
16.00 |
17.25 |
16.00 |
11.65* |
Shipping
(free if ordered online or by fax) |
|
The
Woodwind orders
taken 24 hrs |
800-348-5003 |
9.99 |
9.69 |
12.99 |
13.99 |
13.39 |
16.69 |
17.49 |
16.95 |
11.79* |
Shipping (free if over $199) |
|
Classicwinds.com |
770-
924-0559 |
12.35 |
no |
12.35 |
14.60 |
14.50 |
15.99 |
18.20 |
17.75 |
11.55* |
Shipping |
|
International
Musical Suppliers |
800-762-1116 |
10.91 |
10.38 |
13.84 |
16.57 |
15.86 |
17.79 |
21.06 |
20.52 |
12.50* |
Shipping |
All are boxes of ten reeds except Vandoren tenor reeds, which are * boxes of five reeds.
Webmaster: Malcolm Dickinson