 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2001-09-21 13:50
I'm very curious as to what this machine does exactly and how it works. I have recently been labelled a reed discriminator because i reject so many reeds. I feel like I have the hardest time of anyone I know getting reeds to work for them. If the reed wizard is all its said to be I would be really interested in getting one.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-09-21 18:03
How many clarinet playahs duzzit take to change a light bulb?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2001-09-21 18:36
Only one...but he'll go through a whole box of bulbs before he finds just the right one.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-09-21 19:06
The question that has been lurking in the back of my mind is that I'm a Bass Clarinetest. It seems like the size of the parabolic profile should be different for Bass than Bb clarinet. I realize that all parabolas are similar (the true geometric definition), however does one need a different reed wizzard for Bb and Bass reeds?
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-09-21 23:04
If you go through a lot of reeds then the Wiz. is great. You have to play the reed and if you are going to reject it then you put it into the Wiz. and it removes material from both sides of the reed to put it in balance
i purchased one from Ben at the fest. he is a true gentleman and will stand behind his product.
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Author: Wendy
Date: 2001-09-21 23:12
This may be a stupid question, but if it is possible to "fix" and make playable just about every reed with a simple machine through some process, then why don't the manufacturers use that same process to make them right in the first place?
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Author: mike
Date: 2001-09-21 23:35
If cane behaves like other woods, then cutting a reed from a piece of cane will lead to changes in the stresses in the wood. Over time, the reed will equilibrate to a new shape, which may be asymmetric and/or warped. If this is the case, then the reed manufacturers should cut the reeds, maybe a little thicker than the final cut, let the reed age for a while (days? several weeks?) and then do a final cut.
Does anyone know how the major reed makers age their cane and reeds?
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2001-09-21 23:50
The answer to the question:
Absolutely! I haven't thrown away a reed since buying the reed wizard. I figure, I've had the thing for a month and a half now. I've gone through about 10 reeds in that timeframe. Usually, I was buying a box of V12's every 2 weeks, throwing away reeds that didn't work.
Given this, the machine has already earned $45.00 of it's purchase price.
I think somewhere I read that if you buy the Reed Wizard, it will cost you 69 Cents per day for the first year. After that, it's free! This doesn't take into account the fact that your not wasting as many reeds.
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2001-09-22 11:18
the reed wizard works really well at adjusting the heart of the reed but doesn't adjust the "low lying" areas of a reed... but most importantly- like just about any piece of equiptment- you need to know WHAT to do with it, and it helps to know what a reed NEEDS (though some guesswork can yield good results). Unfortunately the BEST (and most efficient) way to learn about this stuff is not through reading about it in a magazine or on the internet, but from doing it with someone, or watching someone who really knows what they are doing.
i bought a Reedual in London for 50 pounds- some guy had bought it in the US years before and never worked out how to make it work for him, so he "gave it away" for next to nothing. It's an incredibly useful tool that (once you have a good idea what to do with it) saves hundreds of reeds a year, makes NEW homemade reeds in no time at all, and can make a GOOD reed into an EXCELLENT reed...... but only if you know what to do. Otherwise, it is a very efficient tool for destroying reeds. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who had taught me how to use this equipment, but to this english guy it was virtually useless as a reed adjusting tool.
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2001-09-22 15:36
One other tool that is excellent for the experienced and inexperienced alike:
Ben Armato's Perfect-A-Reed. This is a tool specially designed to measure the thickness of reeds, accurate to .001 in. A dial indicator is mounted to a frame, that has a table with an insert used to position the reed to measure across its width at specific points.
This tool, and the book that goes along with it can go a long way towards making sense of how reeds work, what they're made of and how to adjust them. Ben has done a great job of making years of experience available to the rest of us in an understandable text.
To be honest, since I got the reed wizard, I think I've only used my Perfect-A-Reed on one reed. I wasn't getting good stacatto response. The tool helped me locate the out of balance portion of the reed.
I also think that Donald Nicholls makes a good point. It helps to have a person experienced with reed adjustment to work with you, at least once before going to town with your new tools. My teacher pointed out a few ideas in person that were more difficult to grasp from the books on the subject.
Good Luck!
