 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jimrae
Date: 2000-09-17 19:59
For a Christmas gift last year I received 5 packages of # 4 VanDoren reeds...How is the best way to get these reeds to #2 1/2 strength??? Flat sand the back side?? I know of no one I know who uses #4, so I can't trade them with friends in the band...
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-09-17 21:04
Jimrae, If the platic wrap has not been removed, you may be able to go to a music store, explain your situation, and trade them in for a strength you can use. It's worth a try. -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-09-17 21:37
And if they've been opened - you can't do it. They'd be so thin as to be useless.
Sanding can more you a quarter strenght, maybe a half strength before you've made the profile too thin. The cane has an innate hardness/strength, and that's how they get graded. A 2 1/2 is not a thinner 3.
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Author: William
Date: 2000-09-18 01:20
I always start with #4s and work them down to my desired strength with a reed knife (if only balancing or a slight change is needed) or my Reed Wizard if a more drastic adjustment is needed. Out of a box of ten, on the average, six reeds will become excellant and all reeds are at least playable for practice and rehersals. If your reeds are unopened and you don't want the reed-adjustment hassel, you should be able to trade them in for 2.5s. Good luck.
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Author: Rene
Date: 2000-09-18 05:28
Mark, is that so?
Within a bunch of 2 1/2 Vandoren Reeds I find sometimes one, which is considerable softer. If they were tested for flexibility, this should not happen.
Also, I thought reed strength is determined by the length of soft part in relation to the heart of the reed. So I am confused by your statement.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-09-18 11:54
Rene wrote:
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Mark, is that so?
Within a bunch of 2 1/2 Vandoren Reeds I find sometimes one, which is considerable softer. If they were tested for flexibility, this should not happen.
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If you read the Vandoren section here on Sneezy you will find that Vandoren does provide a range in every box - a good 1/2 or more strength range overall in every box. They don't market anything in 1/4 or less strength ranges - and they don't throw out the ones that aren't exact!
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Also, I thought reed strength is determined by the length of soft part in relation to the heart of the reed. So I am confused by your statement.
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No, reed strength is determined by a machine - and leaves those little indentations on the butt of the reed. The reed makers use the same profile for their reeds of the same type - the profile is not changed for hard or soft. The profile does affect the end strength - witness a plain Vandoren 3 being harder than a V12 3 - but it's still a machine that does the grading and it's measuring the strength of the cane.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-09-28 01:46
This thread reminds me of the story about Stanley Drucker, who once went to Vandoren HQ in Paris and asked to meet the man who put one good reed in every box.
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