I have used synthetic reeds on my saxophone for more than ten years. I was in a German music store called Thomann when I asked the salesperson which synthetic reeds they would recommend because there was a lot to choose from. The salesperson gave me only one choice - Legere Signature - and I haven’t regretted that decision. A couple of years ago, Legere launched a new reed - American Cut - which I have used ever since. Recently, they launched French Cut, and I had to try them.

I have tested the different reeds the last couple of days, and I have been a little stumped. The reed that I like the least is the American Cut, which surprises me a lot because I compared the American Cut to the Signature last year, and at that time, I preferred the American Cut. Well, I guess I’m allowed to change my mind. I like both the Signature and the French Cut. It is hard to describe, and I’m sure that others will explain the difference in other ways, but according to my ears, the Signature reed is more soft at the edge of the sound while the French Cut is more sharp. I’m not saying the French Cut doesn’t have a dark sound - it’s just more defined. I will play on the Signature reed again for now, but the French Cut may be more suitable for the big band. Time will tell.