Reed Prices Going Up Again!!!

[fabsax101]

Just to warn all, buy as many reeds as you can now. As of Oct 1, All Vandoreen reeds will go up on average of $6 a box!!! So yes, 1 Bari reed will be $10, and if it doesn't work you can always stir your drink with it...

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

So $50 for a box of alto JAVA 3s?:shock::shock::shock:

[SaxMoose]

If you're currently buying a box of alto reeds for 44 dollars, then you're getting taken for a ride lol.

http://wwbw.com/Vandoren-Java-Alto-Saxophone-Reeds-i14892.music

[retread]

So don't buy Vandoren.

[| hp |]

holy mother-of-god.....what the hell is going on with vandoren?!

[matsuo]

who says

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

If you're currently buying a box of alto reeds for 44 dollars, then you're getting taken for a ride lol.

http://wwbw.com/Vandoren-Java-Alto-Saxophone-Reeds-i14892.music

Oh. I don't buy from the internet. I just go to the music store...:|

[matsuo]

Oh. I don't buy from the internet. I just go to the music store...:|
it's still getting shafted, my local samash has them for $23

[bluesaxgirl]

Like they're not expensive enough....but I buy online. It's a LITTLE better online.

[zirbo]

*sigh* I wonder how I'm going to survive when i go to college, by the time I'm in college 1 alto reed will probably be 10 dollars -___-

It's all because the dollar is worth so little...

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

it's still getting shafted, my local samash has them for $23

What's samash? I go to St. John's Music. Is it a USA thing?:(

[saxmanglen]

What's samash? I go to St. John's Music. Is it a USA thing?:(

It is an USA thing....


http://www.samash.com/

[Carl H.]

My little girl likes PB&J Samashes.

I'll stick to LaVoz and synthetic reeds.

[bandmommy]

Thankfully I only use Vandoren on clarinet. One box usually lasts a year.

[HeavyWeather77]

I got lucky and found a few boxes of ooooooold (but unused :)) Olivieri clarinet and tenor reeds at a little shop in Idaho for three bucks a box. They're almost gone. :(

I'm thinking of going into every music store I come across and just buying the cheapest boxes of #4 reeds they have. I'm at the point where I'm ready to just stick a hard reed on the mouthpiece and play it until it works. I can't afford to spend a hundred bucks a month on reeds.

Ricos are going up too. Give me a break, it's not like reeds are made of petrolium! What's the deal here? I understand transportation costs are going up, aren't there any domestic reed makers?

[nathan61]

With Rico getting so expensive also it seems like it is time for a new company to corner the market of cheaper-but-pretty-good reeds.

They have these reeds in China that are pretty bad, but they are cheap! If someone just went over there and refined the manufacturing process maybe we could have some decent low priced reeds. There must be somewhere in China where you could grow some good cane for cheap.

I swear the reed market is a total racket. How much can it cost to grow some cane and slice it up into reeds?.

[heath]

I wouldn't put anything in my mouth that comes from China.

Those guys are as crooked as the Russians when it comes to profits and public health.

Rico Jazz Selects aren't that pricey compared to the Vandorens. I haven't liked Vandorens for the past 5 years when the Javas started going downhill in quality.

You could start making your own reeds, but blanks for reeds aren't cheap either and a quality reed cutters would set you back at least $300.

That or you could quit playing the sax and take up the trumpet.

[HeavyWeather77]

My bassoonist friend makes her reeds out of some bamboo cane that grows in another friend's back yard. Wish I could just do that.

[heath]

I doubt that Bamboo is hard enough to make a really good reed.

Guys just dump the Vandorens, they were good reeds 10-12 years ago, but they're not all that great anymore.

Rico is supposed to be an American based company, they are probably the best buy in reeds in the US.

If synthetic reeds could be manufactured for say .25 each this would be the ideal set up, they might well serve the needs of most players, but paying $15 for one reed is retarded.

[| hp |]

boycott da vandorens.

[harmonizerNJ]

Rico is supposed to be an American based company.....

I just checked some recently purchased boxes of various Rico-company reeds: a box of LaVoz alto, a box of LaVoz soprano, several boxes of RJS alto and soprano, and a box of Rico Royal soprano reeds. Each of them said "Made in USA" on the box.

I also checked some older boxes of LaVoz reeds which I bought in 1993 (this is from before Rico owned LaVoz), and these also say "Manufactured in the USA" on the boxes.

I wonder what is printed on the boxes of Rico Royal, LaVoz, and RJS reeds that are sold in the UK, in mainland Europe, and in A/P, to indicate where those reeds are made.

