Vandoren V12 Bb clarinet reeds, box of 10 - Strength 3

I would never buy any other reeds! The Vandoren V12 are in my opinion the best you can have. I have in the past used other reeds but once I tried the V 12 no other will do.

Reeds, mouthpieces and musical instruments are highly variable in the way they go together and function. My preference is for the sound/edge the Vandoren V12 reed usually offers. In the past, other reeds have seemed soft and to lack dynamic range by comparison. Vandoren now package their reeds in a larger box as they package each reed individually for damp proofing reasons. I don't appreciate this change as the new box no longer fits in my carry case, so I unpackaged all 10 reeds and put them, un-damproofed, into the old packaging I still possess. The truth is that each reed varies. And each box of reeds varies. Some reeds last weeks and play beautifully, whilst others hardly play at all and go straight in the waste bin. It was always thus. Actually I'm having trouble with this new box of reeds because for all the new packaging, they're not playing very well. They seem to lack staying power. But it is winter, the clarinet is always cold when I pick it up to play, and condensation is a major headache for the first 20 minutes or so. In other words the reeds get wet quickly and then won't respond properly, but that's hardly Vandoren's fault. Bottom line: play with reeds that suit you but don't be afraid to try a few different makes and even strengths. Loyalty to any brand or product is pointless unless you are achieving perfection. It remains to be seen if this particular box of V12's will justify their purchase. It concerns me Vandoren have repackaged as it suggests they may have been receiving negative comments about their reeds; i.e. they may have a problem at source with the bamboo or supplier? If I remember I will update this review when the box is nearly finished. Hope this helps.

For years vandoren has sold its reeds in a box where every single reed is individually wrapped. I therefore find it odd and a little concerning that every reed in this box was unwrapped…

My old Vandoren 2.5 reeds that I was cycling through went all soggy, so I opted for some new ones and bumped up to 3.They're genuine (I checked on the Vandoren website).I know using a new reed is always nice, but my Clarinet sounded like a new instrument.

I love V12’s and couldn’t pass up these at this price. Slightly softer than normal Vandorens, if you use a 3 get a 3.5 in V12. Dispatched fast.

My father doesn’t play the clarinet, so it was a bit of a risk buying him these. However, after the inititial swearing fit and removing me from his will, he has got used to them. Using a small pen knife he has sculpted the reeds into minutures of public buildings and war criminals. All's well that ends well.

For the price you'd expect these reeds to be noticeably better than cheaper ones such as Rico Royals. Frankly, my experience is they are not. Is the price difference simply down to the fancy packaging?

Box arrived open and reeds unwrapped. Do not buy.