 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2010-12-31 17:21
I recently received my Eb Clarinet, a Buffet Evette & Schaeffer, with a Vandoren 2RV mouthpiece. The reeds I've been using were used Bb reeds that I cut under a 1/2 inch to fit.
My issue is the reeds are just NOT working for me. The low register speaks terribly, the register breaks are uncomfortable, and it feels unresponsive. I've did it to many Blue Box and V12s, and same thing. Its surprising, since so many people get great results with the Bb reeds! So, I ordered Eb reeds, but is there any possible reason for my issues?
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-12-31 17:44
Are there any leaks on the instrument? Is it in good repair?
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2010-12-31 18:54
The instrument was recently looked at and is in good shape! I looked at it with the leak light, and also closed the holes and used air to look for leaks. The instrument seems fine!
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-12-31 19:07
I used cut downs for a long time until my masters, and then I used Eb reeds. I really don't recall there being a huge improvement.
What are the dimensions of the 2RV? What reed strengths does it ask for? I looked at the Vandoren site but they don't provide this info for the 2RV, just the 5RV, B44 and B40. It seems probable that you have a reed strength/mouthpiece mismatch don't you think?
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2010-12-31 19:14
2RV = 5RV no difference (apart from name - no I don't know why they duplicated it either)
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2010-12-31 19:24
Blue Box/V12 #4. I don't think this would be much of a problem for the 2RV/5RV.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2010-12-31 21:05
No, those are exactly in the range of what the mouthpiece asks for (blue box 3-4's)...except you're not getting what you want.
Let us know how the Eb reeds work out for you. If they are problematic maybe the mouthpiece itself needs refacing?
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2010-12-31 21:16
FWIW, I recently tried Eb clarinet for the first time just for a brief moment and was using a 3.5 Bb V12 on a 5RV.
The heel was NOT cut shorter... I just placed it over the tip a little. I thought the reed wouldn't be sealing on the mouthpiece, but it played extremely well -- great response and sound.
Anyone else have similar experiences?
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2010-12-31 21:20
I use cut down reeds all the time with good success-Standard Van Doren Blue Box Bb 3 1/2 on a Fred Rast mouthpiece. On Fred's suggestion, I narrow the reeds toward the bark end with sandpaper- really helps the overall response, especially the lower end. I also cut down the length easily by using a Sears Craftsman Handicutter- one chomp and a very clean cut. Another Fred Rast suggestion- use VanDoren White Box German cut reeds- these are already narrower at the butt end. Give these a try.
Jerry
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Author: Ed
Date: 2010-12-31 22:35
The shoulders of the reed may be a bit too heavy. There may be an issue with the reeds being a little too wide for the facing. I have sometimes found Bb reeds to have a sluggish feel on Eb.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2011-01-01 00:39
"The heel was NOT cut shorter... I just placed it over the tip a little."
Every Eb mouthpiece I've played would not allow that arrangement: the reed tip would be too far over the tip.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2011-01-01 04:50
Actually, the reed didn't fit on the mouthpiece either. I put a little over the tip, and had the reed going at a slant against the facing. The non-vamp part wasn't sitting flat against the table of the mouthpiece, which is why I was so surprised it played so well.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2011-01-02 01:27
I think I used cut-down 3.5 blue box Bb vandoren reeds last time I played Eb. I use a JD Hite mouthpiece. The Eb plays better with softer reeds than I use on Bb. I think I might have had a couple of Bb No. 3 Rico Reserve or Mitchell Lurie reeds that also worked quite well, actually even better than most of the blue box reeds.
Lori
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2011-01-02 02:30
"The Eb plays better with softer reeds than I use on Bb."
For you this may be true, but more often than not it goes the other direction in my experience.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-01-02 04:09
I kind of had the same issue when using cut down Vandoren reeds for my Eefer. What I then tried were some of the German cut White Masters, and while those helped, they played too much like regular Eb reeds. It is better than regular Eb reeds. What I found to be absolutely perfect on my mouthpiece, which is a Greg Smith Eb, were Gonzalez FOF reeds cut down. Everything seems so much easier to control with those. Try that out, or some reeds that are similarly cut to Gonzalez FOFs that have the Morre cut I believe it's called. Try it out and let us know what you think.
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2011-01-03 13:43
I'm not familiar with the 2/5RV, but a lot of Eb MPs need narrower reeds than Bb/A. I have been cutting down Gonzalas FOFs, and then sanding them about 0.05" narrower for my Pomarico #2 and WWCo mouthpieces. Full width, they have a lot of the problems you mention, especialy the lack of clean response. White Masters are a little narrower than FOFs or Blue Box. They may be OK without narrowing. In regard to reed strength, My Eb is an old Buffet and Bb/A are Leblanc Symphonie 3s. The Eb is much more resistive. Use what works.
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Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2011-01-03 14:30
Seems to me that the tip curve on an Eb reed is different than the Bb, so I've never tried to mix those up.
Klarnetisto
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-01-03 15:22
It's also possible, though it takes a bit of skill and some practice (not to mention a fresh razor blade), to narrow the width of a Bb reed to make it fit better on an Eb clarinet. I do this sort of thing frequently with alto sax reeds to make them fit the narrower(!) facing on my Oehler-system bass clarinet mouthpiece.
Making the tip curve of the reed match that of the mouthpiece is not (as has been discussed in another thread some time ago) as important as one might think. 'Close enough' is in fact close enough.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-01-04 05:01
I don't play the eefer much now, but I found that cut-down Vandoren German-cut reeds worked well. Recently I've tried a cut-down Legere with very good results.
Tony F.
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Author: donald
Date: 2011-01-04 18:31
To support Davids last post- i often make a reed from a blank and play on it for a bit before clipping and doing the final adjustments. Sometimes this works so well (with a square tip on the reed) that i am tempted to do nothing more and just keep playing it that way...
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-05 00:40
I think it's just a simple matter of matching the reed to the mouthpiece. The reeds you're working down may just not be suitable for the Eb mouthpiece you have. I've found that I have to use the "softer" of my Bb clarinet reeds on my Eb clarinet and some good Bb reeds don't seem to work well on my Eb yet some Bb rejects work fine, with a little bit of adjusting. I just clip off some of the heel of the Bb reed and balance them, I don't even make the width narrower, they seem to work fine being wider than the mouthpiece, is most cases. It's all a matter of finding the reed that works with the mouthpiece for the way you play it. Simple isn't it? ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-01-05 00:46
Ed... making a reed discussion "simple" could lead you to expulsion from the board! ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: digiacwf
Date: 2011-01-11 01:54
I found what works best for me is using reeds that work well on the Bb and just putting them on the Eb with a Bb ligature...it looks awkward, but it works for me. The tone and intonation are much better than when I tried Vandoren Eb reeds. I use Mozart reeds in a 3.5, which I usually clip down a little bit.
Willow
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