The Vandoren V-12 reed seems to have been a response to the needs of plays several decades ago who turned to brands such as Olivieri and Morre. As a professional clarinetist who has played a variety of mouthpieces and reeds over the years, it has always been my experience that these thick-blank reeds work best on mouthpieces with a long facing, and usually a mouthpiece with at least a medium tip opening. The Vandoren V-12 reeds might not possess the mystique of the Morre (which were always difficult to obtain, but they are closer to the classic thick-blank style of the past than the Vandoren traditional cut reeds. Generally, I have found that the V-12 reeds are more consistent than Vandoren's traditional cut reeds. If you are a Vandoren user and never tried the V-12 reeds, just be aware that you may need to try a different strength than what you are used to. It has been my experience that the V-12 cut is more flexible at the tip, so (contrary to what conventional wisdom might suggest) sometimes people use a 1/2 strength higher with the V-12. In their packaging, Vandoren seems to be making a big deal about the consistency of humidity that is maintained from manufacturing plant to user in their new packaging. Frankly, I have noticed little difference. In any case, recent Vandoren V-12 #4 reeds that I've used seem to make producing a full, rich, consistently dark tone easy for the experienced player. Put another way: I've spent time using professional reeds from just about every company, but I keep coming back to the Vandoren V-12.
