Storage
Take your FIBERREED from the mouthpiece after playing and dry it. It
is the best to dry it in the original packing or in a reed case. Do not
leave your FIBERREED on the mouthpiece. The corners of the reed tip
could bend after longer use in direction to the mouthpiece which would
change the response. If this happens anyhow, dry your FIBERREED
carefully for instance on a heater or with a hairdryer. The temperature
should not exceed 80° Celsius (176° Fahrenheit). After this your
FIBERREED should have the original form again.
Cleaning
You can clean your FIBERREED in many ways. Adequate agents are
dishwashing liquid or toothpast. Geeignet sind Geschirrspülmittel oder
Zahnpasta. A desinfection with alcohol or an nontoxic desinfectant is
possible. We recommend this especially if your FIBERREED was used by
others.
After prolonged use...
...it happens that little pieces quarry out at the tip of the reed.
This does not affect the sound and the response normally. You may
smoothen the reed tip by sanding it with a sandpaper grain 1000 in a 90°
angle (like filing finger nails) carefully. Remove as little material
as possible (0,5 mm/0,02 inch). Otherwise your FIBERREED will loose its
harmony and will get too hard.
Working on Fiberreed
You can work on FIBERREED like you do it on a cane reed.
Therefore you need sandpaper grain 500–1000 and for the rougher work
grain 300–400. To make sure that you do not breath grinding swarf you
should use abrasive paper for wet sanding and wet the reeds before you
sand them or wear a mask.
Make a FIBERREED softer
If your FIBERREED doesn’t response well or seems to be too hard you
have to make it thinner. Normally it is sufficient to work on the tip of
the reed. The sound will get a bit brighter thereby. Take a piece of
sanding paper and sand the tip of the reed on the first third of the cut
carefully. After each sanding play your FIBERREED to find out what has
changed. You continue this process until you get the desired result.
If the low register is hard to play you have to work on your
FIBERREED with rougher sandpaper at the rear part of the cut. This is
the last third of the cut where the reed achieves the full thickness and
changes over into the shaft. It is necessary to remove more material to
achieve noticeable result. It is essential here as well to play your
FIBERREED after each sanding.
Make a FIBERREED harder
Take the fine sandpaper with grain 1000 and shorten the tip of the
reed in a 90° degree angle (like filing nails).You may use a reed cutter
as well. But the cutting edge will not be as smooth as before and
should be reworked. You should not shorten more than 1 Millimeter (0,04
Inches) in general because the measures will change too much otherwise
and will not harmonize anymore.
Adjust FIBERREED to the tip of the mouthpiece
Take the fine sandpaper with grain 1000, work in a 90° angle (like filing nails) and bring the reed tip into the desired form.
Make a FIBERREED smaller
Some mouthpieces are smaller than the standard measures. To make your
FIBERREED smaller take it at the shaft and sway it upright on the edge
on sandpaper with grain 500. Take care to hold the reed only at the
shaft. You should never give pressure to the tip half of the reed
because this would change the form of the reed very fast. Cut your reed
on both sides alternating until you reach the desired width. Finally you
round the edges of the reed on the sides with fine sandpaper (grain
1000) at the part of the reed where the lips lay on it.
Lisa C. Delbarton, WV, USA
I've been using the Harry Hartmann Fiberreeds for about 9 or 10 years
now, have only bought 3 reeds during that time. I still had plenty of
life in 2 of them I've been using, but decided to go ahead and order a
spare. Having never tried the "carbon" Fiberreed, I bought this version
and it came in yesterday's mail.
As usual, Harry Hartmann didn't disappoint. Although the reed was
about $24 plus shipping, it was fabulous straight out of the box. I put
it on my mouthpiece and was able to immediately go from the lowest to
the highest notes on my sax without even a hiccup. Best thing about
these reeds (which are seriously way above any synthetic or cane reeds
I've ever tried) is that they are instantly ready and consistent use
after use. They don't warp, dry out, and if they chip, I've found
they're easily repairable by trimming with a good pair of scissors (only
had to do that once, they're actually quite durable to be so flexible).
Their response and tone are just unbelievable, you can bend a note on
its ear and back with one of these reeds.
I can't say enough about them except that I will never, ever go
back to cane reeds, plastic coated reeds and other synthetics. They're
expensive but they pay for themselves in terms of longevity. I've only
thrown away one Fiberreed ever...had it for over five years before
reluctantly chucking it.
Just in case folks have seen them advertised and wondered if they're worth the cost...well, yeah, they really are!
Terry H., Chikago
I am a professional musician in Chicago, Il., USA. I have tried
several brands of synthetic reeds after being frustrated by the
inconsistency of cane reeds. Your Fiberreed was the most comfortable,
best sounding and longest lasting reed that I found. It's great to have
that kind of consistentcy night after night.
Victor Trey, Texas
I have been playing for 25 years on a Selmer Mark VI saxophone. I
have tried different types of reeds. However, a friend of mine from work
recommended a Cordora Fiberreen, I never went back to a cane reed. Try a
medium with almost any facing (mouth piece) and you will get hooked, in
my opinion. Practice daily, Victor.
Patrick Herlehy, Boston
I play in horn sections playing festivals throughout Europe and the
States. Many times I need to cut through poor mixes and over the top
guitars. I sifted through untold boxes of cane reeds and shifted my
focus to fiber reeds as they have the altissimo response needed
in this setting. Harry Hartman reeds stand out as the hands down
winner. It is now October and I'm still playing the same reed that I
broke out in Paris in April. My bandmates all turned their heads at
first sound and said" Whoa Daddy" "Your sound is rockin' homes" I'm now a
devout Hartman fan and cannot return to any other. This player strongly
recommends trying them.