My goal is to make single reeds that are consistent reed-to reed. This stems from the lack of consistency, and the resulting need to rework 99% of all the reeds I buy from commercial sources before I feel comfortable using them on Clarinet or Saxophone.
Every Custom Reed is made from Arundo donax cane sourced from the Var region of France. This cane has been grown, harvested, aged, and purchased directly from growers. Every step in the making of a Custom Reed is performed using specialized tools that were developed, not for production speed, but designed to provide the highest precision and repeatability possible.
The process starts with cane tubes that are trimmed to length, and split into rough blanks. These are planed and become precision blanks only after they are measured and selected for minimal for bow and twist. Typically more than 30% of the blanks are rejected at this point for not meeting straightness requirements.
The reed profiles are generated by a unique profiling instrument, using a series of digital code programs that combined, describe the complex surface profile of the reed. This custom profiling equipment that shapes the surface of the reed is capable of extremely high repeatability, consistently in the range of +/- 6 microns of thickness control, and +/- 0.03 degrees of angular repeatability.
Custom Reeds are processed “to order” in small lots. Each reed is profiled one at a time, with inspections at every step to assure that the reeds you receive will be repeatable and speak with authority.
