Are Vandoren V16 reeds the same as Vandoren Java reeds or what is the difference if any?

Question

I've been playing Vandoren Java reeds, but all of my saxophone friends are playing on Vandoren V16's. Are they the same? Are they different?

Answer 1

The JAVA reeds are cut to absorb the vibration and move the vibration over a larger surface of the reed.  They are supposedly for commercial playing, as JA stands for Jazz and VA stands for Variety.

The V16's have a thicker tip, and help to make the sound more clear.  These are American cut, and are supposed to be for jazz players who want a cleaner, more percussive sound.

In the last couple years, they have come out with a ZZ... it is a double cut with a higher quality cane from Paris... supposedly they are flexible in genre like the JAVAs, but they last longer and take less to break in.  Also, they are supposed to be more "free-blowing" and "brilliant", so they tested really well with jazzers.

All of that being said, a lot of the response you get out of your reed is going to be dependent upon what mouthpiece you use, what ligature you use, the strength of the reed, and YOUR embochure.

A lot of the fun on sax comes from finding and developing your own sound, especially in jazz.  There are so many combinations I don't think any one person could try them in a lifetime!  Personally, I don't even notice the difference from the V16 to the JAVA in performance, but I do hear a difference in my sound.  You could always try one of the V16's to see if you hear or feel a difference, and see if it's something you like.  And if you try a ZZ... let me know what you think- I haven't tried one yet! LOL

Hope this answered your question, and happy playing!