 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ALOMARvelous12
Date: 2003-02-15 21:36
Will baking soda serve as a good mouthpiece cleaner?
Can a reed be oversoaked?
And, according to http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/Reeds/LongLife.html
soaking a reed in H2O2 can prolong reed life. Is this true?
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-02-15 21:43
The key to long reed life is proper preparation BEFORE the reed is used extensively. Some schools of thought discuss sealing reeds with edible oils, others mention drilling.
None of these techniques will add significant life to a reed that is playing well, as they change the natural qualities we seek from cane...
Choose a brand that plays well for you, and your rig, on average.
Break them in with a method that you will actually follow.
Replace them often, and concentrate on practice - not reed life.
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Author: Benny
Date: 2003-02-15 21:58
I clean my mouthpiece a couple times a month with some mouthwash diluted in water. Then I run some water through it to get the mouthwash residue out. Make sure the water is room temperature, because really hot water can warp a hard rubber mouthpiece.
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Author: Wendi Hatton
Date: 2003-02-15 22:09
For me what I have found that is AMAZING for cleaning reeds and mouthpieces is an ultra sonic cleaner, or otherwise known as a jewelry cleaner. The cleaning is done with vibrating water in a container by just holding the reed or mouthpiece in the water. You can find jewelry cleaners at jewelry shops. I actually found mine online. I clean my students' reeds and mouthpieces with it. You just pour out the water after each use.
I don't know of a better way to clean mouthpieces and reeds. WH
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-02-15 22:22
Hi Everyone,
Here's a very odd thought. I've seen a bassoonist soak his reeds in Vodka...I've heard it prolongs the life of the reed. I thought it was wierd and other people I know have heard of this too...does it really work? Just for curiositys' sake.:)
Heidi
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Author: Fred
Date: 2003-02-16 02:12
Some of the excuses those bassoonists will come up with !!!!!
But I'd probably drink too if I had to depend on two reeds to make music. As if one reed wasn't enough trouble . . .
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-02-16 13:39
We have a strict prohibition against double reed players having alcohol onstage. We require trumpet players to be so supplied.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2003-02-16 14:05
Wendi, the ultrasonic cleaning is certainly an innovative idea and the unit can be used for other purposes too.
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Author: David Stringer
Date: 2003-02-16 23:03
I did a little research on ultrasonic cleaners because of this thread. Beware the "electrosonic" cleaners.... they seem to be a cheap and ersatz thingmy. Also, I don't think a true ultrasonic cleaner can be made to run on three AA batteries. I noticed that the majority of cheaper ultrasonic cleaners ones were about 35 watts, while the industrial ($$) models are 300-400 watts (of acoustic ultrasonic energy... some have heaters which would raise their power consumption). I have only had experiance with the industrial machines, and they work amazingly well. Does anyone have something good to say about the under-100 dollar 35 watt units?
(I've been looking for an excuse to get one of these for years.)
David
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Author: george
Date: 2003-02-17 18:15
Re: Your third question (about soaking reeds in H2O2): I have been cleaning mine in drug store peroxide for some years now. It certainly inhibits mold growth, and in this way alone prolongs reed life. Nice thing about H2O2 is that is reacts to produce H2O and O2 (this is why it kills mold) and these just evaporate in storage, leaving nothing toxic. So you don't have to rinse the reed, and probably shouldn't to prolong the contact time.
A long way to say "yes, it works for me."
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