Reeds Reed Gouging.

[Tonehole]

So on a members recommendation I bought a Cobalt Carbon steel tool bit off Amazon. It was a little longer at 4 inches but only $10.00CDN. I did a quick mod to the tool as it is razor sharp and have prepped a few new reeds.
I am certian cleaning and flattening will enhance their play to some degree.

I found this video the most informative.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP-zriuTOYw

 

[Tuppertn]

A 2-year supply of reeds just showed up at my door. Price went up by $5/reed since the last time I bought them...2 years ago.

 

[Tonehole]

A 2-year supply of reeds just showed up at my door. Price went up by $5/reed since the last time I bought them...2 years ago.

Just wondering what your total on 3 reeds was?
Seems an Onyx will last the equivalant of about 20 reeds. How do they play as they degrade? I assume they just don't quit all of a sudden.

I have been considering trying an Onyx on soprano to give a bit more power, volume and edge for certian venues instead of a mouthpiece search.

 

[PigSquealer]

Just wondering what your total on 3 reeds was?

They were $35ea USD at their NAMM ‘26 booth. The Anaheim California show in January 2026.

 

[Tuppertn]

39.95USD each direct from Hartmann. They were 34.95USD until very, very recently.

I played a Carbon like the one in the pic for well over a year. Response and playability stayed consistent but the sound lost its brilliance. I didn't even notice at first until I finally opened a new one and immediately got reminded of what they're supposed to sound like.

The Hartmann Carbons were a magic bullet for me. They're expensive, but they don't require any adjusting, no break-in, no soaking, no warm-up. They play the same start to finish, warm or cold, and they're incredibly consistent. I definitely don't miss the process of playing through a box of reeds and fiddling with them to find "a good one".

 

[Tonehole]

So here is the reality in Canada if ordered through Amazon. An insane price unless you are a Potter level player with a recording contract.


I can get a box of 10 Rico 3's for $25.00 if I order in bulk.

So recommendations wanted,

The Carbon is offered much cheaper at 2 for $80.00 CDN so I am going to order M/H and give them a try on tenor. If I order 3 boxes of Rico, trust me when I say I will play all 30 of them as stated and verbally scolded for, I play them right out of the box with no real prep. I killed about 46 reeds last year and played 167 gigs plus practice time so about one a week. Of those hours of play I would say 99% of the time no one cared how nuanced I sounded but me. I will admit it might be nice knowing what I am dealing with in advance each time I play.

I need more volume and power on soprano for my Indian gigs and will try the Carbon for those. I assume if I play them long enough I will darken up and my core sound will dominate as that is what happens with my mouthpieces over time. This happened on soprano when I moved from a Super Session I to a Tone Master 9* it eventually mellowed out. Then I transitioned to a Bari Gold metal 8 which I thought was extreme but am now looking for more punch.

The same outcome when I transitioned from a 8 NY MeYer on alto to an A45.. I now play cocktails on it. Same with the Beechler Bellite on tenor, originally I thought it was insane and no way but now it is tame but can be pushed to extreme when needed.

 

[Tonehole]

I guess I could start a thread on this but lets see where it goes.
So what reed stregnth should I buy if my sweet spot is a Rico 3?

The Onyx = Item number FIB-ONYX-T categories saxophone, tenor saxophone Easy response, warm lows, powerful highs and an easy-to-play high note register. These are the features of the new Onyx Fiberreed.

Carbon = can be used convincingly in any style of music, whether jazz, pop or classical - good response across all registers

So according to this chart the MH is equal to a Rico 3, for those who play them would you agree with this rating?


But the Hartmann site says a M/H is harder than a Rico 4! I find this hard to believe.

Leaf thickness comparison table - Harry Hartmann's Fiberreed

fiberreed.de

This fellow says he gets 10 months of playing out of an Onyx reed before it chips. I would speculate he plays hard as well and blows a lot of air. Old school using a Winslow lig not sure of the mouthpiece.
But he jumped from a M to M/H no problem. So what stregnth are they?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQVbTth0Ngw

 

[PigSquealer]

@Tonehole contact Hartman directly. Ask questions. Be exacting in your needs. Have them send a selection and return what you don’t like. Does L & M carry the product ?

 

[Pete Thomas]

@Tonehole contact Hartman directly. Ask questions. Be exacting in your needs. Have them send a selection and return what you don’t like. Does L & M carry the product ?

Or just look here in the Yardsale where you can buy one very cheap.

 

[Tonehole]

That is a discountinued reed. I want a current one that I can buy repacements for.
But thanks for the heads up.
I reached out directly to Hartmann directly for reed strength varification. 👍

 

[turf3]

I keep thinking this thread is about making oboe and bassoon reeds.

 

[Tuppertn]

I'd say M/S plays like a 2.5 and M plays like a 3. I haven't tried anything harder than M.