[ZenBen]

What's samash? I go to St. John's Music. Is it a USA thing?:(

Is there another store you can go to? St. John's Music has always been ridiculously overpriced. Isn't there a Long and McQuade near you?

[gearaholic]

It's all the weak dollar. Plus, someone told me that one of Vandoren's fields recently burned, but I can't substantiate it.

[fabsax101]

My information comes from the new Vandoreen catalog to the dealers. The price the dealers have to pay will be on average $6 a box. I'm lucky, I get my reeds for free :P

[heath]

Then dealers will slowly but surely stop placing orders for Vandoren reeds.

[Finnerski]

I got a box of La Voz Baritone reeds on flea bay for 8 bucks. Lucky I know, but I always check the sleepers on e-bay.

[JeremyLC]

Just to warn all, buy as many reeds as you can now. As of Oct 1, All Vandoreen reeds will go up on average of $6 a box!!! So yes, 1 Bari reed will be $10, and if it doesn't work you can always stir your drink with it...

That's cheaper than the local music shop here. I went for Tenor reeds and they were asking $36.50 for a box of FIVE (5!). They wanted $83 (EIGHTY THREE DOLLARS!) for a box of 5 Bari reeds! :shock: (what sane person would spend over $16 per reed?) Made me glad I don't play bari.

[retread]

Then dealers will slowly but surely stop placing orders for Vandoren reeds.
My tech is into retail in a small way--reeds, mouthpieces and accessories, and, of course, used instruments. He's closing out his Vandoren reeds, not ordering any more.

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

I like Vandorens, though. JAVAs are awesome...:(

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

Is there another store you can go to? St. John's Music has always been ridiculously overpriced. Isn't there a Long and McQuade near you?

Oh, yeah. There is. I don't think it would be much cheaper. I'm going there next time I want reeds. But it's sort of far compared to St. John's Music... Anyways, who said Vandos were going up in price in the first place?

[matsuo]

^ refer to post 24

[LampLight]

People will find cheaper alternatives to Vandoren. The world will keep spinning.

[Smooth Sop Berator]

[QUOTE=heath;937147]I wouldn't put anything in my mouth that comes from China.

QUOTE]

You took the words right out of my mouth!

I've been disappointed with the number of bad reeds I get in a box of v16's lately. Too bad, because they seem to match the facing curve on my Lamberson Fmaj7 better than anything.

[ZenBen]

Oh, yeah. There is. I don't think it would be much cheaper. I'm going there next time I want reeds. But it's sort of far compared to St. John's Music... Anyways, who said Vandos were going up in price in the first place?

SJM in Toronto was always WAY more expensive than L&M.

[heath]

I like Vandorens, though. JAVAs are awesome...:(

When Javas first came out for the first three years they were indeed killer reeds. The cane was damn near perfect, very hard bark, consistent dark yellow throughout. Each of those reeds looked like a master went through them and hand selected only the best cane. You could best describe the original javas the same as a fine bottle of wine, aged to perfection and ready play. They even tasted good.

Back then Rico's couldn't compare. Rico's were garbage IMO.

The cane that Rico uses today still isn't all that hot, but the cut on the RJS reeds seems to work really well and they finally started making the heels on the reeds nice and thick, giving them more meat in the vamp.

[ZenBen]

When Javas first came out for the first three years they were indeed killer reeds. The cane was damn near perfect, very hard bark, consistent dark yellow throughout. Each of those reeds looked like a master went through them and hand selected only the best cane. You could best describe the original javas the same as a fine bottle of wine, aged to perfection and ready play. They even tasted good.

Are you sure about this? I remember reading somewhere on here that you are in your early/ mid thirities. That would make you about 10ish years old when javas first came out. No offense (honestly) but I'm not sure I trust a 25 year old memory of a 10 year old. ;)

[Mope]

holy mother-of-god.....what the hell is going on with vandoren?!

Holy Mother of God, what is going on with the US Dollar?

[bluesaxgirl]

Holy Mother of God, what is going on with the US Dollar?

Exactly.

[heath]

Are you sure about this? I remember reading somewhere on here that you are in your early/ mid thirities. That would make you about 10ish years old when javas first came out. No offense (honestly) but I'm not sure I trust a 25 year old memory of a 10 year old. ;)

Hey you're right.

I guess the Javas had a better run then I thought. I'm coming up on my 35th. :)

I looked it up and the javas were introduced in '83, I was ten years old(started in the 5th grade and moma was too cheap to buy Javas then I'm sure), I didn't start playing javas until I was 15, played them all through high school and into college, shortly after I stopped using.

[themacintrasher]

So don't buy Vandoren.
Exactly. I've given up on their reeds anyway.

[SaxMoose]

I wouldn't put anything in my mouth that comes from China.

