Klarinet Archive - Posting 000175.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: BREAKING IN REEDS by DANIEL BONADE (part 3)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 21:58:17 -0500

On Tue, 3 Feb 1998, Bill Hausmann wrote:
> All reeds (of a given brand and style) are cut to the same thickness. Then
> they are graded for strength. Denser reed blanks will have produced firmer
> reeds, less dense blanks softer ones. A heart will not be too thin, but it
> may be too soft.

While there may be some kernel of truth to the idea that density of reed
determines (to some extent) the strength - hardness or softness of the
reed) the idea that all reeds of a given brand and style are cut to the
same thickness is not accurate (sorry Bill!). Take a micrometer and
measure at the shoulder of the reed, the heart of the reed, and the butt
of the reed. A rico 1.5 is a different thickness from a Rico 4.5...and
the same with a Vancoren V-12 2 vs. a V-12 5. The basis for reed making
is the thickness of the cane at a given point.......while the BLANK may
start out the same, the dimensions of thickness from the heart out to the
rails determine the strength.....and so does the tip. I can prove this
simply by making two different reed from the same tube.....same density
cane and width length.....the difference is in the thickness of the tip to
the heart to the rails.

Roger Garret
IWU