Forum of the Saxes

CMelodyMan · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:21 pm Post subject: Softening Hard reeds

I bought a box of 50 #5 reeds off a site for $12 thinking that I could soften them to a desired, softer strength. I looked at Pete Thomas's website on how to soften reeds, I tried his method, and it didn't work. Any tips?

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JPSaxMan · Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 3:23 pm Post subject:

Shave some of it off with a reed knife? Or is that what the website said?

Softening reeds usually means just soaking them prior to use. Not actually cutting down the size of the reed Confused

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sigmund · Guest

Try reed drilling. It will permit the use of heavier reeds and still have the bottom speak easier. Check under Bootman Reed drilling on the web. He wrote a nice article and gets press for it but its an old proceess, before his time. Works well though.

reisio · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 177 Location: Florida

Decent music stores have little sticks called "reed rush" which can be used for sanding them down - which is what you'll have to do...I doubt any amount of soaking will put much of a dent in a 5. Some form of normal sandpaper would probably work, but reed rush is the traditional way.

The ones I have at the moment are from Leblanc, so if you can't find them locally, you can probably get them one way or another from www.gleblanc.com .

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

Cutting the reed makes it harder. As for the reed drilling, you might as well try (www.bootmanmusic.com), but I highly doubt it would be enough of a change to allow you to use #5's.
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altosax4ever · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:23 pm Post subject: WTF?

HOW THE H*** DID YOU GET 50 REEDS FOR $12?????!!!!!

I PAY $20 FOR 10!!!!! Evil or Very Mad

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CMelodyMan · Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: WTF?

Altosaxophonerules · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 130 Location: Canada

clearence maybe? I only know 2 ppl who prefer using 5's.The 2 are beginners who think the higher the number the better they are. I'm suprised they manage to get a sound out of it. As to softening reeds, I soften my reeds sometimes by using some sandpaper and shave the middle part of the reed down.

cannonball_phil · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 13

I use 3.5 reeds but other sax players tell me to go up to a 4.5 I'm not sure if I should take the advice actually i'm kinda afraid to make the transition because I heard they're kinda hard to play on I might as well go to 5, but they say I play to loud even for a size 8 mouth piece. what should I do make it or not?
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