The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

barnettrp21122 wrote: Bamboo and thorn density naturally varies, of course. Those that don't pass muster are discarded. Good ones are used down to the nubs!
Bob

These problems are as nothing, compared with the daily battle that oboe and bassoon players go through to get a usable reed! The tubular cane comes from a plant, Arundo donax, the best quality of which is grown in the south of France by a very few families. Obtaining good, seasoned cane is only the beginning of a long process of splitting, gouging, shaping, carving, scraping, trimming, etc., etc. At the end of this process, the percentage of usable (i.e., playable) reeds is distressingly, frustratingly small. Ask me how I know---I'm married to a now happily-retired professional oboist!

Torjazzer wrote:Even when freshly trimmed, they produce the dreaded black dust of death

That's your records being cleaned of debris which previous plays with harder needles knocked off the groove walls!

donniej wrote:A quick google found this...

http://www.soundsofold.com/product/Bamboo5

They seem really expensive but can be sharpened and reused.

Many thanks, donniej, for the suggestion. My shipment of soundsofold needles arrived today and they are great. I have tested them on both orthophonic and acoustic-era machines with very positive results.

Glad they worked out, I'll have to give them a try as well.