Klarinet Archive - Posting 000066.txt from 1998/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] re:Reed Myths
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 22:18:18 -0400

At 10:36 AM 10/1/98 -0400, David Blumberg wrote:
>My boss has toured the Rico factory and seen how all reeds are "hand
>selected." The reeds come fast and furious toward a minimum wage (or
>below) person, who might not recognize a clarinet if you held one in front
>of them, who shoves this one in one direction to be stamped "Rico", that
>one another way toward the Mitchell Lurie stamper, etc., based upon who
>knows what standard (reed color maybe?). When they have a private label
>order, some get shunted that way. I doubt Vandoren does it much
>differently. There simply isn't the time to devote to it.
>Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
>
>
>===========================================================================
====
>
>The reeds that are Rico standard, Mitchell Lurie, Grand Concert, and Lavoz
>ARE cut on different machines, and with different grades of cane. I have
>spoken to Carlos at Rico Intl. on just that topic. There is no "stamping"
>of a reed based on color (think about it, would they first cut the reed,
>and just send it to a different stamper???). As I am told the reed cane is
>FIRST graded as to quality, and then sent to the cutting machines (each one
>being different - a Lavoz is not a Mitchell Lurie, etc). Just a sidebar,
>Mitchell Lurie's actual signature is really on the reeds (I have a copy of
>some of his music, with his name on it).
>As to Vandoren, the Hand Select reeds are (this is only my guess, and
>opinion) looked at and selected for evenness of cut, and the way that the
>cane looks. They don't play them, so there is no way of truly knowing the
>sound of the cane, nor response. If I did play Vandoren, I would use the
>V-12 or the Hand Select(I did before switching to Grand Concert Thick Blank
>5 years ago). At least I would have a chance of getting a few good reeds in
>the box....
>
Granted, the boss is a brass player. He was probably referring to reed
blanks, before they went to the cutting machines, and then the machines
that print the brand (or facsimile signature) on them. But the point still
is that very little time is spent in making the "hand selection," either
before or after cutting.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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