 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mohammeddisto
Date: 2003-06-13 19:33
ok...i've played on a few gonzalez 3 1/2's before because i ordered a sample pack. they were good, so i decided to order more from weiner music.
i got them in the mail today. I've tried 5 so far, and only one of them feels close to a 3 1/2. The others are WAAAAAAAAAAAY too hard. one of them, i can barely make a sound out of. they're even harder than a regular vandoren 5!!! and they are very stiff...the tip is unbendable.
could this be a mistake or soemthing? could they have mixed somethign up at the facotry?
What should I do?
Good thing i also bught a pack of V12's.
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Author: ken
Date: 2003-06-13 20:54
Reed strengths are atmospherically subjective no matter what the quality. A 2 1/2 at sea level that plays like one can and often will blow like a 5 a mile high ... and so on. A trusted source told me Gonzalez' generally run a 1/2 strength softer than my V-12s and Zonda 3 1/2s. I bought a box of Gonzalez 3.75s and they wound up playing like V-12 4s! Not too bad, always better to have too much wood then not enough. On the other hand, if they're Lincoln Logs that can really blow! ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
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Author: Eric
Date: 2003-06-13 21:52
I'm having the same problem. I opened up a box of Mozart 4's yesterday and nearly all of them were extremely hard to play on, it was like they weren't vibrating at all. I've used Mozart 4's before with great success so it came as a big shock to find the ones I have hard to play on. I'm going to give them a week of break in and hopefully they'll become more playable.
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Author: dfh
Date: 2003-06-13 22:23
I don't know where ya'll are from - but the summer humidity has kicked in around here, and everything plays WAY harder - break out that sandpaper or save them for the winter months!
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Author: Richard
Date: 2003-06-14 03:05
It has been very humid here also. 3-1/2 Rico Royals that have been playing well on an HS** (1.20) are now 'stuffy' but play great on a C* (1.10).
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Author: Eric
Date: 2003-06-14 03:30
I just got done practicing and the all of the reeds except for one or two have opened up and sound like they used to. Maybe I oversoaked them the first day (1 minute in saliva) or maybe its the weather (it rained today after a week of 90 degree weather).
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-14 05:19
Many clarinet players (including yours truly) drop down in reed strength by 1/4 to 1/2 during the high humidity of the summer months (at least on the East Coast).
Don't blame the reed, blame the weatherman ...GBK
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-06-14 13:10
Guess I haven't noticed anything extraordinary recently. But I'm curious as to why reeds would act harder during high humidity. If asked I would have opined the opposite i.e. softer in high humidity. Would appreciate any insight. OR, does the softer reed compensate for the "wood" making the horn play sharp(due to the higher temperature during high humidity conditions)??
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2003-06-14 22:08
I am interestedd in Mozart reeds since I read this is a copy of old Vic Olivieri reed, which I used some 20 years ago. Because of the very different shapes with very thick talon from those of traditional reeds and V12(Morre copy), I found Olivieri was suitable for long lay mouthpieces.
I wonder 6-year-dried up reeds may need much longer climatization at the
places they are used than ordinary ones. Does Gonzareth use olive oil for iMozart reeds treatment as Olivieri did? I think Olivieri dried up reeds after olive treatment.
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Author: Mohammeddisto
Date: 2003-06-15 02:41
yes, most people go down 1/2-1/4 a strength...
but the gonzalez 3 1/2's i got...they feel harder than 5's!!!
i can barely make any sound at all on a couple of them.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-15 11:03
I've had Gonzalez 3 3/4 for about 2 weeks now... I am STILL slowly breaking in 2 boxes of them, and they are still quite hard, but I think they are softening up very very slowly. As we have all been told on here before, you have to give them a LOT of time to break in, then they'll play great for a LONG time.
I REALLY hope this is true!!
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Author: Mohammeddisto
Date: 2003-06-15 20:59
how can i break in a reed that i can't produce any sound at all on?
should i moisten and lightly bend the tip of the reed between my fingers a few times every day?
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-16 01:35
No - just play it for about 5 - 10 minutes, whether you can get a sound or just barely. It will slowly become softer and more playable. Make sure you play all your reeds evenly, and make sure they dry consistently. I'm no expert - but do a search and you'll find hundreds of posts about reeds!
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Author: Sneakers
Date: 2003-06-16 05:00
So if reeds get harder in humid climates when it gets more humid, do they get softer in dry climates in the summer? My reeds seem to be softer rather than harder?
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Author: ken
Date: 2003-06-16 15:59
I also am taking an inordinate amount of time breaking in a box of Gonzalez 3 3/4s. No more than 5 minutes each 6 days a week. I'm on my 10th day of rotation and still not comfortable with making any adjustments on them yet. They sure are taking their sweet time softening up (here in rainy season South Florida) but will be well worth it. So far there's isn't a clunker in the box yet and for once, I struck pay dirt and got a box where ALL the hearts are actually centered and form porportionately shaped Vs!!! v/r Ken
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-16 16:23
Ken...You are absolutely correct in your break-in routine with the Gonzalez reeds.
As I've written many times on this board, Gonzalez reeds need at least 7-10 days of break-in before any adjustments should be made.
Phil Shapiro (Davie Cane) and I have spoken often about this and he totally agrees. His personal break-in procedure and mine are virtually identical.
