Author: Oboeshawn
Date: 2014-04-07 10:37
Hi CPH,
I've used the Ferrillo gouge professionally for over 6 years now and can offer a little advice. I too was using a Ross gouge prior. First of all, the FG is about as different from the RG as can be. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum, so the change you're looking to make will be a big one. For me it perhaps wasn't as drastic because my main frustration with the RG was that it simply vibrated too much and I was leaving the reeds far heavier than I preferred in order to keep the reeds from spreading, often resulting in harshness and biting. So I was initially able to deal with more resistant reeds on the FG until I learned how to scrape them.
That said, you can make very comfortable, resonant, vibrant reeds, with the FG but it will require a period of adjustment in your scrape and approach. As for your shape and staples, those work ok with the RG but will not work at all with the FG. Get glotin staples that fit a loree mandrel, pisoni (old style before they started making them smaller) or use Stevens #2 if you happen to find some (they're no longer made). Use a Gilbert 1 shape to start, tied on at 73-73.5 (the Gilbert shapes vary with vintage, so you may have to experiment a little with tie on length to get the opening and throat width you like). The FG curve was designed to be used with a wider shape. The gouge itself is more up in pitch and less vibrant to counteract the flatter/more vibrant qualities of a wider shape.
Scrape the reeds a LOT. In my opinion, that's the great thing about the FG. It tolerates a lot of scraping, so the reeds can be super refined without losing their guts (and then they last a long time). This will take longer and probably more sittings between scrapings than with the RG. Try finishing around 69-70mm with as short a tip as your knives will let you get away with (John's tips are in the neighborhood of 2-3mm, mine are usually around 3mm). The gouge is pretty "up" so you can usually scrape a good deal out of the back once the reed has settled in to bring out the full range of depth, bring the pitch down to 440, and collapse the opening to a comfortable resistance level.
One more thing: if you can pregouge on a separate machine I'd recommend that (though John doesn't--but then he has a giant box of spare blades, I suppose). Pregouge to .80 or so, then finish on the FG with 6-7 passes, turning the cane twice. This will GREATLY prolong the life of the blade, which normally is only good for about 100 pieces of cane before need of re sharpening. After that, the blade has dulled enough to begin producing noticeably duller, less vibrant reeds. Fortunately if I'm super careful with cane selection and don't make any scraping errors, my percentage of useable reeds is way higher than with the RG, so I can go typically 6 months before changing the blade.
Anyway good luck! Every gouge has a set of weaknesses to conquer in trade for its strengths. For me, my lips, my concept of sound, the way I use my air, and the sort of instruments I play, the FG provides the easiest path to the sorts of reeds I need.
Also--here's a link to a dissertation one of John's former students did on gouging. It has a ton of helpful info on the way the FG works and how to trouble shoot specific reed problems.
http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3383&context=etd
Shawn
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