Rico Jazz Select Reeds

[littlewailer]

I was told and tend to believe that the filed reeds work better on different mouthpieces than their unfilled counterparts.

Filled working better on small/medium chambered mouthpieces while unfilled working better on a more link style piece.

[Frankmsax]

I was told and tend to believe that the filed reeds work better on different mouthpieces than their unfilled counterparts.

Filled working better on small/medium chambered mouthpieces while unfilled working better on a more link style piece.

This is also subject to personal taste and what works best for you. For me, the unfiled reeds make some of the higher baffled pieces sound fatter and darker. It still all depends on your preferences and what you like best. There is no one perfect set up for everyone.

[littlewailer]

This is also subject to personal taste and what works best for you. For me, the unfiled reeds make some of the higher baffled pieces sound fatter and darker. It still all depends on your preferences and what you like best. There is no one perfect set up for everyone.

agreed.

[BATMAN]

The file does make a difference, usually the low notes are a more responsive. Brighter/Darker is subjective, but I find them a little brighter.

The basic reed profile is the most important thing, filed vs. unfiled by itself means nothing without context of the reed itself. Vandoren Java, V16, RJS, RW Reeds...these are all unfiled reeds, but they all sound different.

If you've ever adjusted your reeds, you'll know that removing/adding material in places affects the sound...how much the audience hears is probably fairly neglegible (when dealing with subtleties), BUT response and comfort/playability can be dramatic for the player. Especially as you get higher in level....minute changes can mean a lot in terms of that search for your "personal" sound.

Sure, we should all learn to be able to shape our sound to whatever we want on whatever we want (and this is how I was taught, and what I tell people who get too caught up in equipment), but we should also find things that allow us to work the least...