Klarinet Archive - Posting 000211.txt from 1999/07

From: "Mark Weinstein" <cpaok@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Purchase of (aged) Reeds
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 13:12:43 -0400

Report on use of (aged) VanDoren Reeds:

NICE. Sanded reeds on flat glass urface using 400 & 600 grit sandpaper.

Played two reeds.

1. Nice sound, not as dark as V12 --- but this was expected.
2. As stated, these were VanDoren 3 1/2 - 4 (old reed grading scale) --- do
not feel as "strong" as V12 -- again, probably to be expected.
3. Besides the use of sandpaper, noother work needed to be done on these
reeds --- at least for my needs.

On the "reed skin" shedding. The outside of Reed Cane has a smooth, somewhat
"colored" spotty finish. Some have dark spots, light spots etc. ... this is
the "skin" found at the lower portion of the topside of a reed. I have
noticed some "DUST" on these reeds which I can easily scrape off this "skin
area". A very fine dust. I believe that it MIGHT be an area where there was
a dark spot on the reed that has "decomposed" (for lack of a better term)
over time.

28 more reeds to go, if I get different results I'll report them as they
occur.

Mark Weinstein
========================================================
RE: aged reeds

the prior query:
>>What about some dark veins in the reeds ? Is this normal too. Some of
the
>>front/topside cane of the reed is shidding some dry "skin" too.

>>How would you break them in -- I normally play 4 or 5 reeds for approx. 5
>>minutes each the first time through and follow for 2-3 days the same way.

>>Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I am encouraged.

>>Mark Weinstein

Roger Garrett's reply:
>That vintage reeds had the dark vein problem much more frequently than the
>current Vandoren reeds.

>I don't know what you mean about hedding dry skin - that's a bit odd. I
>recently sent some 20 year old Vic Oleiveri reeds to a clarinetist and
>those didn't have anything like you describe. I wonder what it is?

>Your break in sounds good to me - let us know!

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