Those guys are as crooked as the Russians when it comes to profits and public health.

Rico Jazz Selects aren't that pricey compared to the Vandorens. I haven't liked Vandorens for the past 5 years when the Javas started going downhill in quality.

You could start making your own reeds, but blanks for reeds aren't cheap either and a quality reed cutters would set you back at least $300.

That or you could quit playing the sax and take up the trumpet.

Did you hear about that one Chinese company that exported leather sofas to Europe and people got skin diseases from that? I was like :shock:.

Anyway, I think I'm gonna start trying some synthetics.

[heath]

The bottom line is no one should be importing anything from China.

You have no way of knowing what you're buying and how it was manufactured in a country(s) that has no system in place to ensuring public safety. China is notorious at this point for it's total disregard for product safety.

China handles it's scandals after the fact by finding those responsible and administering capital punishment in a very swift manner.

I personally think it's insane that stores like Walmart are importing all this food from China and not marking or labeling the package that it's from China........apparently Walmart is starting to embrace China's business practices.

Take the latest problem with milk in China. "Some of the farmers who sell milk to Chinese food companies are thought to have used melamine to disguise watered-down milk and fatten profit margins hurt by rising costs for feed, fuel and labor." Of course this was linked to the milk put in infant formulas, causing the babies to develop kidney stones and some to have kidney failure. Melamine was the same chemical used in the pet food scandal to up the protein concentration since Melamine is rich in Nitrogen which is how protein content is tested and we all know what happened to those pets.

The bottom line is you can't trust these countries for anything. They seem to lack any kind of ethics where individual human life has little real value. That and doing business with a communist country is always a bad idea.

[mike713]

Is there another store you can go to? St. John's Music has always been ridiculously overpriced. Isn't there a Long and McQuade near you?

where i am, long and mcquade has identical prices to st. john's... because they are across the street from each other.

[LampLight]

The bottom line is no one should be importing anything from China.

You have no way of knowing what you're buying and how it was manufactured in a country(s) that has no system in place to ensuring public safety. China is notorious at this point for it's total disregard for product safety. . . .
The Chinese remind me of the US during the period around 1900: Extremely high real growth coupled with extremely low regard for public safety. Actually though, I think the Chinese have tightened up quite a bit and now have strict rules about lead: From now on, lead goes in toys and drinking water only!

[heath]

Chinese remind of those people that pay $1000 for a fake diploma. They put on a good show, they make their products look pretty and nice, but there's no substance.

One of the reasons I doggedly hunt products that are made in the USA or at least some of the better parts of Europe.

[nathan61]

The bottom line is no one should be importing anything from China.

That and doing business with a communist country is always a bad idea.

It is harder than you may think to boycott stuff comming from China- at least in the USA. Grocery stores are not required to say where their produce is from, and guess what- even though we grow enough fruit we import a lot from China. At least here is the UAE they tell you where the meat and produce is from so you can make a choice.

The USA is greedily importing Chinese goods and our government doesn't care to impose tariffs or regulations because it is bad for business. It takes two to tango, and I wouldn't blame communism for all this. WE are the ones outsourcing our manufacturing to China, Vietnam, Indonesia.

If Americans are eating Chinese apples then why not a Chinese reed

[heath]

Yeah your right about the labeling of where the food comes from.

That's were the internet is handy and those telephone numbers come in handy on the packaging as well.

Still when it's made in the USA it's usually labeled as made in the USA, people are still proud of that, if it's not labeled you can bet it wasn't made in the USA.

[SaxMoose]

Ok, my store is now selling Vandorens for a little over 30 dollars a box, I'm definitely going to start buying online.

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

Yeah your right about the labeling of where the food comes from.

That's were the internet is handy and those telephone numbers come in handy on the packaging as well.

Still when it's made in the USA it's usually labeled as made in the USA, people are still proud of that, if it's not labeled you can bet it wasn't made in the USA.

I watched a random whatever on CBC news. It was about that not everything that says "Product Of Canada" on it is from Canada. That includes stuff that are from China... Just a comment.:|

[heath]

Product or Made?

I've been leery of the use of Product or another is Marketed in XXX.

It has to say Made, with an actual factory address.

It's like going on an easter egg hunt, but you can still find products that are Made in the US.

[jrvinson45]

Are there any "real" reeds actually manufactured in the US from cane grown in the US? Even if I were to opt with say a Rico or Vandoren I don't think I can actually count on the product being manufactured where they imply it is. I wonder whether Vandoren doesn't have their product manufactured by the cheapest source.

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

It says "mad in France" right on the plastic Vandoren reed cases... :oWhat if the case is made in France and the reed is chinese?...

