Several people have asked me for my opinion on how a reed room should be set up. So, today, I took pictures of my reed room and thought it'd be fun to share them here.

• If at all possible, I think it is beneficial to have a dedicated space for reed making. I am very fortunate in that I have a separate room in our home that is my dedicated studio space. While not everyone has that, I think that having a space that is dedicated to reed making and/or practicing is very important. For years, I shared an office with my partner and we had to work in shifts. I've even had a desk in my bedroom when I was younger dedicated just to reed making. If the space can't be private, I recommend a secretary-style desk (with a roll top) or something that can contain your work so pets, people, and other disasters don't disturb your reed making. I've had a ceiling fan blow cane off my desk on to the floor that was consequently repurposed for dog chew toys...Below you can see how my desks are setup in the room. Ignore the Clue games...my studio doubles as my nerd cave!

After much frustration and waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting), I finally received my MD Reed Profiler in late May (not in time to profile reeds for my Detroit Opera audition, but in time for summer tinkering). 


Things I like about the MD Reed Profiler

1. The profiler has adjustable settings which alter the slope of the bed. This was the main reason I bought this profiler over, say, a Reeds n' Stuff or Reiger profiler. Because I play between three climates annually, I like to have the flexibility to make cane which will make reeds that respond well and change less dramatically depending on where I'm going. For instance, I play in Phoenix during the summers which is challenging due to the extreme heat and the drop in elevation in comparison to Las Vegas (Phoenix = 1080ft whereas LV = 2030ft). I will sometimes gig in the Los Angeles area which means another drop in elevation (I play around LA, so the elevation is anywhere between 223ft to 1300ft) and the humidity changes the closer I get to the ocean---a phenomena not experience in Phoenix or Vegas for obvious reasons. The adjustments on the bed are easy and can be standardized based on what I need the cane I'm processing to do.
2. The price point is really manageable for someone on a budget. I got the standard blue color (though for a fee you can get a custom color), so with shipping and everything the total came out to be roughly $650...which wen compared to other profilers on the market is a steal. The next cheapest profiler I know of is the Maxwell Profiler which is around $800. I was pleased to discover that the low price point didn't mean a skimp on quality or craftsmanship.
3. The barrel of the profiler has indentations for use with MD shapers. I don't use an MD shaper, but I like the indentations it makes in the cane because I can more easily distinguish cane I've processed from cane I have not. I still use commercially prepared G/S/P cane (through either Barton Cane or Red Rock Reeds), so the markings are a great way to tell my cane apart from theirs (and it won't wash off in the soaking process like a pencil).

Things I don't like about the MD Reed Profiler

1. So far, I can honestly say there isn't anything I don't like about the MD Reed Profiler.