 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kelsey
Date: 2003-02-05 01:37
A few months ago, I quit using my Reed Guard because I did not like how my reed were the next time I used them. For the past months I have been using the cases that the Vandoren reeds come in. I have been thinking about buying a "nicer" reed case. I have been looking at the ones from www.harrisreedcases.com. Do you think that these cases are worth my time and money buying? Any suggestions on what cases you think are good? Thank you!!!
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Author: leonard a
Date: 2003-02-05 01:56
I use a LaVoz case that holds four reeds. You just slide them into the slots and it keeps them flat. It seems to work fine and is inexpenseive (about $4.00). Most music stores have them.
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-02-05 01:57
Kelsey, go up to "Search" and poke in "Reed Cases". I think there was a long thread on them not too long ago. It may provide all you want to know.
Bob A
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Author: Chong
Date: 2003-02-05 02:06
i dont own one...but from the pics on the website, the harris seems liek the best reed case available.
I haven't seen any yet that are nicer. I'm thinking of getting one myself. I can't afford it, but...oh well
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-02-05 13:10
I recently purchased a Harris reed case-- it is indeed beautiful. There is a somewhat strong odor of shellac however. The case I have holds seven reeds-- there is a ribbon holder and the front of the reeds lie flat against glass. There are other models without the ribbon--I wonder if they hold the reeds even flatter?
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Author: William
Date: 2003-02-05 14:49
I have two Harrison wood reed cases that hold twelve reeds each, and they work for me. But I also use the VanDoren "four slot" reed holders (blue with the elastic band) for my sax reeds and they are equally effective in storage and protection. The old Reed Guards are especially bad because the metal clip that holds the reed in place puts pressure on the heart of the reed and damages it by compression. In fact, when I was still using Reed Guards, I removed the metal clip and filed a slot on the edges to hold a rubber band which, in turn, held the reeds in place without crushing the vamp. But when I bought the Harrisons, I threw those old Reed Guards in the "circular file" out back. Kept the blue Vandy sax reed holders though--they are excellant, and, the "price is right."
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Author: Mitch K.
Date: 2003-02-05 15:59
About a year ago I bought a Peter Spriggs reed case. (Actually, I bought it from Peter Spriggs, but I not sure if it's his design or not.) If your intent is to not let your reeds dry out completely, then you want an air-tight case like the one I got from Spriggs. It also comes with a tiny sponge that remains wet to keep the humidity up in the case. You must be very careful, however; if you don't play (practice, rehearse, etc.) at least a couple times a day, then you WILL get moldy reeds. When I was teaching high school and not playing more that a few times a week (and ocassionally not even opening my clarinet case for 3 weeks at a time), I lost many, many batches of reeds to mold. But, if you're in very arid places--Cleveland in the winter, or Arizona in the summer--then a humidified case may be just what you need. This keeps reeds from warping.
The sponge is removeable and there are two ventilation screws that you can take out if you don't need to combat low humidity.
It cost about $60.
hasta,
Mitch King
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Author: Brad
Date: 2003-02-05 16:20
I am partial to having glass or stone as a the surface to place the reeds on. I have never quite trusted plexiglass or any plastic as being a truly flat surface.
I use the Selmer and Wiseman cases. Both have the same design concept as the Harrison but use glass inside. The Harrison cases seem as though they would have a much nicer outer finish. The Selmer and Wiseman cases are also quite a bit less money.
I recently purchased one of The Doctors (A Sponser here) Thirsty Reed Pads and use it for my reeds in progress. The pad is made of stone and keeps the reeds flat while allowing them to breathe on both sides.
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-02-05 16:21
Hi Kelsey.
The Harris reed cases look absolutely beautiful but you're right, they are expensive. I have a couple of Selmer reed cases (one takes about 6 reeds, the other 12 or more). They look very similar in design to the Harris ones, but instead of mahogany or walnut, the outside is black leather or (imitation leather?). The smaller one was about 40$ Canadian so I imagine you might be able to pick it up for 30$ or less, U.S. I find that my reeds dry nice and flat, but without the huge pressure of reed guards. The velvet lining compresses the reed slightly against the facing glass when the case is closed. Since I open the case every day, I suspect I air out any excessive humidity and I have never had a problem with mold.