[LampLight]

Some decades ago my cousin was a senior chemical engineering student at CCNY. One of his field trips was to a refinery in Bayonne NJ where they manufactured perfume, shipped it to France, and shipped it back to the US.

Why? The reason was so they could sell it as imported French perfume. :twisted:

[dirty]

I've moved away from Vandoren on sax, I think. I like the box of V16 soprano reeds I got from Kessler with the horn, but can't afford to be buying those on a regular basis. I'll have to try Royals or LaVoz or something cheaper.

It's definitely getting harder supplying six different horns with six different kinds of reed!

[fabsax101]

OK.. I've recently been to the Vandoren factory in FRANCE not CHINA. How did we get here? Go ahead and boycott the Chinese made reeds, but the V series and The Rue Lepic clr. reeds are made in France. Dear god!!!!!!

[DavyRay]

Some decades ago my cousin was a senior chemical engineering student at CCNY. One of his field trips was to a refinery in Bayonne NJ where they manufactured perfume, shipped it to France, and shipped it back to the US.

Why? The reason was so they could sell it as imported French perfume. :twisted:

I mean, really, it's from Bayonne. It even sounds French (as long as you are not in NJ).

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

OK.. I've recently been to the Vandoren factory in FRANCE not CHINA. How did we get here? Go ahead and boycott the Chinese made reeds, but the V series and The Rue Lepic clr. reeds are made in France. Dear god!!!!!!

So there is one in China too?:( And where are the other reeds made?:(

[dstack79]

It's definitely getting harder supplying six different horns with six different kinds of reed!

It's tough enough finding a decent cane reed and keeping it that way for just one horn. I can't imagine trying to juggle all those saxes and doubles and have good cane reeds for all of them. I've promised myself that as I acquire more horns, I'll seek setups w/ synthetic reeds. I'm so glad I started w/ Fibracell when I picked up alto.
-Dan

[daigle65]

.....It's definitely getting harder supplying six different horns with six different kinds of reed!Not for me, I use Vandoren BB's on all saxes and clarinets. I've been doing this for over 10 years.
I moved in this direction because of the inconsistency in the other brands.
IMHO Vandoren has the best cane out there and I have not noticed a drop in quality like others have.
One thing you have to be aware of with Vandorens is that they need a longer breaking in period.
You also have to be careful when comparing reeds that are several years old and newer ones, old reeds tend to play easier (softer) and are more responsive but they lack depth and color.


ps....How did this thread get sidetracked into Chinese made Vandoren reeds :? This is how rumors are started.

[dirty]

Finding decent reeds is not the difficulty. Paying for them is. This is one of the many reasons I have moved away from Vandoren. That and not really liking their sax reeds. I just can't quit them on clarinet, though.
Not for me, I use Vandoren BB's on all saxes and clarinets. I've been doing this for over 10 years.
I moved in this direction because of the inconsistency in the other brands.
IMHO Vandoren has the best cane out there and I have not noticed a drop in quality like others have.
One thing you have to be aware of with Vandorens is that they need a longer breaking in period.
You also have to be careful when comparing reeds that are several years old and newer ones, old reeds tend to play easier (softer) and are more responsive but they lack depth and color.


ps....How did this thread get sidetracked into Chinese made Vandoren reeds :? This is how rumors are started.

[retread]

Try Gonzalez or Zonda. Cane organically grown in Argentina, reeds made in Argentina. Good, consistent reeds.

[Kelpie]

http://1stopclarinet.stores.yahoo.net/vantradalsax.html

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

http://1stopclarinet.stores.yahoo.net/vantradalsax.html

I told you guys that they were (normally) $40!!!;)

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

So are Vandoren's made in China? Or not?

[daigle65]

So are Vandoren's made in China? Or not?NO, NO, NO !

[retread]

NO, NO, NO !
Can we take that as a no?

[Yamahaaltoplayer]

I guess I misunderstood a post. Glad they aren't though!:D

[daigle65]

http://www.vandoren.fr/en/diapoanche.html

[LampLight]

Try Gonzalez or Zonda. Cane organically grown in Argentina, reeds made in Argentina. Good, consistent reeds.
I've heard mixed reviews of Gonzalez in this forum, but I myself have been very pleased with them.

[dirty]

Try Gonzalez or Zonda. Cane organically grown in Argentina, reeds made in Argentina. Good, consistent reeds.

I really ought to. I have a few boxes of V12 #4 reeds to get through, but then I hear I should be looking at the FOF #3.5?

[retread]

I really ought to. I have a few boxes of V12 #4 reeds to get through, but then I hear I should be looking at the FOF #3.5?
Good place to start. The Gonzalez come in 1/4 strengths,so you might try 3.5 and 3.75.