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Just wondering if anyone has tried The Ultimate (Reed Sculpting Tool) from RS Berkeley and if it works?
https://www.rsberkeley.com/the-ultimate
https://www.rsberkeley.com/the-ultimate
The Ultimate (Reed Sculpting Tool)
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My Ultimate Reed Sculpting Tool is a small penknife.
Not very interesting, or very expensive, but it's worked well for the last 40 years.
Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of marketeering opportunities in "use this thing that you undoubtedly already have lying around the house".
Not very interesting, or very expensive, but it's worked well for the last 40 years.
Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of marketeering opportunities in "use this thing that you undoubtedly already have lying around the house".
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You mean like in case you're at a gig, and someone calls a tune in a "bad key"? lol
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I think perhaps you're right. The question is, what are the techniques needed to do the job properly? I think it's time I start experimenting on the pile of useless reeds I have lying around. I got plenty of knives and lots of time...
I expect the Larry Teal book has some information on reed adjustment? Honestly, I don't know. I learned this stuff a long time ago and I have no idea where I read the information, but with the amount of information readily accessible nowadays, I can't believe you wouldn't be able to find a reed adjustment reference pretty easily. And I would also expect multiple You Tuba videos as well.
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It appears that it might be useful getting under the rim of jam jars to get out the last delicious bits that a regular spoon can't Also it might be good for scooping out grapefruit sections. However I would buy it just for those reasons or its proposed purpose either.
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Jay Metcalf at Better Sax just put out a video on reed adjustment. He uses the Reed Geek for flattening the reed, but the part about adjusting the side rails and the tip to balance the reed's response is spot on. He also shows the areas to adjust with a simple picture of a reed with a "V" superimposed, showing where it is safe to sand on your reed.
I think the video is good, but save the $60 on the reed geek and just sand those areas lightly with 400 grit sandpaper (or 600 grit if you are afraid of ruining the reed). If you want to flatten the reed, put some 600 grit sandpaper on a flat piece of glass or a marble tile or something.
The best way to check balance (not in Jay's video) is to play the mouthpiece on the neck alone, and twist the mouthpiece side to side in your mouth so one side is pressed into your lip. The other side is the one you are testing; just blow a nice mezzo-forte, do a crescendo-diminuendo or two, to check response, then turn the other way. Adjust the side that's hard or stuffy or dead sounding. Jay judges this by looking at the reed in a strong light; I have found this to be not very accurate - sometimes the side that looks thick plays better.
Nothing will tell you how a reed plays better than playing the reed
I think the video is good, but save the $60 on the reed geek and just sand those areas lightly with 400 grit sandpaper (or 600 grit if you are afraid of ruining the reed). If you want to flatten the reed, put some 600 grit sandpaper on a flat piece of glass or a marble tile or something.
The best way to check balance (not in Jay's video) is to play the mouthpiece on the neck alone, and twist the mouthpiece side to side in your mouth so one side is pressed into your lip. The other side is the one you are testing; just blow a nice mezzo-forte, do a crescendo-diminuendo or two, to check response, then turn the other way. Adjust the side that's hard or stuffy or dead sounding. Jay judges this by looking at the reed in a strong light; I have found this to be not very accurate - sometimes the side that looks thick plays better.
Nothing will tell you how a reed plays better than playing the reed
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The two videos at the bottom of the page cited in the OP are a start. I have to believe that whatever techniques might be used are more important than the tool used to apply them . . .
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...Harbor Freight.
Sells "Reed Geek" tools in a small box, for about 6 dollars. and oh yeah, you get like 5 pieces, with stainless machined edges.
BTW, all of these guys that start flattening the backs of reeds never stop and check to see if it needs flattening before they start removing material, in the videos. You first look for left to right differences in light "shaving"; if none, don't do anything.
Also, if you check a dry reed you're wasting your time. As the reed swells, the concavity/convexity will show up, not before. They never mention that either.
I don't get how this very simple concepts are always missed.
Sells "Reed Geek" tools in a small box, for about 6 dollars. and oh yeah, you get like 5 pieces, with stainless machined edges.
BTW, all of these guys that start flattening the backs of reeds never stop and check to see if it needs flattening before they start removing material, in the videos. You first look for left to right differences in light "shaving"; if none, don't do anything.
Also, if you check a dry reed you're wasting your time. As the reed swells, the concavity/convexity will show up, not before. They never mention that either.
I don't get how this very simple concepts are always missed.
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I'm sure Harbor Freight doesn't market them as reed adjusting tools. So what are they called? Are they on their website?
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Thanks!
Conn NW II Soprano, NW I Alto, 10M Tenor, NW I C Melody & Allora Bari.
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Everything I've tried so far on bad reeds hasn't made any difference. Sandpaper makes them feel softer and the reed trimmer makes them shorter and feel a little harder. In each case the reed didn't improve any. They still sounded horrible! I've never noticed a problem with reeds being uneven etc. As a result I can't justify spending the money on the Reed Geeks or what ever else they're called.
I've heard about how the heart of the reed is supposed to be"V" shaped etc. But I've had reeds that looked like they have a perfectly shaped heart and still have that reedy, buzzy bright sound. Also had some that had a "^" shaped heart and had the best tone, sound ever. Other times it would be the exact opposite.
Never noticed any playability issues with any reed just tone quality. I don't play jazz, just classical music.
But for the Harbor Freight prices I'll give it a shot. 🙂
Thanks High Fly and Datsaxman.
