Reed Work

[SaxforGod]

What is meant by working on a reed...what I mean is, what types of modifications do most of you do to your reeds to get a bad reed playable, or at least acceptable?

[Mike Ruhl]

king koeller posted a great description of how to flatten the back of a reed in this post (http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=248407&postcount=24). I used to do this too, but have gotten away from it in recent years.

Here's a web page that describes how to work on reeds: http://www.tibbs-vision.com/tibbs/col.html

There's a new dvd available that describes how to work on reeds here:
http://www.theperfectreed.com/

Also, check out this link for some extreme reed modifications (I happen to maintain this page): http://www.geocities.com/reed_drilling/

There's a lot of value in learning how to tweak reeds. It's been my observation on this forum over the past few years that the people who complain the most about reeds are typically the ones who either don't know how to adjust them, or aren't inclined to learn.

[swede_peter]

I just clip them if they brake, otherwise i just... play them. IMHO i think its better to spend energy on playing and practising than fiddle with them reeds.. ;-)

/Peter.

[Mike Ruhl]

Another thought: the Vandoren V16s are great reeds to use to learn the craft. They're a thicker reed, by design, so there's more material there to work with.

[JupiterSaxMan]

Hey,
Great answer Swede Peter. I thought i was the only one who didn't spend hours working on reeds.

[Mike Ruhl]

It doesn't take hours if you know what you're doing. Read king koeller's post (http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=248407&postcount=24).

[Brendan Muse]

I break my reeds in and cycle them, and if they're terribly stuffy, I lay a sheet of 600 grit sandpaper on a table and give the reed a swipe over it.