Klarinet Archive - Posting 000984.txt from 1997/02

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Rehashing Reed Cases
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 20:16:55 -0500

On Thu, 27 Feb 1997, David C. Blumberg wrote:

> Kim,
> Cost is never a concern for me musically. I use the Vandoren reed case,
> and like it a lot. It's pretty cheap too.

David,

Do you mean those small 4-reed plastic cases with the desiccant tube
in the middle? If so, what is it about that particular case which
pleases you beyond its size? That particular case has grooves on the
resting surface, as opposed to a perfectly flat plane. What impact do
those grooves have on the way a reed dries and whether or not a reed
will warp?

I've gone through so many reed cases that I've forgotten what I
liked and disliked about each model. I finally just stopped using
them altogether and just left the reeds in their original plastic
Vandoren sleeves. The problem with warpage, especially as I
endeavor to regain all of my lost technical skills, is making
life very difficult in terms of reed response and consistency,
so now I'm noodling with the idea of using a reed case again.

I know that the Reedmate case, in clear plastic and also containing
a desiccant inside, is a very popular model. But it's also kind of
expensive ($15.00). The Harrison and Selmer flat glass cigarette-
holder type cases are also very popular, but there has been some
controversy about their design actually *promoting* reed warpage due
to the way a reed dries when resting on a perfectly flat surface
without air exposure along the entire moist surface. And these
cases, with their fancy craftsmanship, are among the most expensive
of available reed cases on the market. Cost does not always equal
effectiveness.

I've seen a reed case which props the reed up on its long edge
(right or left side), thereby leaving the entire lateral surface
exposed to air. Is this type of even air exposure important?
Does the small Vandoren case, with its dessicant and the grooves
along the bottom of the reed, answer to the issues of having a
flat resting surface while enabling greater exposure to air along
the moist surface area?

I assume that the most vital issue when considering the purchase
of a reed case is whether or not it is effective in preventing
warpage of the cane, including the tip. What works best for the
rest of you?

Neil