Reed Construction Features

*Clark Bassoon Reeds are made from French and Spanish cane gouged, shaped and profiled in my shop.

*All reeds are scored and beveled. Reeds are thread wrapped and finished with two coats of Duco cement and one coat of nail polish.  Wrapping will not come off unless you cut it off.

*Reeds undergo a three-stage finishing process, with drying in-between stages, from blank to finished reed.  The result is a stable, finished, reed.

Professional finishing is the difference at Clark Bassoon Reeds.  There are no grades of soft, medium and hard.  Each reed is finished for optimum tone and response on my Fox 601 bassoon.

Select your style of reed from the following choices and buy at the Order Reeds and Cane link above:

       Style A            Style B         Style C

           color - red                  color - black         color - black & red

                              New Style R reed

                           color - black and white

                                  

                            Newest Style D reed

                                   color - black and white

                                  

I use Style A reeds for most of my playing.  A relaxed embochure works best with this type of reed. 

 

For those who prefer more embochure control and more cane in their reed I make Style B.  Style B has a wider tip and thicker profile.

Style C has the same profile as B but I cut the length one millimeter shorter before finishing.  The embochure pressure required is between the A and B reeds.

Style R is the popular Rieger 1a shape now made from Clark Bassoon Reed gouged, shaped and profiled cane that is formed and finished by Dr. Clark.

Style D reed has the Rieger 1A shape but the style A profile and wire dimensions.  This reed is for those who like the style a profile but want a little wider reed. 

 

Dimensions:

Style A and D: From butt to first wire is 25mm, second wire is 16 mm, third wire is 5mm, and from first wire to tip is 28mm.

Style B: From butt to first wire is 27mm, second wire is 18 mm, third wire is 5mm, and from first wire to tip is 30mm.

Style C and Style R: From butt to first wire is 27mm, second wire is 18mm, third wire is 5mm, and from first wire to tip is 29mm.

The only dimension that I vary occasionally is the tip may be cut a little shorter depending on the softness of the cane.