We created G-REEDS with durability in mind, but for longer lasting G-REEDS please note the following advice. Keep your reeds clean. You can wash them with mild detergent or sanitizing products. You can also use alcohol but a reed’s property may change if you do it too often. We advise cleaning your reeds frequently in order to avoiding mold growth – this advice applies to all reeds but is a must if we want to enjoy our G-REEDS for a long time. Keep in mind that the G-REED tip is fragile. Handle them carefully. A good habit is to set the ligature on the mouthpiece first, and THEN the reed. To set the reed first and then apply the ligature increases the risk of breaking the reed tip with the ligature. Also, to use a mouthpiece cap when not playing helps protect the reed tip.
The reed position in the mouthpiece has very noticeable effects on reed tone and playability. Sliding the reed just 1/100 of an inch towards the mouthpiece tip or in the opposite direction will make the reed to perform differently You will get the best results with the reed tip exactly over the mouthpiece tip.
The G-REEDS are very responsive as are most synthetic reeds. If the G-REED you are using sounds too bright you could get a warmer tone by switching to a darker model or a harder reed without losing responsiveness.
Certain mouthpieces and/or saxophone players are more prone to the condensation inside the mouthpiece, more specifically in the reed flat side. Moisture droplets stuck on the reed make the saxophone sound “dirty” or like it is played from an old and scratched LP. To avoid this you can sand the flat side of the reed, 2 or 3 passes with a 400 grit sandpaper should be enough, you just need to roughen the reed a bit, but NOT TO REMOVE MATERIAL. The fine scratches will not allow droplets to stick on the reed.