Plasticover On Soprano

[1saxman]

I've been playing Rico Plasticovers on soprano for a long time, because the horn sits there for hours before I may need it on one or two numbers a night. The Plasticover is always ready to go, but is still a real reed under the polymer coating. I play a Guardala 'Liebman' mouthpiece which is moderately open (never measured it but it looks like maybe a .060" or so. I've been using a #2, but many of them have been too resistant. I just tried a #1.5 last night and it was great - the horn instantly got a more 'open' feeling and got louder. Tone quality was a lot richer. I felt much more at ease with this set-up and my playing was more fluid and confident. I know this set-up is contradictory to the conventional wisdom of playing hard reeds on soprano, but evidently this is what my horn and I need. Its an L.A. sax 'saxello', branded to 'Woodwind'. I've had this one for about six years and have been trying to find one I like better the whole time, but the old Woodwind keeps winning the playoffs. I actually now play Plasticovers on everything except tenor, which is my main horn, and doesn't sit around long enough for the reed to dry out.

[Ralph Grant]

Although my signature below needs updating, I now have a plasticover on my tenor and my soprano (both 2.5's). I like the fact that I can let my horn sit next to my desk essentially all day and just pick it up and play when I feel like it without having to "wet" the reed to preference. I've been playing the one on my tenor for about 5 months with no Ill effects. A Vandoren ZZ never lasted that long before. My Alto still sports the V-16's though.

I've noticed a lot more saxes sitting in a stand at gigs with a "black" reed on them since I switched. There seems to be a larger crowd using them than I thought.

[1saxman]

The great Pete Christlieb does, along with many other pros.

[maestroelite]

There's a local sax pro that plays very soft plasticovers too. The guy at the music store, which was a different one than I usually go to, tried to convince me that it would work for me too. I just asked for the same reeds I asked for originally again.. understand the thought but what works for one doesn't work for all. I've used plasticovers on and off on different horns for a while. Only ones I still use are on bari.