 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2024-08-17 16:42
I got this trimmer to try on my number 3 V12 reeds, approximately to make them kinda like a 3+ strength. Unfortunately, the shape of the tip gets rounder at the corners compared to a non-trimmed V12 reed.
I shared this also with Laurent Sultan from Vandoren and said I should use the tilt knob to straighten the reed on the trimmer. That doesn't fix the tip shape, still corners get rounder after trimming.
Do you know any reed trimmer that mimics the V12's tip shape better than RT19 does, or even making the corners sharper? I would prefer that.
Post Edited (2024-08-17 16:48)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-08-17 17:06
Jimis4klar wrote:
> Unfortunately, the shape of the tip gets rounder at the corners
> compared to a non-trimmed V12 reed.
> Do you know any reed trimmer that mimics the V12's tip shape
> better than RT19 does, or even making the corners sharper? I
> would prefer that.
Vandoren makes 6 different clarinet reed trimmers. Maybe try different ones. You might start out with the RT10, which is supposed to mimic the shape of a traditional Vandoren.
But I'm not sure it makes so much of a difference. How do the reeds play after you've clipped them? Do you have consistent problems with the clipped reeds (other than some being too stiff) that you can attribute to the rounded corners? How the reed plays is always more important than how it looks. It can be more of an issue if the rounded corners and the tip shape of your mouthpiece combine to leave space between the rails and the reed in the corners where air can rush through.
Karl
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2024-08-17 17:10
Does this reed trimmer simply shorten the reed length or does it modify the reed in other ways? In any case, early on I was taught to use an emery board to shorten the tips of reeds, which allows you to shape the edge of the tip any way you like. I use another reed as a guide for shaping the tip this way, and to keep from overdoing it.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2024-08-17 17:24
> How do the reeds play after you've clipped them? Do you have consistent
> problems with the clipped reeds (other than some being too stiff) that you can
> attribute to the rounded corners?
They don't play quite as expected and I associate this with not keeping the original tip shape, I think It's important. They feel right strength-wise but I feel they loose because of the rounder corners.
Post Edited (2024-08-17 17:26)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-08-17 18:24
Jimis4klar wrote:
> They don't play quite as expected and I associate this with not
> keeping the original tip shape, I think It's important. They
> feel right strength-wise but I feel they loose because of the
> rounder corners.
>
My experience over many years with Cordier and Vandoren reed trimmers is that, if the tip shape is important to you, you're more likely to get what you want by taking David's idea and trimming the tip with an emery board. I haven't tried enough Vandoren trimmers to know how consistent they are, but Cordiers were (are) notorious for not being consistent even one to the other. I always had to manipulate the reed angle in one of my Cordiers to get the corners even (which can affect balance), much less a specific shape.
Just Googling around, I only see Cordier, Vandoren, Pisoni and Rigotti trimmers. It may take "auditioning" several to find the shape you want in a trimmer that cuts cleanly (doesn't tear the fibers).
You might even try out a couple of other RT19s. After all, they're *supposed* to be made specifically to reproduce a V.12 cut. But maybe they aren't consistent, either. It's possible the one you have is off. Or, if you bought it online, it could have been switched out with another model and returned by someone who had bought one of the other 5 and didn't like it. My Vandoren clipper doesn't have a model identifier marked on it, so I have no way to know for certain it's the RT19 that I bought.
Karl
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-08-18 04:09
I've got a Vandoren trimmer that is the same tip shape as the V12, I'm not sure which model number it is and don't have time right now to rummage around and find it (it's with my reed making machine, I have to pack this up between sessions). But it wasn't hard to find/buy so I'm sure you can locate one.
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Author: Jimis4klar
Date: 2024-08-18 17:33
Please, mention model or paste a photo of It when you have time. Thanks!
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Author: Hurstfarm
Date: 2024-08-21 02:25
That’s odd - I got one of these because my Cordier cutter produced the more rounded corners you describe, and it matches the tip profile of the V12s perfectly.
Check whether the guide that runs the length of the reed is engraved with the V12 logo, in case somehow you’ve been supplied with something different.
Post Edited (2024-08-22 15:56)
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-08-21 13:26
One of these, only I DID NOT pay $420 for it...
< https://www.kbbmusic.co.nz/vandoren-vart19-clarinet-reed-trimmer-v12 >
More reasonable price...
< https://www.amazon.com/Vandoren-RT19-Clarinet-Trimmer-Reeds/dp/B00LJY2PKE?th=1 >
Post Edited (2024-08-21 13:29)
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-08-21 13:30
If you really want a flatter contour/sharper corners... one way to get that is to use a reed trimmer for Soprano Sax or Alto sax reeds. I actually have a Tenor Sax/Bass clarinet trimmer with a "Traditional" rounder contour, and that gives me a quite flat contour when used to trim Bb reeds...
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