 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: John Gibson
Date: 2001-08-02 20:13
Okay...I use Mitchell Lurie premiums...some need work...but for the most part I can get them to perform well.......
NOW,....$250--$300 for a machine to work the reeds is a lot. UNLESS it actually does the trick and pays off in the end. My question is....Does it? Is it worth spending the dough in the long run?
How difficult is this device to use? And...how DOES it work? Thanks...John
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bill
Date: 2001-08-02 21:21
The Reed Wizard is very easy to use, and a reed can be adjusted quickly.
Its design is based on Ben Armato's "study" of reeds, indicating that they have the same parabolic design with only a very small variation. So, one size fits all, so to speak.
The RW has a base and a carriage. The reed is positioned on the base. The carriage has a "file" that removes mass from the reed. The carriage is moved back and fortth, in short strokes, along the reed. You first do one side of the reed, and then reposition the reed on the base to do the other side.
You can't add mass to a reed that needs it, but this is a limitation regardess of the adjustment technique.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bill
Date: 2001-08-02 21:28
Clarification: Sides (one side, then the other side) refers to the sides of the "top" of the reed, and not the table.
The best way to make a decision is to get a demo. Bring some reeds that need work, your horn, and you can feel and hear the difference first hand.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2001-08-03 00:01
With the help of my Reed Wizard, I can use nearly every reed that I purchase--the average being out of a box of ten VD-12s, four "concert" quality reeds and the other six good for practice and rehearsals. The only time I find that a reed is unusable is if it is too soft to begin with, or if the xylum of the reed is basically flawed to the extent that no amount of adjusting will produce results. I do start with reeds that are a bit stronger ( 3.5 or 4.0) and work them down with first the RW and then with my reed knife to the exact playing characteristics required by my Kaspar mp.
Bottom line: I used to go through boxes of VDs and discard 80% of the reeds tested. With the use of the RW, I discard less than 1%, max. It may take a while before the RW pays for itself in "saved" reeds, but, for me anyway, I just appreciate how much easier reed adjustment has become with its careful use. A simple device, easy to use, but dramatically effective in producing playable reeds that sound good.
Good clarineting!!!!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-08-08 16:26
I get reeds in every box that are "duds". No matter what I do to them, they won't play right. I have gotten reasonably good recognizing these right away so that I don't waste time on them. It doesn't matter what brand - they all seem have duds in every box.
So my Reed Wizard comes in the mail and I unpack it. I take the worst dud from the current box-in-progress, and shave it a little with the Reed Wizard. It is now too soft, so I clip it. It is better but still not usable, so I shave it a little more. Again too soft, it gets clipped again. Playing showed it to now be an acceptable reed, and I have a rehearsal in 1/2 hour, so it stays on the mouthpiece. This reed worked just fine for the rehearsal and later the concert.
My take on the Reed Wizard is that it is best for reeds which, in Mr. Armato's terms, are "out of balance", by leveling a single, specific pair of areas on the left and right sides of the reed. They will not be perfect afterwards, but they will be improved. You can use techniques in his books to fine tune your reeds, before or after using the Reed Wizard, but this will take a lot more work and practice. Mr. Armato's own skill level appear to include the ability to properly adjust a reed *without playing on it*, which (if you wish to believe this) is truly amazing. Believe it.
Yes, it is $350, but since many clarinetists are notoriously cheap, let us put it into perspective. This is what a lot of other toys cost: cheap mountain bike, coffee table, nice office chair, hand-held ham radio, Bali shoes (no I don't have these), set of cheap car tires, Palm Pilot, used laptop computer, round trip airfare to Florida, you get the picture. With no practice, I took a $2 throw-away and turned it into a usable reed in 3 minutes. With this in mind, does $350 seem so bad?
No offense. Hope my response amuses you.
Ralph Katz
Ann Arbor, MI
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mw
Date: 2001-08-08 16:42
Correction: The Reed Wizard is $250 (not $350),
Ralph gave an excellent analysis of how to use the Reed Wizard.
(( Mine is in arm's reach when I practice, as are most of my accessories in my music room )).
Best,
mw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-08-14 16:39
REED WIZARD IS $250??? I'VE BEEN ROBBED!!! I DEMAND A REFUND!!! I'LL SUE!!! WHERE'S THAT LAWYER'S PHONE NUMBER?
ha ha ha, just joking.
MW: Thanks for your comment.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
