Klarinet Archive - Posting 000980.txt from 1998/11

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Reed strength
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 18:10:51 -0500

In the Woodwind and Brasswind "Woodwind Catalog" (Spring-Summer 1998, p84)
there is an advertising page from the Rigotti Co consisting of a long
statement perportedly written by Christopher Mason, extolling the virtues of
Rigotti's precision grading system for their reeds. Buried in this blurb is
a statement which has little to do with grading reeds, but it is one which
has been worrying me for some time now, since I find it counter-intuitive:

"Another truth about reeds is that all reeds for a given instrument are cut
exactly the same, on the same machine, at the same setting. Got that? A
number 2 reed and a number 5 are cut to exactly the same shape and
thickness. The difference in strength is not in the cutting, but solely
dependant on the different natural physical properties in the fiber of each
piece of cane! Bet you didn't know that! ..."

Many others on the list have much more experience with reeds than I do.
What do others think about this statement?

George Kidder

-------------------------------------------------------------------------