Could someone explain how i can make my RSJ 3M bari reeds harder? (how to cut the reed etc.) Im going to be trying out a new mouthpiece that is a smaller tip opening than normal and judging by the way the reeds feel on my current piece, they will probably need to be harder.
Thanks in advance
Bartonsax
You would need a reed clipper for that. A good one can be expensive. I don't recommend clipping reeds because it changes the slope.
You're better off buying harder reeds.
unfortunately i do not own a reed clipper but i think i will be able to get some new reeds while i still have the mouthpiece on trial......any other input appreciated.
Thanks
Bartonsax
Take a quarter *or other coin that fits the curve of the reed, can't remember what to use on tenor, might be a nickel*, and put it on the tip of the reed, about a millimeter behind the edge. Carefully take a cigarette lighter or similar torch type device and burn the end off. It works pretty well and is much cheaper than a reed clipper
I'm serious. I do it all the time with reeds if I'm in a pinch and they're dieing. You just have to be careful and have a glass of water near by to extinguish. The coin stops the flames and keeps the reed from burning.
You can also move the reed a forward of its normal position, so that it protrudes a little forward of the mpc tip. But I think the real answer is - get yourself some new reeds. It's not always a good idea to try new mpcs with old reeds because your old reeds might have adjusted to some subtle characteristics of your mpc and when you transfer it to the new mpc, the reed might not seat as well as it should.
+1 on moving the reed forward. My college saxophone professor was a big advocate of this one and it was his goto piece of advice if a reed sounded thin.
I second the reed clipper. If you are planning on staying with the instrument you really should invest in a reed clipper. I think I have mine over 40 years now, and couldn't imagine not having one available when I need it. I even use them on synthetic reeds.
I have a nice French model, but you can get an inexpensive one also:
I'm just a bit younger than Jack Nimitz, but us "older guys" learned the "burning trick"
way back when. If you are careful, it works very well indeed. There is a residual
"sealing" of the reed tip that actually retains the natural characteristics of the reed quite
well, as opposed to what can happen with just a clipper.
Back in the dark ages, most of us were too broke to afford reed clippers anyway.
Try the "burn" method on a reed, and let us all know. Jack Nimitz knows ALL the tricks....
Runyon used to, and probably still does, offer a flat metal piece with proturbances to match clarinet, alto, tenor and bari reed tips, for use in burning a reed.
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