Author: OneWatt
Date: 2021-04-03 05:12
I promised to report back if I had any luck with my generic "Reed Geek" lathe bit - obtained at a buy-it-now price of <$10 on that auction site.
UPDATE: Success indeed. I'm amazed at how handy this little bit can be.
I took reeds for which I'd given up hope (having used ATG, vixen flat file, tactical sandpaper) and created a number of delightfully responsive, clean sounding reeds. I can't believe what has been possible.
No doubt in my mind, the genuine Reed Geek must work... but if I can achieve results with the prudent use of an inexpensive lathe bit, it seems like a no-brainer given the price differential.
To my surprise, I've even turned a few badly chipped, frayed-tip reeds (i.e., unplayable) into star performers. This was easier than I'd expected...
Basic method: First I clipped off the damaged tips with my no-name reed trimmer (also <$10), producing an unchipped tip - and rendering the reed way too thick to even make a sound.
I then ran the back of the reed along my vixen flat file to thin it out a bit, also ensuring a flat smooth back to sit against the mouthpiece table.
Then, holding the reed against my finger, I "geeked" away at the surface, thinning out the two triangular-shaped areas surrounding the soon-to-be new heart area of the reed (situated further away from the tip than the original heart given the reed's reduced length from tip clipping).
I also used the lathe bit edge in a small zone (this time across the entire width) just below the tip, at about 1/8" to 1/4" from the tip, thereby reducing the reed to a more playable strength.
For good measure, I then applied a little ATG treatment on the new tip area and addressed any imbalance that I introduced with my lathe bit shaving. This refined things further.
End result: I now have a handful of what are my current "go-to" reeds. They sound and respond beautifully, better than most others I enjoyed playing before. How long they'll last? I don't know yet. But I felt obliged to share this update.
No, it didn't actually cost me $3 as advertised on the YouTube video. More like $9 ;-)
So it's well worth a try, unless of course you get free reeds from one of those companies that put 2 or 3 decent reeds in each box of 10 - in which case I probably wouldn't bother adjusting reeds.
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Israel = Ancient Hebrew for "Wrestles with God"
Klarinet = Ancient Greek for "Struggles with Reeds"
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The Clarinet BBoard
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