Reed Wizard Review

[twowheels]

Got the Reed Wizard a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd share my observations, sent these comments via private E-Mail to another SOTW member.

The Reed Wizard...I like it...have applied it to a few alto, tenor & bari reeds that were less than optimal and it really does make them more playable. A couple FAQ-style questions that have been asked in the past:

1. Does it reshape them to a prescribed cut? For example, if I like the cut of a Hemke, will the Wiz change it so that it's a balanced reed, but without the characteristic warmth of a Hemke reed??

Answer: The Reed Wizard simply "adjusts" a reed to be balanced, does not transform a 3 into a 2.5, or a Vandoren into a Hemke, nor does it take away the characteristics of a particular make of reed (from my experience).

2. I have heard that it will IMPROVE a "good" reed, but will not turn a "bad" reed into a "good" reed.

Answer: It will turn a nominal (i.e. *bad*) reed into a *decent* reed, and will improve a good reed. But if the reed is REALLY poorly made, it may or may not be salvagable with the Reed Wizard.

It's a fairly simple contraption, there are two beveled tables (looking at it from an end-view looks like half a concave lens except the table profiles are linear and not curved) and the top carriage is a file. You can adjust angle of bevel by where you place the reed on the table, and you can adjust stiffness by where you leave the reed tip with respect to the end line on the table.

Worth $250 - $300? Well, if you are adept at manually adjusting reeds then it is a waste of money. But I like it, partially because I'm an engineer and like gadgets, but also because I have little patience or time to fiddle with reeds.

So there you have it, expensive little device but will save money in the long run and you will have to go through a LOT of nominal reeds to break even on the cost.

[SuiZen]

I purchased mine a couple of years ago, when I started playing clarinet. I purchased it directly from Ben Armato. Before he would sell one to me, he insisted that I visit his house for some lessons. It was one of the most rewarding learning experiences I've ever had. It really boosted my confidence in reed adjustment. Ben's book "Perfect a Reed and Beyond" is great.

I started playing sax a couple of months ago. I thought the Reed Wizard was just for clarinet reeds. I decided to try it on some reeds that had ceased to play well, and it improved them.

I just checked the booklet that comes with the wizard, and it does indeed state that it's for all single reed instruments.

Bill