Harry Hartmann Fiberreed HEMP Tenor M

I bought this, because i wanted to try a synthetic reed and i was immediately convinced, about it, when i read that it is the darkest reed.
This reed looks plastic but has a cover up from hemp or something. The sound is really bright and not at all dark.
I play jazz and have a philtone metal mouthpiece and in the past, I've tried a VENN DAddario synthetic reed, which played ok but it was still on the bright side, though with a lot of darkness, but you could still tell its synthetic. I was hoping that the hemp fiberreed would be darker, but it is not... If you want a dark synthetic reed the closest youll get is with a venn. I think that synthetic reeds are for more modern music tastes and if you play jazz then, in my opinion, never buy a synthetic reed.
If you are looking for a synthetic reed and you want a bright sound then this reed is awesome for you! The response is brilliant and its really easy to play in all registers. You might want to try a stronger reed than the one you play though because it seems to be a bit soft.

When my Tenor Sax reed failed at a critical moment, I found a Fiberreed Hemp {MS}in my gigbag. I had been there for years waiting for me to try it. Wow! What a surprise! Responsive and bright, this became my go-to reed. This more recent purchase was an 'M' strength, a bit stiffer but I can now really belt out the volume but also go 'pp' when needed. I don't know how long it will last but I have a HH Carbon now ready for emergencies. No more fiddling with temperamental wooden reeds for me - I want it instantly ready and reliable.

TS Cannonball Big Bell Stone Series "Mad Meg" T5

Mundstück 1: Otto Link NY Super Tone Master 6*
Mundstück 2: Yanagisawa Ebonite 6

bevorzugte Naturblätter:
Vandoren ZZ Stärke 2,5
Vandoren Java Filed Red Stärke 2,5

Kunststoffblätter:
Harry Hartmann Fiberreed HEMP Tenor Sax M
Forestone Unfiled Tenor Sax M, F4
(Forestone Black Bamboo Tenor Sax MS)

Ich: mittelprächtige Freizeit-Tenörin (mit gelegentlichen Ausflügen zum Bariton)

Meine "Instrumentierung" beschreibe ich nicht aus Eitelkeit so ausführlich. Solch eine Schilderung wäre für mich sehr hilfreich gewesen bei meiner Suche nach einem Kunststoffblatt. Das Black Bamboo habe ich mir mindestens eine Stärke zu weich gekauft und benutze es gar nicht.

Nach einer Beratung durch die Thomannsche Saxophonabteilung (Danke!) habe ich mich für das o.g. Hemp und das Unfiled entschieden. Beide haben für mich die richtige Stärke, alle Töne sind anwesend - die tiefen zieren sich mitunter ein wenig. Liegt aber wohl eher an meiner Tagesform als am Equipment. Dass sich Kunststoffblätter sehr glatt und so gar nicht nach "Holz" anfühlen, ist für mich kein Nachteil. Auch dass man sie nicht vorm Spielen "ansabbeln" muss finde ich gut. Über die Haltbarkeit kann ich noch nichts sagen.

Das Hemp klingt in meinen Ohren voller, saxiger. Das Unfiled hat einen klaren, mehr trockenen Ton. Mit beiden bin ich zufrieden, beide spiele ich auf beiden Mundstücken. Das Hemp würde ich mir eher nochmal kaufen, ich persönlich finde den Klang schöner.

Und nein, ich sehe kein puristisches Entweder-Oder zwischen Bambus und Kunststoff; ich werde nach Lust, Laune und Raumklima wechseln.

Last year I bought as a trial Fiberreed Hemp M and was from the beginning struck by its warm deep sound that I was looking for on my Yani Tenor Sax.
I am playing with a Dave Guardala Fat Boy mouthpiece with a gap of 8…
Being a happy user of Legere American Cut 2.5mm for some time, I missed that rough Sax sound in my playing. And here it was….
However, to play a full pop song with the HEMP M got me often short of breath, so than I have been looking for other Hartmann reeds, than would give me both the warm deep rough sound and won‘t give me the breath supply problems. I bought other Hartmann reeds through Thomann, such as the Carbon reed and the Copper Carbon Classic reed, all in M or 2.5mm strength.
For me, the Carbon reed didn‘t bring me what I was looking for, but the Copper Carbon Classic, gave me almost all I wanted. Really very smooth and easy to blow, and the vibrations especially in the middle to lower tone-range are fantastic. All in all, I played this reed for awhile happily, but found that this Copper Carbon reed of 2.5mm is a little too soft for me, as occasionally my lip pressure cuts the sound completely, so, that was kind of annoying, at times.
So, I had been thinking, perhaps I should try the same reed ( Copper Carbon Classic) in a stronger version; the 3.0mm model.
At the same time I thought perhaps the HEMP reed in M is a bit too strong for me, so I decided to buy the HEMP MS for a try.
Wow, what I did was for me, absolutely the answer to all my blowing problems.
The HEMP MS is playing fantastic, gives me the warm deep rough Sax sound and the easiness of blowing, and has become my No. 1 favourite reed by now.
The Copper Carbon Clasic 3.0mm also gives me the right strength for playing in all registers impeccably, and also with warm rough Sax sounds, albeit a little brighter, which is also excellent.
So, my final verdict: Harry Hartmann’s Fiberreed HEMP MS is my # 1 favourite, whilst the Copper Carbon Classic 3.0 is my runner up.
With both reeds I can produce sounds that are out of this world…. 😊
It did take quite some investment in expensive reeds, but for me it was worthwhile, to discover the perfect tools that makes make music fun for me…. 😊 😊