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Re: Squeaky Reed

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-02-22 00:06

In my opinion it depends 100 percent n your setup. For example a 2 1/2 reed is ok if the tip opening is about 1.20, because you have been playing long enough to go to a 3 or even a 3 1/2 by now.

So what mouthpiece are you using and what reed manufacture are you using? Also what is the condition of the mouthpiece? What is the tip opening? Horrible cane will collapse causing chirps. Bad mouthpieces needing facings, or damaged mouthpieces with marks on the table, rails and the tip can cause this.

From experience lighter strength reeds tend to drop in strength. Let's say you are using a 5 strength reeds just as an example. The fibers are much harder of course, so if you have a gauge as I do when wetting the reed it might drop to about a 3 3/4's strength. At the same time a 2 1/2 reed could drop below a 1 strength and not even measure on a gauge, because the fibers are so weak. When this happens the side rails of the reeds fold in and can cause a squeak.

A very simple test is to wet a reed for about 10 minutes, play it, and take the side rail tip of the reed and with your finger and LIGHTLY bend the reed inwards and see if the reed folds inwards and doesn't flex back to the correct firm straight position as if it was dry. If this is the case the reed or reeds will squeak a lot.

So your goal is to get up to about a 3 to 3 1/2 strength as soon as possible. This will help stop the sides of the reeds from folding over.

You can also clip the reeds, making the tips thicker. For example some reeds are only about 0.006" thick. (3 human hairs or so) Some German reeds are 0.0017", almost 3 times thicker, such as what Sabine Meyer plays on. Needless to say these side rails don't fold over. In horrible weather conditions I will sometimes throw on a German reed. Yes they are a tad bit narrow but they work and get you through difficult times.

Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces

Yamaha Artist 2015

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Squeaky Reed new

BGBG

2018-02-21 02:50