 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bandco68
Date: 2008-03-18 00:14
I am a returning clarinet player after being out for about 30 years. I have been lurking on this forum and greatly appreciate the information and opinions shared here. It is especially nice to see the low level of "unkind" comments I have seen here.
Now to my questions:
I had a box of mixed reeds that I kept over the years. Included with the Vandoren, Rico, and Vic. Olivieri reeds were five Ciccone Symmetricut reeds. The Ciccone reeds are wonderful and play well on the three different mouthpieces I have. The Rico reeds are OK, but I am having trouble with the Vandoren reeds. I have been unable to find a source of new Ciccone reeds on the net. Are they still being made?
I would also like some information on my Buffet clarinet. It was purchased used in Detroit in 1973 from a clarinetist with the Detroit Symphony. He said that he also played with the LaScala. The serial number is 88026. My best guess is that this is a R-13. When I entered this number on the Buffet website, it gave a build date in the 80's, when I know that I have owned it much longer than that.
Any help with these questions would be appreciated.
Ed
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-03-18 00:29
Welcome back to the Clarinet !!
we've missed you =-)
88,000 would be about 1965, and R13
http://www.clarinetperfection.com/snclarinet.htm#Buffet
I think thte CIccone reeds ended up evolving into the Rico brand - about half way down
http://www.saxgourmet.com/PaulCoatsArticles/santy_runyon_discusses_reeds.htm
send me an email (click on my name to see it in my profile) .. i may have several boxes of the Symmetricut reeds lurking around and since I haven't really used them ... you might be able to
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Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
Post Edited (2008-03-18 00:30)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-03-18 13:10
When I was young and totally unschooled and hadn't yet heard of Vandoren, I used to fool around with many of the lower-priced and now-defunct brands of reed that were extant then, including Ciccone Symmetricuts -- and all I can say for them is that they were not as bad as Charpens (those French reeds with a giant hole routed out of the heart of the cane -- "I'm not making this up", as Dave Barry would say).
R.I.P. Symmetricut*, Charpen, Selmer Omega, Selecta, Martin Freres, Fibercane, Maccaferri, and dozens of other reed brands long gone.
*Symmetricuts still exist as a brand, I believe, the lowest in the Rico line -- they seem to be identical to the current "orange-box" Ricos and really aren't bad for beginners and occasional doublers, IMO.
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-03-18 13:52
Glad to have you back!
Talk about againg your reeds! 30 years. i age my reeds like many other players, but they sit mabey 3 or four years at the most. That 30 year period must have caused some change in your ciccone reeds to make them so good.
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-03-18 18:53
ha ha- i found some Charpens at a music store when i was about 13 years old, and was thus inspired to get out a drill and make similar holes (not all the way through- just a cleanly drilled out well) in my vandorens.
I don't recall it had any positive effect.
dn
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-03-18 19:22
-- R.I.P. Symmetricut*, Charpen, Selmer Omega, Selecta, Martin Freres, Fibercane, Maccaferri, and dozens of other reed brands long gone.
I'm pretty sure I have all of those, including the earlier Selmer Soloist reeds (sax only) and Langelais, and others
i have at least 3 boxes of the Charpens i know for sure. Blue boxes, see-thru plastic reed sleeves if i recall correctly.
I sold about 90 boxes of alto cl reeds a couple years ago of a wide array of brands from years past. I kept the sax and Bb clarinet reeds all to myself.
I'll post some pics
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Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-03-18 21:19
Hi,
About 50 years ago, I had some Conrad reeds that I got from a music store in Grand Rapids, MI that were really great. I'll bet they were a stencil reed of some kind though. The music store was downtown and had a repair facility; maybe some one knows the name. It was close to the train station as I recall.
Later, Hines Supremes (I still have some around that have been played) were anything but supreme. I picked up a box of Brilhart bari reeds recently that were interesting and actually played some for a show.
From a music store closeout, I've got some NOS reeds from Kres-kut, Prescott, and the ever popular Golden Cane. There were several boxes of VD in the lot though. If anyone needs some boxes of Symmetricut soprano sax reeds, I ahve a bunch of them.
Steve, I picked up a huge lot of LaVoz alto clarinet reeds on eBay and use them on alto sax all the time. They are a tad narrower but play great. I feel like Forrest Gump when I bid on and get these odd lots. But I always get my money's worth.
HRL
PS Maybe a reed thread with pictures of thee old boxes might be an addition to Steve's MP Gallery. BTW Steve, I still plan to get up to see you on a Saturday as I have a bunch weird but wonderful clarinet MPs for you to photograph.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-03-19 14:40
I own a Buffet R 13 that I purchased in the mid 60s, it's in the 92000 series so that should tell you about how old your clarinet is. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-03-20 02:27
Steve,
That's really great. I may post some reed boxes as well. Showing the reed from and back is really great.
Feel free to use any of the photos if you plan a reed box gallery. I think it would be of value historically.
Thanks,
HRL
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-03-20 04:23
attached is a box of morre reeds
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h120/c2thew/ebay%20picts%202-6/IMG_1868.jpg
steve broadus made some reeds too, just dont have the picture
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
Post Edited (2008-03-20 04:24)
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Author: clarinet60
Date: 2008-04-30 18:17
FYI, Maccaferri Reeds are still being made and are available under the names: My Masterpiece, and Populaire. They're being made on the same machines that were used in their New York City operation by Mario Maccaferri many years ago. I believe that his wife, Maria, is still alive and the company is being run by one of the children. Some of their reeds play quite well.
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Author: Old Geezer
Date: 2008-05-01 00:55
I thik Maccaferri "My Masterpiece" clarinet reeds play quite well. Like any reed at any price they are best when carefully prepared (broken in).
Why not check out their site ReedStore.com
Their site as a whole is interesting.
Clarinet Redux
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Author: clarinet60
Date: 2008-05-02 18:35
David,
I've had some success with "My Masterpiece" which are a thick blank reed. They actually were using some very old cane from the original company that was in storage for quite a few years. I don't know if they're using new cane now or not.
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