Hahn Reeds

[patseguin]

I ordered a #3 and a #3-1/2 alto sax reeds. I tested out the #3 and it plays awful. Very stuffy and no liveliness to the sound at all. Is there a break-in period to these reeds? I'd heard nothing but good things about them.

[MM]

No break-in should be required. I have a couple which I would call very lively, a tenor 3 and an alto 3 1/2. The alto reed is too hard for my current mpcs but the tenor reed I sometimes use if I don't have a good cane reed or want the extra buzz.

In fact, the Hahn is the brightest, must lively synthetic reed I have tried. Do other synthetics work for you?

[mostly alto guy]

I've used Hahns in 2.5 and 3 on alto, tenor, and sop. They like certain mouthpieces, and properly matched can really blast. I'd never use them for ensemble work unless everyone had them, too.

[patseguin]

I use Fibracell, which play WAY easier. I'd heard Hahn were even better.

[soybean]

Gerald Allbright uses Hahn reeds on his tenor.

[saxdude48]

Are you sure about this?

[Jorns Bergenson]

Gerald Allbright uses Hahn reeds on his tenor.
His web site says he uses LaVoz on all his horns. http://www.geraldalbright.com/faq.htm

[soybean]

Are you sure about this?Yes… at least he says he does. I met Gerald at the NAMM show on Jan 17. He was playing alto and tenor at the Cannonball booth. I asked him about his tenor set up. It was a Sugal mouthpiece with a Hahn reed. I asked him if he was just using it for the show, but he said that he used the Hahn reed for recording and touring. He prefers cane reeds on alto and soprano, but liked the Hahn for tenor. I asked him about fibracell and he says he likes those too. I can't remember what his alto mouthpiece was.

[thesaxguy]

Anybody out there play both Hahn and Fibracell ? I want to try the Hahn reeds, but don't know how they compare strength-wise to Fibracells. I play Fibracell Premier #2 on Alto and 3-1/2 on Tenor. Any idea what the Hahn equivalents would be ?? Thanks.

[tonfisch]

If #3 does not work go half a step down to #2,5. They are a bit harder than most other reeds-like Legere.I had to go down a whole step,than everything was ok

[Subbie]

I played a hahn many years ago. I then played some Fibracells. The hahn reed seemed pretty hard, but I wouldn't know how they were compared to each other, I changed too much and can't remember. Sorry.

Good luck and keep trying

[muman]

what reeds work well for a berg larsen metal mouthpiece 115/1

[DanF]

Anybody out there play both Hahn and Fibracell ? I want to try the Hahn reeds, but don't know how they compare strength-wise to Fibracells. I play Fibracell Premier #2 on Alto and 3-1/2 on Tenor. Any idea what the Hahn equivalents would be ?? Thanks.
I used to play Fibracell on both alto and tenor. I stopped using them when the "Premier" reeds came out. The Hahn reeds are much better than the new Fibracell. They play like the old Fibracells used to. The strength is slightly different. If you play a cane reed with a 2 1/2 strength then you would need a #3 Hahn.

[mellowmeyer]

I never noticed hahns playing "hard," but I did notice they puzzled me. On alto, I got a 3 and a 3 1/2, and the 3 seemed too soft...played bright as all get-out, which I can't stand...but the 3 1/2 played airy and stuffy. I agree that on tenor (a #3), it seems to be a better approximation, and it's nice and consistent (I could tongue lightly, quickly and quietly like it was nothing down to low B or so), but it's still too bright for me. It was cool playing quiet, but anything louder, I felt like a goose.

Has anyone played hahn and Legiere? I remember when I got the hahns...and I was toying between trying those or Legieres. I hadn't dared go near synthetics at all for ages since high school when I tried a Bari. Those are great for a joke on the band director...

[heathdwatts]

Anybody out there play both Hahn and Fibracell ? I want to try the Hahn reeds, but don't know how they compare strength-wise to Fibracells. I play Fibracell Premier #2 on Alto and 3-1/2 on Tenor. Any idea what the Hahn equivalents would be ?? Thanks.

I've played both Hahn and Fibracell on my soprano. I used 2s for both reeds and they were very close to the same hardness. I'm in a cane stage again...

