I've used one of these for years and it's expensive but worth it! I always use it under running water and it never clogs up. Most reeds warp on the back and this gets them perfectly flat again
I saw the reed geek was $69.00 + ? I purchased a piece of high speed tool steel 1/4”X 1/4”X 2 1/2 “. For $ 2.98 on Amazon. Total with shipping about $ 9.00 . It works like a champ and saved $ 60.00 ! Just saying buddy
Thank you. I used to use one of those and loved it. Then I discovered a particular brand of semi-synthetic reed and never looked back. Keep up the good work. I admire your playing.
Hey A - great vid as usual I just picked one up on Amazon. Can’t wait to try it - my bud who has lots of experience on alto told me reeds can be hit or miss - and as a beginner player, it’s good to know the basics on reed upkeep. Take care man- your vids help more peeps than you know!
I had one years ago. After many uses the glass becomes clogged with reed fibres that you can't clean. Sandpaper on a flat surface. Much better and cheaper solution.
Float glass and micro mesh. Way cheaper. Also did you check how flat the plate is? It will deflect. To be truly subjective you need to do a double blind test. It is well known that you will hear what you expect to hear. Recording what you are playing and then annualizing the sound will give a true indication if anything is happening. I have to say if you can see one reed is thicker than the other, then I would send them back. D'Addario is supposed to tightly control the making process.
I use a sanding block and a glass from a small portrait... With some practice it works fantastic for peanuts... I also have the reed geek which is good for flattening the flat part of the reed and polishing the other side, but expensive. The secret is to flatten the reed so it makes good vacuum with the mouthpiece, and to even and polish the sides of the reed. I wished someone had told me years before...
ALE Reed Balancer is the best reed adjusting tool. And it’s reasonable. It’s not a blade or a piece of glass. Also your sanding the reed with this item witch stuffs the flutes of the reed with sanding dust.
Stuffing the reed with reed dust can be an ideal way of sealing it but you do bring up a good point because some people may not want to do this. I haven't tried the ALE to see how good it can seal a reed yet. I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip
Thanks for checking out my video. I don't post links because I'm not sponsored, or affiliated with shipping companies or retailers. All the links offer a small percentage of the sale to the linker. (at least not yet LOL!!)
My hard rubber Tone Edge Modern Vintage was a bit of an issue and had a weird spot before I tweaked it. That's good to know for the future. Thanks for the info.
@@Sirvalorsax i hear you. The ReedGeek is almost $50. Vandoren and all other companies market their stuff. I thought you were doing marketing for Vandoren. Even if you were, I couldn't let that stand in the way of buying what works. If you're demoing the Vandoren reed preface, I hope you're getting paid. The guy at "bettersax" on RU-vid tested a reedgeek on his friends reeds. Smart add rev based on products you know are solid gives you huge credibility and pays too to support video production. Anyhow it's worth a look.
@@yvoncormier9762 its a thin line. I didnt notice much difference in some of the videos that I've seen with the Reedgeek. I still think sandpaper is the best and the cheapest. If I were to get an endorsement, I'd look to the sandpaper company
@@Sirvalorsax sandpaper is the cheapest cost wise. But if you were willing to try the vandoren kit, which is more expensive than the reedgeek, might as well try it first hand. Dude I was blown away that the Vandoren Reed resurfacing kit cost $56.95. Saw it Comes with a glass stick to fine tune the reed tables. P.s. when it comes to sand paper, I hope all the other sax players have a steady hand and a way to keep the surface even like you do.
For me, the best thing I do is treat the reed with H2O2 and let it air dry.( I spray them with hydrogen peroxide from a mini spray bottle). I don't really like keeping a reed wet for such a long time. For some it works out OK but I want my reeds to dry flat, or even with the table of every mouthpiece I have.
I haven't tried it but I considered buying one instead of the Vandoren. They are priced around the same but I like having the glass plate with both a smooth and a rough side.
ReedGeek vs Vandoren >> If you explore a bit more, you will see that ReedGeek is nothing but the so-called HSS Lathe Tool Cutter Bit; that is, rectangularly shaped piece of High-Speed Steel (HSS) used to make cutting bits for metal- and wood-working. Something like this: www.ebay.com.au/itm/LATHE-TOOL-STEEL-1-4-X-3-SQUARE-HSS-TOOLSTEEL/290732820345 In hardware stores, a fully ground piece of HSS rectangular lathe cutter tool costs $4 to $5, but ReedGeeks charges 10x that price! As with other lathe tools, they become blunt after a while and must be ground again. Most people can't do that at home and will buy another ReedGeek within a year or two. However, Vandoren stick and plate can be washed with warm soapy water, cleaned with a brush and used for, literally, decades. I also think Vanroen stick alone is a better-shaped tool to work on the top of the reed.
