Author: jhoyla
Date: 2007-11-20 11:46
A high-pitched squeal can also mean that there is a section of the tip that is vibrating independently of the rest.
I would check the following:
1. Check that there are no bumps or valleys in the inner tip - everything back from the extreme outer-tip to the heart. If there are, they can encourage portions of the tip to vibrate independently of the rest of the reed, giving it that high squeal.
2. check that there is the semblance of a spine right up to the very tip. If not, you need to thin out the tip so that the center-line (spine) is noticeably thicker than the rest. This encourages stability and makes the tip behave as one piece, rather than independent areas.
3. Make sure you have a really smooth transition from the back of the tip into the heart, even at the sides. (I am assuming a Philly - style reed here. If you have a Mack - style reed this probably does not apply).
One more thing is worth checking. Very rarely, a tiny sliver of cane can get caught between the blades. Sometimes this is the result of an imperfect shaping. One way to expose this is to use a pipe cleaner and a nicely damp reed. You insert the pipe-cleaner into the staple until it pokes through the top. Now pull it all the way through, but move it from side to side as you go so that it slides between the sides of the blades. This should remove any debris, or at least cause a rogue fiber to poke outside the reed, from where it can be carefully plucked.
Good luck!
J.
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