 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-08-03 01:30
Have a reed with a bad tip I clipped down. Now reed is not 67 mm but 60 mm long. Started out a 2.5 strength. How short can a reed be and still be made to play by sanding, shaving, or scraping? Just wanted to ry doing it to see if it is possible, or is it too short to mess with. The good reed I am using is 0.25 mm across the arc of tip. Bad one is about 0.36 mm now. Clarinet is a Bb. MP is a Lyre M13 88.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-03 02:28
As long as the tip is wide enough to seal at the corners, it doesn't matter what the length is.
However, you will probably need to re-cut the vamp. This is not easy.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2016-08-03 04:22
7 mm off of a reed will basically destroy it's proportions.
Normally the amount you would trim would be max of about 1 mm but usually much less than that.
Any more than this then ditch the reed and get a more correct strength reed for your mouthpiece.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-08-03 05:08
This is really an academic question. With the reed shortened by 7 mm you basically will have to re-cut the entire vamp. Can it be salvaged. Maybe. Is it worth the time and probable frustration when you're unable to get the vamp's profile right? It wouldn't be for me. If you're willing to go to that much trouble for an unplayable reed, you may as well be making your reeds from scratch.
But, to answer your actual question, I'm sure that an experienced reed maker could re-cut the vamp and make a playable reed out of it, but, yes, as a practical matter it's "too short to mess with."
Karl
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-08-07 20:23
I realize some reeds will never be good no matter what you do or who does it. But how do I know unless I try And the challenge of succeeding in revitalizing a few reeds intrigues me. But I think I need ot learn more about analyzing the reed, and not just filing, clipping, sanding, immersing in water or other liquids without knowing how to tell the problem. And I probably keep them way too long anyway. Only play each one about 15-20 minutes a day and go to the next one each day.
I just took a reed that had 15 playings and it kept squeaking but looked OK.
I sanded the flat side a bit with 240 and 600 grit wet/dry paper, wet it in water a minute, rubbed the vamp to seal and rubbed the bottom on masonite clipboard and retried. It did not squeak then. But what bothers me is that I do not seem to know how to examine the reed then know what to do. I feel I am just trying things. I need to know how to assess the reed and what things to try and why. Not worried about failure and can certainly afford reeds but want to learn how to understand them and what needs to be done.
If anyone could suggest any references or website instructions it would be good. I feel I need to know how to analyze the problem, do the correct thing, then how to tell if its time to quit. I realize I know things to do but not when or why or for how long before giving up.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2016-08-08 03:29
There are many articles and several books about reed making and adjusting. It is not uncommon for some of these contradict each other too.
When it comes down to it, after reading as many of these as you wish, you just have to practice and experiment again and again and again.
"Practise makes Perfect" sadly with reeds not but it does make things better.
I've been doing this for 60 years and occasionally get something right, just occasionally..
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-08-13 20:05
Now getting a sound. In fact a whole scale and song. Still a bit stiff but sounds good. I guess it IS just some study then trial, error, and persistence. Was not really all that difficult and only a few minutes at a time to scrape, sand, examine, try. Using a utility knife blade and some 240 and 600 grit sandpaper.
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