Legere Reeds: Synthetic Alto Sax Reed Review
This Legere Alto Sax reed was gifted to me by one of my saxophone teachers more than 10 years ago!
This is actually a 15 year old (or more) Signature Legere reed for Alto Saxophone.
It is in perfect condition and I've continued to use it for the past few years. Mostly because I know that it is extremely reliable and it's always in perfect condition!
I never have to change my embouchure. I just slap it on my mouthpiece and it'll play exactly as I expect it to play.
Now I was always skeptical because it's not made of wood, ya know. It doesn't sound quite the same. But, you'd be surprised that when I play with this reed nobody even realizes that I'm playing on something that's not made of bamboo.
Nobody will be able to tell.
That's one of the reasons why it's my favorite reed to work with, because I don't have to spend any time sorting through reeds to determine whether the grain is even, perfectly shaped, or symmetrical.
I've never had problems with this reed and it's 15 years old now!
Skip getting a whole new box of reeds and just get one Legere reed that will last you for over a decade.
Even if you don't want to make a permanent switch to synthetic reeds, just have one of these in your saxophone case for emergencies.
I really have nothing but good things to say about this reed.
The only CONS to this reed is that it is transparent, so you can see the saliva build up (which doesn't look great) if you look at it closely. Though, not many people will be able to view it from that angle! Especially because it's underneath the mouthpiece.
The only other thing that you should be prepared for when you get this reed is that people will ask you about it. That's all! It's just a conversation piece that you'll need to handle from time to time.
At the end of the day:
Get a good tone
Get a reliable feel to your horn
Play how you'd expect with each use
As long as you're okay with people asking you about your reed, then I'm confident you'll like it for its unique benefits.
Have you ever had a reed that has lasted for 15 years? I know my Legere has!
Read more:
V16 A5 Alto Sax Mouthpiece Review by Vandoren Review
The Best Ligature for Alto Saxophone: Comparison Review