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Author: James
Date: 2003-02-05 18:07
I was consulting a friend a while ago about Reed cases and she told me that when you use cases with flat glass they tend to warp the reed. So I did some tests, I went and bought a vandoren four slot and my own selmer case and I found that the reeds tended to stay unwarped much better in the vandoren case. Her and my explanation for this is becuase there are grooves on the vandoren cases and those are necessary for some unknown reason to keep the proper form. At any case, if anyone is interested in a selmer reed case, fine me, (jk)
-Jame
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-02-05 18:32
(Disclaimer - I sell reed holders made of sandstone)
I have actually done some experimentation on reed warping in holders. The environmental conditions i.e. the relative humidity in the environment and the degree of wetness of the reed play critical roles in the drying of the reed and the degree of warping. Perfectly flat surfaces are best with pressure applied by some means to the whole body of the reed onto this flat surface. Impermeable surfaces - e.g. glass, plexiglas etc. will lead to warpage of the tip and vamp of the reed (cuppage in the direction of the wetter surface) if the reed dries very quickly due to low humidity above the reed. If the RH is above 60% the reed will dry more slowly and the warpage is less presumably because moisture escapes more slowly and the whole reed equilibrates and looses moisture evenly. Sealed reed holders with flat surfaces keep RH higher but as noted there can be mold growth at these higher RH's. My own invention is to use a block of perfectly flat sandstone which draws moisture from the bottom of the reed pressed against the flat surface and allowing moisture to escape both from above and below. This stone is not beautiful per se but nearly eliminates reed warpage. Beauty is in the warpage of the holder.
The Doctor
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-02-05 19:49
Hello!
I bought a Vandoren 8 reed case from Muncy back in June. I have yet to have any warpage, mold or anything bad that might happen to reeds. It's absolutely fabulous. It's designed like a compact. It has grooves on which the reeds lay and breathe. It's great. Just my .02!
Heidi
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-02-05 20:39
I've been about to buy a "good" reed case for a while. My old one finally fell apart on me, but I've also been looking at some alternatives.
Add to my troubles that I play too many different sized reed instruments to make do with one case, that I need (want) them to hold more than four reeds, and purchasing the number of cases I would need is truly expensive.
I've been playing around with the tins that AOL software comes in. They keep sending me CDs with "1,025 free hours of AOL," which I promptly throw away and use the tin for computer small parts holders (for while I'm working on them,) rubber bands, paper clips, reed holders...
All it takes is a thin glass for the bottom, a thin piece of closed cell foam for the top, and if you want to get fancy, cover the closed cell foam with a nice piece of fabric. If you do it right, all the stuff you put inside of it will be thin enough so it closes over both, the stuffing and the reeds. Then hold it together with a thick rubber band (I keep spare thick rubber bands and paper clips in my kit bag for numerous uses, anyway.)
In 2001 we caught a sale at the now defunct Mars Music where they had baggie-packed three to four boxes of Vandoren reeds and a standard Vandoren reed holder (violet with the moisture absorbent cartridge in the middle) in each, for between $14.99 to 19.99 (US.) The reeds were the ones with the old style tips.
We bought enough of them to last for a while, for all the different sized instruments, and saved between $38.00 to $52.00 per package. Since I mostly use Glotin reeds, most of the Vandorens Daniel hasn't used are still laying around, dated, and being used as we think of them. But we had enough Vandoren reed holders of all sizes to give a bunch away to friends and acquaintances for a while!
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Author: Kelsey
Date: 2003-02-05 20:57
Thank you everyone!!! You don't know how much I love this site. It's great! When I have a question I can just come here and ask all of you wonderful people out there. Thank you once again!
~Kelsey
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Author: Bryan
Date: 2003-02-05 22:33
I just got one of the Doctor's aforementioned drying stones, and I'd like to say that it does a good job. I particularly like the way the back of it makes a fine flat sanding surface.
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