how long can you leave an extra reed on a shelf or drawer and still expect it to play when needed?
would the reed tend to last longer if you sound it occasionally by sucking through it? how often? or must you actually play it? if so, how often and for how long?
anything you can do to the bridle to prolong shelf life?
its obviously relevent for those of us who will not be making reeds in the near future and depend on extras for when our good one goes south.
Opinion?
Don’t leave reeds sitting in harm’s way. Place them in a box, empty can of lozenges, long pill bottle.
25 years, give or take 10 years.
Probably no difference, whatever pleases you to verify it’s still working, I’d check it in a chanter and give it a whirl just to compare it to the reed you’ve been using, usually 10-15 minutes to get it warmed up.
Don’t touch the bridal unless you absolutely have to.
I played a chanter yesterday with an original reed, which was made at least 45 years ago, when its maker died. Both still worked great, even after years of sitting unused in an attic.
Take care in making a reed, keep it out of harm’s way, and it can last a very long time.
Don’t store your reeds in cotact with a cardboard box or some papers. The acid in them can be absorbed by the cane and spoil it. This goes for cane tubes as well. Put them in plastic bags before boxing them for storage.
I pack reeds around in tobacco tins. Nicotine is a poison, of course. Makes the reeds smell nice and leathery if you leave 'em in there too long. I usually put in a snchnozz blower (Kleenex) or some bung wipe (TP) as cushioning; any adverse effects there? Maybe I should try the new and improved version, with Aloe Vera…
Comments about storing reeds in absorbent materials like wool and cotton came up before. Since they tend to remove any moisture from things they cover, it may be advisable to seek other materials.
Bruce Childress has it down to a science and wraps reeds in a cellophane like clear material. He sends out reeds in clear plastic tube with removable endcaps.
