Hi Kaleb, loose sides at the tip is usually the gouge but you might try a different shape. The Mack tip usually holds strong sides regardless of the gouge especially the original Pfeiffer tip. Or try tying the reed slightly longer. Sometimes side slipping the reed more will also help.

I find really interesting how in the American school people work very hard in the scrape. In many big school in Europe, teachers just tell to the students to buy a machine and work as less as possible by hands

What is your opinion on the tightness of the sides of the tip? I’ve been having lots of trouble making up to pitch reeds due to loose sides of the tip, and I’m not sure whether it’s the cane, gouge or shape that’s causing that.

@nomorebushz

2 жыл бұрын

Are you tying the reeds at same length from the same batch of cane that you gouge yourself? Staples sometimes make a difference too. I’ve tied many hundreds of Reeds and maybe one out of every 100 Reeds has blades that are loose at the tip. Depending on your shaper tip, you might try tying at 72.5 mm. I use tight quality control with my cane. My cane needs to be straight as well, if it has a contour one way or the other that can affect the opening. I worked with John Ellis a few times and he would put the staple on the mandrel tip and take flat needle nose pliers and confirm that the staple had its proper shape to the mandrel. I’ve made a habit of doing that for decades now and my aperture tips turn out Very consistent. Good luck and tie on a new piece of cane :-)

@nomorebushz

2 жыл бұрын

.. more thought on pitch, wait until later to finish the very back and windows leaving bark near the thread.. The longer deeper the scrape in the back/spine, can lower the pitch, so maintain the spine towards the back. Pierre is right about each piece of cane is different. I also use cane that is at least 2 to 3 years old. Very stable consistent reeds. I use the RDG gouger(waaaaay before Pierre designed his beauty) 60/45. I like 58/43 with some cane. Pierre has discussed a thinner gouge before. Also, if you thin the rails, make sure to do all 4 rails gently/equally! Once even one rail is too thin, I believe that will ruin the pitch and stability of the reed. That will make your embouchure work a lot harder if you need to play that reed. Easy blowing but flat, will wear you out just as much as a resistant reed.