 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2006-12-31 18:39
I have in my box of reeds a reed by an unknown maker. The top side is stamped "HAND MADE" and the back is stamped with the maker's logo, but unfortunately the impression was not clearly made. With only the top and right side of the logo showing, the logo appears to be an oval of dots with three lines of text contained within it. The top line is "GUY" -- the middle line looks like a 7 or 8 letter word which has 3 or 4 unknown letters (that didn't make enough of an impression to be readable) followed by letters that appear to be "KREY" -- the third line is 3 or four letters that appear to end with an "S".
The reed is fairly darkened by age from butt end to the tip. It was found in the case with an older model clarinet (ca 1930) that appeared to not have been used for 20 or 30 years. The reed still plays beautifully, however.
Does anyone know what this reed might be? If so, does this person still make these reeds and how might one contact this reed maker?
Eu
Post Edited (2006-12-31 19:44)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-12-31 19:59
Eu,
Could it be
GUY
HUMPHREY
REEDS
I know that name has been used on some clarinets in the past so...
HRL
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2006-12-31 20:06
Thanks, Hank. I'll look at it closer under a microscope this evening and maybe I can make out some more letters. With just my shopworn eyeball and a magnifying glass I couldn't make out much.
Does Guy Humphrey still make reeds? Whoever made this one sure does nice work and I would like to try some more of their reeds. Eu
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-12-31 22:20
Eu,
Don't place a whole lot of value in my guess but it makes some sort of sense. I don't remember these reeds as being common if that actually is the name. Perhaps one of the "older" BB guys might be able to shed some more light.
HRL
PS There used to be some reeds call Conrad in the early 1950s that were really great. But, I'll be they might have been a stencil of sorts. I remember Hines Supremes which were not supreme at all.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-01-01 03:47
"Guy Humphrey" (as with "M. Lacroix" discussed in another thread) was the name given by a US importer of French clarinets of unknown manufacturer, during the middle of the 20th century. Also as with Lacroix, the Humphrey clarinets I've worked with were of decent quality. I haven't seen reeds marked thusly, but they were probably 'house brand' reeds from France stamped to be sold in the US with the clarinets. I'm only speculating.
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2007-01-01 06:35
I looked at the logo through a microscope and it does say Guy Humphrey Reeds. Interestingly, the butt end of the reed, rather than being flat and squared off like most reeds we see, is tapered and rounded, i suppose to give the reed more of a "hand made" look. I suspect, however, that the hand made aspect relates to the hand that switched an automatic reed making machine on and off. Eu
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