 

[mizmar]

I keep thinking this thread is about making oboe and bassoon reeds.

I keep on thinking it's about my first attempts at adjusting reeds 🙁

 

[Tonehole]

So I played on a Forestone #3 Black Bamboo reed using my A45. Plays well, just opened the package put it on and it played.... well. So I will play it until it dies and see what milage I can get out of it. I have a bunch of regualr alto reeds so will have to either sell them or use them.

I have emailed Hartmann once and called twice in an attempt to speak with someone but no such luck.
I picked up two boxes off ZZ , one box one of Greens and about 18 Select Jazz tenor reeds in the basement bundle. 2 Boxes of Pasticover soprano reeds.
So I now have a huge stock of reeds but I now want to try a synthetic on tenor.

I picked up a Durga 2 #8 mouthpiece today and it played easier on a new reed than my Beechler Bellite 8. But the BB played smoother on the used reed from my last gig. I think the Durga has a better or more reed friendly facing.
I will order a Hartmann and and play test to see what the differences are between the two pieces.

The fellow at the estate sale was selling Reed Geeks for $50.00 he had two of three left. Told him I was good.

 

[Tonehole]

How is this possible?
I was about to order some Onyx reeds from the US distributor when this popped up. I ordered M/H 2.75 and it was $0.52 for shipping, no tax? I had to give it a try.

The Forestone alto reed I plucked plays brighter than my Rico but I can warm it up enough to play cocktails on it. I am doing a four hour solo gig today so decided to do it on alto. It would be a chore on tenor or soprano.

The plasticover soprano reeds work but not as good as the Forestone on alto but brighter as well.

I will report back if the Onyx reed is real.

How is it they have a better and a simpler sizing chart then Hartmann?
I have emailed both Germany & the US offices and have not received a reply, called the US number three times now and still no answer.

Also been doing comparison between the 8 Durga II and my Bellite 8 tenor pieces. Very interesting results. I will report later on them.

 

[lydian]

I forget the name, but back in the 70s and 80s I remember a reed brand the gouged a circular plug right out of the heart on the vamp. I tried them back then. The gouging didn't seem to make any difference.

 

[Woodpad]

I often play Esser solo gold old stock german reeds on alto. Think I have around 12 boxes.

 

[Jimmymack]

I forget the name, but back in the 70s and 80s I remember a reed brand the gouged a circular plug right out of the heart on the vamp. I tried them back then. The gouging didn't seem to make any difference.

I bought a box of those during lockdown just for the fun of it. They're ok, at least they play, or at least the two I've bothered with have, after a fashion, but the cane is certainly rough and nothing approaching the quality you get these days. They came in boxes of 25. There's no way to tell if the hole made any difference but I doubt it. The holes are very nicely drilled, They don't seem to have stayed in business very long.

 

[Woodpad]

I forget the name, but back in the 70s and 80s I remember a reed brand the gouged a circular plug right out of the heart on the vamp. I tried them back then. The gouging didn't seem to make any difference.

Vibrator reeds (for saxophone) where made a few years around 1935. The cane on the table was grooved on the outside. It probably made it easier to clamp the reed on the mouthpiece. This invention was patented in China around 2010.

 

[thomsax]

I forget the name, but back in the 70s and 80s I remember a reed brand the gouged a circular plug right out of the heart on the vamp. I tried them back then. The gouging didn't seem to make any difference.

I bought a box of those during lockdown just for the fun of it. They're ok, at least they play, or at least the two I've bothered with have, after a fashion, but the cane is certainly rough and nothing approaching the quality you get these days. They came in boxes of 25. There's no way to tell if the hole made any difference but I doubt it. The holes are very nicely drilled, They don't seem to have stayed in business very long.

I played some drilled reeds back in the 70's and 80's and I liked them. If I remember right Saxgourmeth sold drilled reeds ???Maybe it was just a feeling/imagination that helped me to blow a little bit better? I missed the drilled reeds so I started to drill myself. I still have some older drilled reeds and I tried to copy the old reeds. I got best result with un unfiled reed like La Voz, Java V16 .... . But even a french file cut reed like Plasticover, Rico Royal can be drilled .... . The drill machine must be good and drilling rather slow, Sharp drills that drills a flat hole (bottom) and good jig to place the reed. You need diffent sizes of the drills and jigs. I just drill tenor and baritone reeds. I don't play alto anymore. And on sopranao reeds a drill hole doesn't make any differnce to me. It's easier to blow low tones and they comes better. Drill reeds helps me to blow in a more soft and even way with less effort from me.

Here is a picture of an alto reed with drill hole. You can see the light through the hole.




Now. Don't do this. It's just for the "confirmed doer". You will probably ruin many reeds before you got one ready to play.