Klarinet Archive - Posting 000033.txt from 2004/05

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fbjacobo@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] old cane
Date: Sun, 2 May 2004 22:36:59 -0400

> David,

I can't speak for other cane, although I once tried some 40 y.o.
Ricos and they felt like Vandorens. FWIW, I suspect that the conditions in
which the cane was stored have alot to do with how well it ages. I think
that being in a box helps regulate the humidity somewhat and probably keeps
cane from getting too dried out. All I know is that I have had only fabulous
experiences with old Vandorens.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it! ; -)

Fred Jacobowitz

>

>
>
> This is the second time in the last few days that I've seen a post
> praising the superiority of "old cane". I wonder if any other players
> have the same experience as I do with very "well aged" cane? In my
> experience, it gets too dried out and then is more subject to the
> vagaries of the wetting/drying process (warping). This causes reeds (and
> tube cane from which I make reeds) to suffer in the longevity department,
> and also seems to result in less than the optimum sound that I'd like to
> hear from these reeds.
>
> BTW, when I was growing up in the 1960's, older players that I knew were
> always praising the "old Vandoren Reeds" (certainly pre-1975!). One
> player of my acquaintance bragged that he was playing on "pre-war
> (WWII!!) stock". It wasn't a sound I wanted to emulate!
>

> David
>
> David Niethamer
> dnietham@-----.edu

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