I've heard about how the heart of the reed is supposed to be"V" shaped etc. But I've had reeds that looked like they have a perfectly shaped heart and still have that reedy, buzzy bright sound. Also had some that had a "^" shaped heart and had the best tone, sound ever. Other times it would be the exact opposite.
Never noticed any playability issues with any reed just tone quality. I don't play jazz, just classical music.
But for the Harbor Freight prices I'll give it a shot. 🙂
Thanks High Fly and Datsaxman.
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That all being said, I have a question/conundrum/hypothesis.
Reed strength, as determined by the reed manufacturer, is based on the stiffness that each reed "ends up" at in the mfgring process. I suspect its somewhat randomn; but it is NOT related to thinness of the reed. A 4 as measured is, as I understand it, the SAME thickness as a 2 for any given make and model, at all places along the profile (the shaved part of the reed).
So, what is likely causing that degree of low or med or high stiffness? Is it the stuff on the surface of the reed, or, is it what is more toward the center of the reed. By center I don't mean left to right, I mean at the middle depth of the reed; front to back if you will. That is where I suspect the real core of the reeds behavior comes from; literally as well.
So, while we're all busy messing with reeds to improve them, by removing the surface (not the core) are we mostly mucking things up? Barking up the wrong tree? Answering the wrong question? Performing an appendectomy on a heart patient? Eating ice cream instead of vegetables????
OK, well what I mean is. I suspect that reed "fixing" is a lot of voodoo. I do it, and do it with all the requisite delicacy and smartness proscribed, and most of the time its a crapshoot as to the final outcome. Better? Worse? Different So Seems Better?
A friend of mine is working on The Worlds First Great Synthetic Reed. When that happens (or has D'darrio done it already?) this all will go away. If you're holding your breath, due to COVID 19 or waiting for WFGSR, you may pass out. Don't hit your head.
Reed strength, as determined by the reed manufacturer, is based on the stiffness that each reed "ends up" at in the mfgring process. I suspect its somewhat randomn; but it is NOT related to thinness of the reed. A 4 as measured is, as I understand it, the SAME thickness as a 2 for any given make and model, at all places along the profile (the shaved part of the reed).
So, what is likely causing that degree of low or med or high stiffness? Is it the stuff on the surface of the reed, or, is it what is more toward the center of the reed. By center I don't mean left to right, I mean at the middle depth of the reed; front to back if you will. That is where I suspect the real core of the reeds behavior comes from; literally as well.
So, while we're all busy messing with reeds to improve them, by removing the surface (not the core) are we mostly mucking things up? Barking up the wrong tree? Answering the wrong question? Performing an appendectomy on a heart patient? Eating ice cream instead of vegetables????
OK, well what I mean is. I suspect that reed "fixing" is a lot of voodoo. I do it, and do it with all the requisite delicacy and smartness proscribed, and most of the time its a crapshoot as to the final outcome. Better? Worse? Different So Seems Better?
A friend of mine is working on The Worlds First Great Synthetic Reed. When that happens (or has D'darrio done it already?) this all will go away. If you're holding your breath, due to COVID 19 or waiting for WFGSR, you may pass out. Don't hit your head.
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You are correct in your suspicion / assumption. The difference is due to the inherent springiness of the reed material, and it varies widely from reed to reed, even from the same stalk of cane.
This fact is the reason that I test reeds by ** PLAYING THEM **, using the side-to-side balance check. Then I sand the side that's harder until both sides match in response and tone. I don't bother looking at the reed through the light, or "testing" it with my thumbnail, or any other nonsense. Once the reed plays well, it goes into my case, and stays there as long as it can. No breaking in, no soaking, no humidity packs, no leaving it submerged under full moon light in pure unadulterated white wolf pee, nothing. Play it (in rotation) until it dies, then get another one out of the box.
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Yeah that testing with finger pressure was laughable, in the video. The reed wasn't even squared up coming off his index finger...it came off at an angle making the response/give inherently "off".
I do find a fair amount of backs of reeds that are high on one side or both sides, or the middle that is worth flattening. I mean if its significant, and the lig doesn't compensate for that (highly tighened?) then some air will probably find its was down through, out the table. Is that even a big deal tho??
Anyway, yeah. Lots of voodoo. I just don't like crinkle wavy warped tips, which I get unless I use humidity control method or packs. I want a stable reed, quicker, ready to play. Until that tip gets back to flat, its unplayable.
Oh, yeah, and they are too damn expensive
I do find a fair amount of backs of reeds that are high on one side or both sides, or the middle that is worth flattening. I mean if its significant, and the lig doesn't compensate for that (highly tighened?) then some air will probably find its was down through, out the table. Is that even a big deal tho??
Anyway, yeah. Lots of voodoo. I just don't like crinkle wavy warped tips, which I get unless I use humidity control method or packs. I want a stable reed, quicker, ready to play. Until that tip gets back to flat, its unplayable.
Oh, yeah, and they are too damn expensive
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Flattening the back is good. Harbor Freight or Amazon have equivalent tools for this, for quite a bit less money...
I used to live in Massachusetts, Cambridge and Arlington. Humidity is an issue there, but wavy tips happen everywhere. When I get one I just plop the reed in a glass of water, or hold it under the tap for a minute. If it persists, and the curtain is going up, then I press it flat on the mouthpiece table with my thumb. It straightens out.
I used to live in Massachusetts, Cambridge and Arlington. Humidity is an issue there, but wavy tips happen everywhere. When I get one I just plop the reed in a glass of water, or hold it under the tap for a minute. If it persists, and the curtain is going up, then I press it flat on the mouthpiece table with my thumb. It straightens out.
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