Steuer Exclusive Bb Clarinet Reeds - Singles

Note: These are priced per reed. One of 'em. Feel free to buy one reed, a few reeds, or mix strengths. I don’t charge a premium for breaking up the box.

Steuer is one of those reed companies that a lot of American clarinetists have somehow managed not to hear about. They’ve actually been making reeds since the late 1940s—the company started in Germany, but today the reeds are made in Carqueiranne in southern France, practically next door to the cane fields.

The Exclusive is their higher-end French-cut Bb clarinet reed, designed by clarinetist Marc Charpentier. Steuer uses a relatively thick blank made from the denser center portion of the cane, and cuts it in the direction of the cane’s growth. The idea is a reed with a warm, substantial sound, clean articulation, and better stability as it ages

As a practical starting point, figure a Steuer clarinet reed is about ½ to ¼ strength softer than a Vandoren Traditional. So if you're normally comfortable on a Vandoren Traditional 3, I'd start with a Steuer 3.5.