Synthetic Rico Reeds

There's no question that synthetic reeds are gaining a lot of traction among woodwind players of all kinds. And that makes perfect sense when you consider the benefits: they last many times longer, don't need soaking or moisturizing, can be played right out of the box, and won't warp or split... to name just a few of the perks. Even so, for many players, there's just no substitute for the warmth and depth of a natural cane reed. Wouldn't it be nice to have something that gives you the best of both worlds? If you said "yes" to that, then you're in the right place with this lineup of semi-synthetic Rico reeds.

Rico's approach to synthetic reeds is a little bit different from the norm. Instead of "reinventing the wheel" by designing synthetic reeds from the ground up, they've taken natural cane reeds and added a plastic coating. This way, they can retain the musical qualities of cane while adding the consistency, durability and weather-resistance of synthetic. The result is the Plasticover series, which covers a wide range of instruments with options like the Rico Plasticover Tenor Saxophone Reeds, Rico Plasticover Alto Saxophone Reeds and Rico Plasticover Bb Clarinet Reeds. Baritone and soprano saxophones are included as well, so if you're a wide-ranging player with multiple instruments or a specialist at one end of the scale, you'll find a reed here to fit your horn.

There are players out there who swear that the classic sound of cane reeds make them the best, and there are others who are strict converts to the low-maintenance reliability of synthetics. But you don't have to take sides; if you're the sort of musician who asks "why not both?", then these part-cane and part-synthetic Rico reeds are probably the answer. By making a hybrid of natural and man-made reeds, Rico has managed to find that elusive balance between the two, and that can only be good news for woodwind players like us who stand to reap the benefits!