Barnes and Mullins Ltd.

The most Consistent Reed Ever!

07/12/2006

Rico Reserve reeds are the result of more than 75 years of reed-making expertise and a $10 million factory-renovation project spearheaded by J. D’Addario.

The Reserve reeds are made exclusively from lower-internode cane– a technique Rico pioneered that yields the highest-density cane available. The Rico cane used for Reserve reeds is so exceptional that less than five percent of reed cane qualifies for the new Reserve reeds.

Designed for the most demanding players, the Reserve reed, was developed using revolutionary 3-D reed-modelling software. Months of research, blind surveys, and testing with the input of top symphonic musicians has resulted in a winning design.

Each Reserve reed is precisely cut using French cutting techniques on Rico’s newly designed, state-of-the-art reed-manufacturing machines. Special diamond cutters were developed to ensure unparalleled precision and consistency from reed to reed. 

New automated blanking machines have been implemented that incorporate the use of optical lasers that measure the thickness of the reed blank at the heel, centre, and tip to the strictest tolerances in the industry.  Colour video inspection selects the highest quality cane for colour and sorts out any flaws, and state-of-the-art polishing and sanding operations produce a glass-like surface to the reed table to ensure consistency.