Klarinet Archive - Posting 000186.txt from 2004/06

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] scandal/reeds - a word to beginner children and parents
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 10:09:04 -0400

After several very good responses to my initial complaining about the=20
price of reeds, I would like to take a moment to comment further.

First off, I based my complaint based upon my knowledge of the cost of=20=

cane. You see, besides being a clarinet, sax and flute player, I also=20
play bassoon and make bassoon reeds as a business. The very best cane=20
plus the cost of wire, thread wrapping and a coating of Duco cement=20
costs me no more than 50 cents per reed. This includes the cost of=20
those pieces of cane I reject because they are warped, the grain is=20
crooked or the piece of wood is too hard or too soft.

Granted, I do all of the processing of this cane and have several=20
thousands of dollars tied up in the equipment that does it, but the=20
cane, itself, is not all that expensive and many more clarinet reeds=20
can be made from a section of cane tube than what can be made from a=20
similar sized piece for bassoon. I realize that the fancy machines that=20=

make clarinet and other single reeds are also very expensive, much more=20=

than my hand operated machines, but this cost soon turns to profit=20
because of the huge volume of reeds produced.

As I initially stated, the only explanation I can come up with is that=20=

there are so many people and/or companies that are part of the=20
distribution network. Maybe this is the most efficient and best way to=20=

get the reed to the player and for the player to have a wide variety to=20=

choose some, but I still think it is extraordinary to have to pay $2.50=20=

plus for a product that would seem to be worth around $1.00.

On the other hand, getting a high grade double reed into the stores=20
does not work well with this multi stepped delivery system because a=20
good double reed is just too labor intensive. If we apply reverse math=20=

to a bassoon reed, it would go something like this: the store expects=20
to double or near double the price of accessories and this includes all=20=

reeds, single and double. If the bassoon reed is to sell for $16, then=20=

the store will want to buy it for no more than $8.00. If that $8.00=20
reed came from a wholesaler, the wholesaler bought it for, maybe $6.00.=20=

If he bought it for $6.00 from the reed maker, then the reed maker=20
would make about $5.00 for all his time to produce, test and package=20
his produce. The bottom line is that I spend 25 to 35 minutes making=20
each reed (and I'm very efficient) and even then, not all reeds turn=20
out to be good enough to sell.

I do sell to some stores, BUT I only discount my reeds 20% to these=20
stores. They handle my reeds because they are far superior to all=20
others that they can get, they sell more of mine, probably because such=20=

customers would be special ordering otherwise, the have happier=20
customers and those customers have increased traffic in their stores=20
and they buy other things while there.

Richard Bush
rbushidioglot@-----.net

P.S. Yes Patricia Smith, I opened the subject as a subject changer.

On Jun 14, 2004, at 6:25 AM, Patricia A. Smith wrote:

> Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
>> Keep in mind, too, that music stores do not typically buy reeds=20
>> directly from Rico or Vandoren, etc, but through middlemen (D'Addario=20=

>> in the case of Vandoren, many other jobbers for Rico). They get=20
>> their cut, too.
>
> Bill, Ormond, Richard,
>
> Thanks for taking this thread in this direction.
>
> As a small thought for those who teach beginning reed instruments, and=20=

> even those parents on the list:
>
> I tell the parents of my beginners to purchase an entire box of either=20=

> 1=BD or 2 Mitchell Lurie reeds, or the Soft or Medium Soft La Voz or =
the=20
> comparable sized Rico Grand Concerts (these are the brands that come=20=

> to mind that are the best priced, for the quality right now. I'm not=20=

> saying they are the only one s out there, mind!)
>
> Then I tell the parents to dole the reeds out 2-3 at a time, and I=20
> stress to my students that they MUST rotate their reeds. They cannot=20=

> play on the same reed every single day, because they wear out too=20
> fast. Most of my private students tend to do pretty well with this=20
> system. (Or did, while I was teaching.)
>
> Just my thoughts for beginners. Purchasing single reeds one at a time=20=

> simply doesn't make any sense.
>
> Patricia Smith=

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