accoutrementitis

got a little package full of maintenence odds & sods for my new baby today!
to wit:

• 1 x Vandoren Java reed (1.5)
• 1 x Vandoren ZZ reed (1.5)
• 1 x Vandoren v16 reed (1.5)
• 1 x fluffity yellow pad saver (body)
• 1 x fluffity yellow pad saver (bell)
• 1 x fluffity yellow pad saver (neck)
• 1 x fluffity blue/multi-coloured pad saver (mouthpiece)
• 1 x little "care-kit" with pull-through, pad-oil, brushy thingies, another cork-grease, polishing cloth
• 1 x Neotech "soft sax" strap
• 1 x Vandoren reed hygrocase
• 2 x Runyon slightly-squishy mouthpiece-cushions
• 4 (or is it 6 in that packet?) BG 0.4mm hard-black-rubber mouthpiece-patches.

I played around trying to improve the sound & the fury (fury being the finger-flapping thing that I still do on the viola!) for about 1/2 an hour tonight. Came home straight after the pp4s Steering Group meeting 'coz my little head was going
"throb"
"throb"
"throb"
a bit .

verdict on newly acquired accoutrements?

• nice to replace the old sad-looking fluffies with the new "fluffy family"!
• nice new strap
• Java, ZZ, V16 reeds will keep trying them to see if I develop a preference - although it's a bit like giving a 1st-year student some classy wines to compare during freshers' week!
• nice little case - got my original reed & the other three nestling in there together.

so,

why don't I sound like Cannonball Adderly or John Coltrane yet?
>:o(