Once the reeds are settled in and any small adjustments completed, their longevity is superior.
I always have at least one box in preparation to replace the "performance quality" reeds, which in turn will eventually go to "practice quality" side of the glass ...GBK
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Author: Ed
Date: 2003-06-16 16:51
I have always found that any reeds I have used have benefitted from the long break in. I have had great success with Vandorens when I use a method of this type. I sometimes suspect this is why people who make their own reeds speak of incredible lifespan in their reeds. You have no choice, but to take your time, with each stage. Many people have the problem that they slap a reed on and expect it to not change over time, while playing it constantly and getting it waterlogged.
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Author: dfh
Date: 2003-06-16 17:12
Mohammeddisto - when I get a reed I really can't make a sound on, I do lighten it up a bit, maybe with some light sanding on 600 sandpaper, or on a really fine file, and perhaps a little cane off the front - avoiding the tip and the rails (unless I've measuered it and the tip has proven to be really thick), and then play it a little, and so on. I find it really really time consuming to "break-in" a reed that hardly works at all, and frustrating! Maybe try doing nothing to 2 reeds, and a little work on some others -? I'm having the same problem with some Alexander Superials. The cane is just SO hard! And I totally agree that the longer you break a reed in , the longer it will last. Especially with hand made reeds. (I know someone who's handmade reeds last YEARS!) Good luck!
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Author: DavieCane01
Date: 2003-06-18 02:41
Hey there everybody...
I rarely answer posts here, because I'm very careful to avoid what might seem like pandering or looking for a cheap plug.
I just want you all to understand that many people make size errors when trying our reeds, as they're not like other reeds and your expectations might not match what you really get. :-)
I have a standing policy of exchanging any UNOPENED and UNDAMAGED boxes. Even if you didn't buy them from me. I will also gladly make up trial boxes for you if you call me at the office. This way you can try a few sizes and see what works for you. We always recommend that you use 1/4 size harder than whatever is perfect right out of the box and break these in properly, but you should also have some immediately playable to hold you during this time...and for shifts in weather.
It's my company, and I stand behind every reed I sell. Call me if you have problems, ever, and we'll work them out.
Happy Tooting!
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-06-18 12:39
(Disclaimer - I sell Gonzalez F.O.F. Reeds). There are no magic reeds - only good cane quality, cut, and consistent grading help players work through the development of playable reeds. Philip is correct in that you must try various strengths in Gonzalez (not wildly different in my experience than V-12 strengths) until you hit on your perfect size. Individual player differences, hardware (mouthpiece, horn, etc.), humidity, break-in period, etc.. will make each persons experience a little different but GBK and others have given us the benefit of their experience and a road map to get the best results from Gonzalez Reeds.
I do not adjust Gonzalez Reeds until after a thorough break-in period. Davie Cane does an admirable job of storing their reeds under exacting conditions (temperature, air quality, and humidity). I try to mimic these storage conditions for my own reeds in temperature and humidity controlled conditions . I find that differences in environmental condtions (e.g. humidity) are lessened if I start out with reeds that all come from standardized conditions rather than whatever ambient conditions exist at the moment. We all have to fight heat, cold, dryness, and excess humidity in our reed performance but this is the life of a musician and part of becoming a more accomplished player.
In my experience Philip and Davie Cane are a friendly, consumer oriented company. As indicated in his post, he goes out of his way to make people happy and IMHO gives a great product at a fair price. My question is - can we say the same for the customer service and products of the other reed companies? We will never all agree on what the "best" reed may be but can only give our own opinions about what works well for us - otherwise there would not be so many reed brands selling in the marketplace!
The Doctor
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-18 12:59
(Disclaimer - I know Phil Shapiro personally, and have also ordered numerous times from the Doctor)
It certainly is refreshing to see both Phil and the Doctor respond to questions about their reeds. Both gentleman are honest and caring individuals who are genuinely concerned about the satisfaction of their customers. Your feedback is important to them. They truly treat each customer personally. (Having once spent a day with Phil, it was apparent how concerned he was about the satisfaction of each customer)
I have yet to see a posting on this board from any other competing reed company representative addressing customer questions or complaints.
Vandoren, Rico, et al... are you out there? ...GBK
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-18 15:06
GBK wrote:
> I have yet to see a posting on this board from any other
> competing reed company representative addressing customer
> questions or complaints.
Not all the companies wish to post here for followups; however I do know of a few more companies that contact people personally when they see a note here.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-06-18 15:31
Generally speaking I have found June to be one of those pivot months where the normal spring reed turns into the hard reed.
You may want to try soaking the reeds in a glass of water thoroughly before blowing in order to insure the response is even...
Don't expect size to be approximate to what you expect in terms of response and ease of playing....
Always make sure you have a dutch rush or even a reed knife in order to bring down any inconsistencies in the tip or rails....generally rails on the upper part of the reed will have a tensdency towards swelling as summer humidity increases
I generally find most of the time I never can get the best out reeds by expecting them to break them in without some adjustment of some type....
Be sure to keep the reeds in a dry and preferably cool place when in storage....
Make sure you brush the teeth and rinse the mouth if you play immediately after eating...the gunge from food will make the reed play harder and less responsively....
David Dow
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