 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2008-02-10 16:40
I've never thrown my reeds away. For 13 years or so I've always tossed them into reed purgatory. About every six months I'll grab a few and try them again, and usually always there's one or two that are outstanding, that give an hour's perfect playing (and most always better than my current, active reeds).
It's amazing how we learn to hear different things, different problems. It's taken me many years to hear (or feel) what a reed needs in terms of a facing curve, or to hear what's wrong with it (and whether it can be fixed or not).
As time passes I am more convinced that what we enjoy about mouthpieces is the result of the physics of the reed interacting with the facing curve, and seldomly the aspects of the mouthpiece itself (given a certain standard of quality, of course).
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-02-10 17:03
Hi Bill,
I have a lot of old reeds as well and get them out for trials from time to time. Once in a great while, I find some really good ones. However, what I garner from the experiences is how much more savvy on adjustments I am now with several decades of playing under my slowly expanding belt.
I have found a very good use for some of the really poor tenor and BC reeds. I'm doing some contact cement work around the house and these rejects are perfect applicators as well as a way to keep both sides separate as the glue dries. It's a worthy end for Vibrator, Hines Supreme, Brilhart, and very old Rico reeds.
HRL
Post Edited (2008-02-10 17:05)
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Author: D
Date: 2008-02-10 20:04
I don't know how you have enough left of your reeds to use them for DIY, mine always end up with big chips or cracks in.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2008-02-10 20:23
It's true that many of them have "fatal" problems (and these I need to throw away!), but many of them were just laid aside either because I was having a bad day or I didn't know how to fix the problems they presented ... or that I just never found the right mouthpiece for them.
Also 10 years ago I just wasn't into "soft" reeds. Now, of course, I understand how much they can give.
Bill.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-02-11 01:26
After you have been playing as long as I have (over 55 years) and saving everything, it's easy to accumulate more than enough for DIY. I also have a bunch of old sax and clarinet MPs; I'm planning sequel to Bill's activities which I plan to call "Monday to Sunday Mornings with Old Mouthpieces." The sequel to that will be "... With Old Ligatures."
Interestingly, I always seem to end up with the same ones as #1 and #2 on all saxes and clarinets.
Post Edited (2008-02-11 09:46)
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Author: jaydee2167
Date: 2008-02-11 06:00
I bought a clarinet at a flea market for $30!!!!
It has an HS* mpc, R13 upper section, no-brand lower section, Bundy bell, and a box of Rico 1 1/2 reeds..
I am 74, never really learned an instrument, , on fixed income!!
I am having a wonderful time with my squeaks and squawks..
I got a Band Plus book at a second-hand store.... just wish the two sections did not wobble as much!!
John
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