Klarinet Archive - Posting 000163.txt from 1994/03

From: david lawrence shea <dshea@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: reeds warping, solutions
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 1994 10:23:39 -0500

I haven't had a warped reed in five or more years, and I live in the mid-west.
I have found the secret is the first couple of times you play a reed, only
play for five or ten minutes and make sure you lie the reed backside up
for a few minutes to allow the back to dry. After the third day, do what
you want with them. Warped reeds occur when the backside is not allowed
to be dried evenly, i.e. people putting them on glass or reed holders
when they are still wet. I used to have warped reeds, but this simple
solution has been 100% successful, and best of all, it is ridiculously
simple. Once the reed is broken in, warping shouldn't occur even if
reeds are placed in a reed holder after playing.

I guess I should also mention that I do keep my reed case in a plastic
bag with sponges, but I had warp problems with this arrangement before
I discovered the above process.

Hope this helps.

David L. Shea
Indiana University
dshea@-----.edu