Classical sax reeds affordable by school?

[Chunsoo]

Since our school only buy Vandoren Trads, we were thinking of buying something better but price is a problem and it can't go up to like V12 prices. I thought Rico Reserves would be good, but the head band director hates or does not trust Ricos unless given a recommendation by one of the 2 middle school band directors that are zoned to our high school because none of my high school play the sax and those middle school head band directors play the sax as their instrument, so what reeds are like or better than Vandoren Trads but affordable and cost efficient due to consistency?

[gary]

What's "better" than a Vandoren Trad? I didn't know there was such an animal.
Hemkes are pretty decent "classical" reeds and are a little cheaper than Vandoren Trads.

Head band director doesn't know what he's talking about BTW since there is no singular "Rico" reed.

[tenor71363]

+1 to what he said. Any school that can afford to buy Vandoren Traditional reeds for the students is a school that should feel grateful for their budget.

[littlewailer]

Gonzales.

[seattlebari]

One of the things I recommend to younger players is that with any reed, you should take the time to learn the craft of modifying them, if necessary. ANY mass produced reed is subject to anomalies and just wetting the reed out of the box and playing it, may not produce optimum results for any one (or all) players. There are numerous posts here, and publications that you can purchase, which will be a valuable resource to you in the coming years. Many (not all) pros in all styles of playing "work" their reeds, as necessary.
Best wishes......

[Chunsoo]

What's "better" than a Vandoren Trad? I didn't know there was such an animal.
Hemkes are pretty decent "classical" reeds and are a little cheaper than Vandoren Trads.

Head band director doesn't know what he's talking about BTW since there is no singular "Rico" reed.

He's a trombone player who hates sax kids.
Seattlebari, thats easy for you to say, there are no other reeds sold in Southern Texas except Vandoren Trads, but the only other reeds are La Voz, Rico orange and blue box but only if you willing to drive an hour from where I'm at and its not worth it since they overprice them, 30 dollars just for a tenor orange box. Plus the reeds the schools here use are Vandoren Trads only.

[drakesaxprof]

I thought Rico Reserves would be good, but the head band director hates or does not trust Ricos unless given a recommendation by one of the 2 middle school band directors...

I've found the Reserves to be very good, and quite consistent. Those sorts of uninformed prejudices are a disservice to students, and decidedly anti-education.

[rosski47]

What's "better" than a Vandoren Trad? I didn't know there was such an animal.
Hemkes are pretty decent "classical" reeds and are a little cheaper than Vandoren Trads.

Head band director doesn't know what he's talking about BTW since there is no singular "Rico" reed.

He's a trombone player who hates sax kids.
Seattlebari, thats easy for you to say, there are no other reeds sold in Southern Texas except Vandoren Trads, but the only other reeds are La Voz, Rico orange and blue box but only if you willing to drive an hour from where I'm at and its not worth it since they overprice them, 30 dollars just for a tenor orange box. Plus the reeds the schools here use are Vandoren Trads only.

http://www.wwbw.com/

Check that place out, it'll blow your mind.

[gary]

....the only other reeds are La Voz, Rico orange and blue box but only if you willing to drive an hour from where I'm at and its not worth it since they overprice them, 30 dollars just for a tenor orange box. Plus the reeds the schools here use are Vandoren Trads only.

Don't drive anywhere. What are you guys thinking about? Unless you're restrained by some silly buy-local school board rules, buy them from a vendor (you can do an internet sweep) who will give the school a bulk-order discount.

[JayeSF]

Gonzalez.
Indeed....

[gary]

Ref Gonzales reeds - well, here we go again. :roll: They didn't do a thing for me, in relations to some other makes. Boy this is subjective, wot? No reason not to give them a try, though.

[Chunsoo]

I gotta give the Gonzales a try on my next reed boxes. WWBW is nothing to me, I buy my reeds off the Internet...after I beg my mom for another reed box, she doesn't understand reeds at all.

[fluteypiccolosax]

then whats the problem?
if you can buy your reeds off the internet...why go through the school?

[Chunsoo]

then whats the problem?
if you can buy your reeds off the internet...why go through the school?

Well....I don't really want to go to the trouble of begging for weeks and playing on only one worn out reeds just to order a box of reeds. Plus my flute and sax band instructor was planning to get different reeds since a lot of kids complained about getting a lot of bad reeds that need to be scraped and such. I thought I would try getting an opportunity on this since she favors the Gonzales reeds but since she doesnt play sax, she doesn't know how the Gonzales sax reeds are.