There are
many good brands of reeds but they may cost just as much or more. I think that most Rico reeds are of lesser quality unless you get their best kind (Grand Concert or something like that). You may want to look into getting a synthetic reed from Légère, BARI, or Hahn. I usually only recommend Fibracell (yet another synthetic) for bass clarinet. Synthetic reeds cost more for each but if you take proper care of them they can last longer than five boxes of reeds. I've kept one Fibracell reed for at least a year and I play almost every day.
If you're into DIY, you can learn to customize your reeds to suit your needs. This includes sanding, trimming, and cutting them to change the thickness of certain areas.
I think the best reeds are still that magical one you get out of ten in a box. The frequency of finding good reeds goes up with the price usually.
You can find more information by searching at
this site.
