Preventing reed warpage

[LeftySaxDude]

Open-ended question..... What is the best way to prevent a reed from warping? How do you properly treat a reed so that it doesn't warp?

[chknbon]

I don't think you can win that one. A wavy tip can be flattened with your thumb enough to get it playing. But, when the heel keeps curling/cupping, my fix is sanding the back with 600 grit. It'll kill the reed a little faster but what choice do you have?

[Rex]

Put it in a Reed Guard...? Otherwise, I've observed that reeds left out to dry warp a lot, but spring back when you wet them. Less so if stored in the Reed Guards.

[ChiefThndrTongue]

The reed cases with glass inside keep the reed nice and flat while they dry. They can be a little pricey, but you'll never have a warped reed again.

[LeftySaxDude]

What are signs that your reed has warped while on the mouthpiece? I notice sometimes that there's water on the sides of the table when I take the reed off. I want the reeds to maintain a very crisp articulation and snappy attack for more than 15 minutes after slapping the reed on.

[CountSpatula]

What are signs that your reed has warped while on the mouthpiece? I notice sometimes that there's water on the sides of the table when I take the reed off. I want the reeds to maintain a very crisp articulation and snappy attack for more than 15 minutes after slapping the reed on.

Nick, I've always taken that as the reed is not completely flat with the table, so I try to flatten out the table either with sand paper or a reed knife to even it out a bit...sometimes it helps, but not always...of course that OR your mouthpiece is warped, but I have no clue :)

[jazzcat58]

Put it in a Reed Guard...? Otherwise, I've observed that reeds left out to dry warp a lot, but spring back when you wet them. Less so if stored in the Reed Guards.

+1 here, the reed guards are usually developed to keep the reeds from warping, in effect the tip cant warp, from being in the guard, and drys out staying flat, or should do.