Product Description

Newly developed materials and a unique design A reed to answer players’ rigorous demands Enjoy the accomplishment of 30 years of research.

Forestone reeds are constructed using cellulose fiber-reinforced polypropylene resin. This lesser known material is created by abstracting cellulose fiber from wood pulp and uniformly mixing it with polypropylene resin using unique technology. In recent years, this material is being utilized in various different areas and its applications are steadily becoming more recognized as environmental standards are rising worldwide.

Forestone emphasizes materials possessing attributes of elasticity. After numerous trials, we were successful in developing the optimal reed for use with woodwind instruments by mixing various woods. The solution was bamboo. Cellulose fibers extracted from bamboo uniformly makes up over 50% of the wood used in Forestone reeds. In producing Forestone reeds, we maintained the advantages of a plastic reed, including durability and cleanliness, while also creating a reed that enhances response time, giving players a dynamic range of play from PP to FF.

Forestone reeds are manufactured using injection molding. Injection molding is a method where a heated material is poured into a metal mold and hardened to give it shape. Until present, this method was considered unsuitable for manufacturing reeds. However, dramatic technological advancements have made it possible for our company to use injection molding to accurately mold a reed of a mere 0.1mm all the way to the tip. We have adopted a manufacturing method that allows for little comparison to the cutting method of reed manufacturing and fully draws on the greatest merit of plastic reeds – their uniformity.

The qualities of this new material and remarkable molding technology have brought flexible ideas to the design of Forestone reeds. We did not merely use the design of natural cane reeds. Forestone completed a unique reed design that utilizes the benefits of a plastic reed by assigning concrete functions to each part of the reed.

1. The tip of Forestone Reeds
   

   The most characteristic section of our reed is part A, the tip, which measures approximately 1 mm. The oscillator was assigned a consistent thickness of 0.10 mm. This is a design impossible for natural cane reeds. Nevertheless, stable vibration was created by specifically restricting the oscillator and giving it the optimal thickness.

2. The tips supporting part
   The second part, (B), of a Forestone Reed supports the tip. This part of the Forestone reed affects the thickness of the sound and sensation when playing, and is also very important for pitch and volume control. In order to provide you with a reed that is sensitive to subtle vibrations and flexibly responds to sharp breaths as well, the balance of this section’s shape and resilience was emphasized the most. Continuous research based on a large number of prototypes has realized a design with wide-ranging capabilities and one that effectively utilizes the oscillator’s vibrations to the greatest extent possible.
   
3. Body sustention
   The third part of a Forestone reed is set outside of the embouchure when playing and supports the whole body. It impacts the stiffness of a reed. We have altered the stiffness of our reeds by adjusting this base section, while maintaining the flexibility of the oscillator. You can choose a reed with the stiffness that best fits you.

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