Kevin Stockdale
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-09-22 16:59
In my perpetual state of blissful ingnorance, I've never used any kind of gadget to adjust reeds. Any 'adjustment', if needed at all, can be done quickly and easily with a piece of reed rush or, in a pinch, scraped with a single edge industrial razor blade. I've been told that a piece of broken glass works pretty well too. Just remember to leave the 'heart' pretty much alone and don't scrape too near the tip. I don't know the cost of a piece of reed rush these days but I don't think it's outrageous. Razor blades are about ten USdollars a hundred at your local home improvement center and you don't need much technical know-how or training to use either one :]
- ron b -
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Author: jeff
Date: 2001-09-22 22:46
Wendy
Thought on the reason why all reeds in the box are not consistant. How many do you toss away per box? How many more boxes do you have to buy? It is quite simple if all the reeds worked then how would the makers make money. I personally would rather pay more per box and have them be consistant but then they did not ask me.
best
jeff
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Author: William
Date: 2001-09-22 23:33
One point about using the RW, it is basically a reed profiler and, in doing its job, removes unnecessary cane to achieve to desired reed configuration. Therefore, you need to start with a read that has a bit too much cain (thickness) in its heart so the abrasive edge can properly do it job. The RW will not ressurect a reed that is too thin to begin with, but it will correct manufacturing inconsistancies in harder reeds, and, with practice, you can find the right profile for your mpc. Also, to "finish" and balance a reed, you will still need your knife, sandpaper or dutch rush--your choice. I start with V-12s #3.5 and usually am able to play every reed in the box with careful adjustment. Some are better than others, but I never have to throw one away. I just used the RW and my reed knife, this afternoon, on four V-12s (3.5) that are in the breaking-in stage--two are concert candidates, but all four will be playable for at least practice or rehearsal. This simple device is easy to use and really works!!!!! Good Clarineting!
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-09-23 01:21
Wendy wrote:
>
> This may be a stupid question, but if it is possible to
> "fix" and make playable just about every reed with a simple
> machine through some process, then why don't the manufacturers
> use that same process to make them right in the first
> place?
What may be perfect for you may be impossible for someone else. I.e. there is no one reed that is perfect for everyone.
I've not ever really had the reed problem that seems to plague so many people. I just play them and adapt to the reed of the moment. It helps that I rotate through a full box of ten so I don't get dependent on any specific reed characteristic. These days, I seldom even do minor adjustments to my reeds. Just adjusting their mounting position on the mouthpiece solves most reed discrepancies.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-09-23 03:08
Right on, Dee. I've never been plagued by reed probs either. Maybe some of us are just lucky that way. I have nothing against 'reed machines'. Sure, it's nice to know how to alter a reed, or make one, if you have to but store bought ones are relatively inexpensive and consistent. I usually rotate three or four reeds just in case one accidentally breaks or something. Generally, if you treat 'em right they last many, many hours before getting tired. Reed manufactures do a wonderful job in my opinion and I've yet to find a reed that won't play satisfactorily right outta the box :]
- ron b -
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2001-09-23 07:56
some more comments i'd like to add
- why are reeds so inconsistent in a box? ok, maybe the reed manufacturers need to sell more, but also, everybody wants something slightly different (within certain parameters, Ben Armato is correct in saying that many top players "best reeds" are SIMILAR, but the reed makers have to sell reeds to amateur players too....)- so... if the reeds in a box are too consistent then a certain percentage of players won't like ANY of them....
- why do some people have relatively few problems compared to others? lots of reasons- one is that if you have a "stable" embrochure that "supports" the AIR rather than supporting the REED you have a better chance of making the reed work for you.
- if I know so much about reeds and practise so much, how come i don't i don't SOUND GREAT (i mean, i do sound ok most of the time)... even more reasons but get this- my reeds wear out REALLY FAST because my mouth is really lopsided (broken teeth etc)... i'm almost certain about this, and have found that by building up one side of my mouthpiece so that the symetrical facing i use can work better, my tounging (esp "mid range" speed- ie Beet 6) and tone are greatly improved. Unfortunately i have yet to find a way to do this that is totally satisfying for long term use, plus i'm not certain if i'll stay on my mouthpiece for much longer....
but i am certain that this makes a difference to my reed performance.
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