[Jacques5646]

Ron Coelho mentioned to me a few days ago that Pete Christlieb was an enthusiastic user of Hahn reeds. I ordered one 2.5 and one 3 which arrived yesterday. First impression more than excellent: a bit brighter than the corresponding Fibracell; the 2.5 Hahn roars more evenly than the Fibracell from top to bottom (on a Morgan 7EL and a 10M); excellent subtones and clear high range. The difference between 2.5 and 3 is smaller than the corresponding difference between the 2.5 and 3 Fibracell: #3 Hahn closer to a 2.5 Fibracell.
Give them a try. I'm gonna order a spare 2.5...
Jacques

[MM]

Where do you get them? Sax Alley?

[Jacques5646]

MM,
No, from REEDS DIRECT, Cambridge, UK, www.reeds-direct.co.uk
Extremely fast shipment.
If you're in the middle range trip, buy a 2.5 and a 3 to compare.
Enjoy and keep swinging
Jacques

[mellowmeyer]

Does reeds direct ship outside the UK/change currency and such? Sax Alley claims to be the sole US distributor of Hahns, and from searches I've done it seems to be true.

[Jacques5646]

I frankly don't know. The do state they ship outside of EU (e.g. to Switzerland) and confirm this so
VAT will be deducted for orders outside the EU..

Check the price and give them a try.

J

[thesaxguy]

I just got a Hahn 2-1/2 Alto Reed from Sax Alley. Someone at Sax Alley told me the Hahn 2-1/2 was equal to a Vandoren Java 2-1/2.
Well, it ain't. It's like playing a friggin' plank...more like a 3-1/2 or harder.
$18 plus shipping down the drain.
The Hahn looks and plays exactly like a Harry Hartmann reed. Had I known that, I'd have never ordered the thing.

[Paul B]

I used to play Fibracells all the time, but always felt they lacked a little something, though the convenience and ease they offer generally outweighed that. Legeres are better, but feel weird because of the material they're made of. The Hahn is another animal entirely IMO.

I've had a good run with cane until recently; Roberto's reeds (which are basically Rigotti) have been wonderful, but of late I've found them stuffy and not a little unresponsive. With a little tweaking some work well, but they lack that nice "core" that makes a reed hum.

So I pulled a Hahn out of my reed/mouthpiece box today. I'd bought it on a whim at the NAJE conference in New York a few years back, but never really played it. Well well, what a surprise: much better than either the Fibracell or the Legere. Feels like a reed, nice response throughout the horn (I'm talking about soprano here) with bottom and top, multiphonics and altissimo all sounding nicely.

Think I'll stay with it for a while until the cane thing sorts itself out...

[ljclancy]

I play in church every Sunday, and I have found that the last 2 or 3 fibercell reeds (2.5) I purchased didn't last more than a a few weeks and that time period was just Saturday band rehearsal and Sunday church playing. They became soft and the plastic film started coming loose from the bottom of the reed, making them very hard, if not impossible to play.

I tried playing on a Legere reed for several weeks (after the Fibercells failed to live up to my expectations). The Legere reed played ok, not as bright or as lively as the fibercells, and a little bit more stuffy or subdued, but it did last and is in still like new condition.

Last Saturday,at band rehearsal and again on last Sunday morning, I tried a Hahn synthetic 2.5 reed. Boy, was it the best synthetic I ever tried, (including both models of the Bari synthetic reeds which have an loud and aweful sound). The Hahn was very easy and free blowing. It was lively and full of life. It wasn't quite as bright as the fibercells (if I remember correctly how loud the fibercells were). It definitely was louder than as the Legere. I got a lot of positive comments from the church members and my wife on how nicely I both played and sounded.

For your information, the Fibercell was on I had owned and had played on for some time ago, but didn't like the way it felt to my top teeth, at least on other various mouthpieces I had previously played on. However, on my Jody Jazz DV 7 alto sax mouthpiece, I didn't notice the odd feeling of the reed against my teeth, and I really loved the sound of it on my Jody Jazz DV. In fact, I ordered a second one from Sax Alley on Monday. As I previously stated, the Hahn reed I used was a really used reed, but it played like a new one. They cost $20.00 plus $4.00 shipping to Ohio, but I was well pleased with the setup on my Selmer Mark VI alto sax and feel it was worth the investment to get a second Hahn 2.5 alto reed. I hope this helps you!

Lester J. Clancy

[Sonofog]

I play tenor, but I think this should still apply.
When my director was recording my audition for the all-state jazz band he said that my reed (a vandoren ZZ) was sounding unresponsive so he gave me a hahn 3. The thing I love about it is that you don't need to moisten it!!! it responded immediately, and had a really clear tone.
You might want to try some different sizes.