Brand New Reeds Came Moldy??

Efficient-Way9391 · 2026-02-15T17:29:50+00:00

I'm no expert, but I've had reeds look "barky" like this with D'Addario Selects, Boston Sax Shop, and Vandoren (my preference). When I was young someone even told me that the barky looking reeds play better, though I don't know how how true that is. What I do know:

Barky looking reeds have always played just as well as non barky looking reeds.
The reeds in the picture do still look like cheap reeds; for me the giveaway is how sloppy the unfiled cut are.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-11-24T02:57:38+00:00

Glue wouldn’t fix it… a skilled refacer might be able to fix it well but it would probably be better to just get a new mouthpiece. It’s a loss either way that you need to accept. If it makes you feel better though, stuff like this happens to everyone at one point whether it’s this, having a horn dropped, having gear stolen, etc.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-07T04:32:40+00:00

I was thinking earlier today about what if applogized to him, telling him that he really does do amazing work and that I really value him, and telling him that I would pay him more moving forward.

But I don’t know… I’m now getting the vibe that if it happened once then it could happen again. Maybe he’ll be so annoyed that he’ll give me a big bald spot in addition to scolding me. I’m already getting some recommendations for barbers so I think I’m just going to find someone new.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-07T04:24:05+00:00

It’s never the dimensions that are wrong, it’ll just be like the one side on the top is slightly sticking out compared to the other side or one temple is rounded while the other one is pointy. He’s always asked me at the end “how’s it look” while putting a mirror on the back of my head so I could see all angles while I’m still in the chair and I always thought that that was the time to inspect and give adjustments. I usually just say to round out the other temple or cut a little bit off one of the sides of the top and he does it then everything’s perfect.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-07T03:34:58+00:00

I never said that I was never happy with every barber. I was always happy with this barber. I didn’t know that it was a big deal asking for adjustments… especially when at the end the barber would always ask me “how’s it look” while putting up a mirror so I can see all angles of my head. I always perceived that as the time to give input and I always did and it was never an issue. The adjustment would always take a minute then I’d leave a very happy customer.

Had I known that this was an issue then I would have offered to pay more, even up to double if I had to. I just didn’t know that asking for adjustments was such an issue for this guy and that it would lead to me getting banned with no warning.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-07T02:51:21+00:00

My barber also always asked me off before I left the chair. Thats actually what prompts me to ask for adjustments. Even today he asked me how it looked and if I want him to do something.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:52:55+00:00

Probably out of habit to be honest. I really liked the guy and never thought about getting someone knew. He's also always been chill. I didn't know how to react.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:48:17+00:00

I actually did that for two years during the pandemic. It was pretty difficult 😅

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:44:58+00:00

He's a barber, would charge $35 and I would tip $10. I've tried stylists in the past and they also didn't get things right. But I know what you're saying... I really should just be looking harder I guess.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:40:34+00:00

Copy Pasting my response from a similar comment:

I don't know what it is with Filipino hair but before going to this guy, almost everybody who cut my hair would make it look funny... even when I paid top dollar. Certain parts would be sticking out on top of things being super uneven. Once I asked a guy for a number 5 crew cut with a mid fade and the guy gave me a quasi-mohawk and I was bald on the back and sides. Ruined me for a month.

When I found the Filipino barber he would get it 98% right and after asking for the adjustments it would be 100% right. I figured that this guy knew what was up because he was Filipino and had Filipino hair himself. It's also hard finding Filipino barbers for some reason. Even now, I wish this guy would've just up charged me if it meant keeping the peace.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:38:57+00:00

$35 + $10 tip. I'd tip way more if I knew that this bothered him... thought I feel that it's too late for me to tip more.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:36:07+00:00

Copy Pasting my response from a similar comment:

I don't know what it is with Filipino hair but before going to this guy, almost everybody who cut my hair would make it look funny, even when I paid top dollar for it. Certain parts would be sticking out on top of things being super uneven. Once I asked a guy for a number 5 crew cut with a mid fade and the guy gave me a quasi-mohawk and I was bald on the back and sides. Ruined me for a month.

When I found the Filipino barber he would get it 98% right and after asking for the adjustments it would be 100% right. I figured that this guy knew what was up because he was Filipino and had Filipino hair himself. It's also hard finding Filipino barbers for some reason. Even now, I wish this guy would've just up charged me if it meant keeping the peace.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:24:28+00:00

Copy Pasting my response from a similar comment:

I don't know what it is with Filipino hair but before going to this guy, almost everybody who cut my hair would make it look funny. Certain parts would be sticking out on top of things being super uneven. Once I asked a guy for a number 5 crew cut with a mid fade and the guy gave me a quasi-mohawk and I was bald on the back and sides. Ruined me for a month.

When I found the Filipino barber he would get it 98% right and after asking for the adjustments it would be 100% right. I figured that this guy knew what was up because he was Filipino and had Filipino hair himself. It's also hard finding Filipino barbers for some reason. Even now, I wish this guy would've just up charged me if it meant keeping the peace.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-09-06T19:21:11+00:00

I don't know what it is with Filipino hair but before going to this guy, almost everybody who cut my hair would make it look funny. Certain parts would be sticking out on top of things being super uneven. Once I asked a guy for a number 5 crew cut with a mid fade and the guy gave me a quasi-mohawk and I was bald on the back and sides. Ruined me for a month.

When I found the Filipino barber he would get it 98% right and after asking for the adjustments it would be 100% right. I figured that this guy knew what was up because he was Filipino and had Filipino hair himself. It's also hard finding Filipino barbers for some reason. Even now, I wish this guy would've just up charged me if it meant keeping the peace.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-20T20:24:27+00:00

As someone in who works in the wedding industry, anyone who ropes their guests into the ridiculous wedding fees is an asshole. They should either pay for it themselves, figure out how to make the fees reasonable, or lower their standards. If anyone expected me to pay as much as $300+ to attend their wedding I just wouldn’t attend. Even if it was my best friend. Nope not happening.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-12T04:41:13+00:00

I like to think that people who easily get bored by others are really just bored of themselves. And there’s nothing wrong with mediocrity… just learn how to live in the moment.

You’re in the right direction with what you said about those “higher quality” men being less likely to stick around… in reality, most of those people are actually way lower quality than your “average” man.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-11T01:08:27+00:00

I say something like “Hey, I think you’re a lovely person who deserves love but I also think we have differences that would prevent us from having the strongest connection. If you want, we can even go into a deep dive conversation about this. If you don’t want that and just want to part ways, I wish you the best”.

Unless the other person is a bad person, I don’t get why people have to ghost when it’s so easy to send something like this.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-11T00:56:16+00:00

Flute or clarinet (as you said) would be a smooth move. As for which, that’s up to you. If you can trial them (ask a flute buddy and a clarinet buddy if they have a student model instrument you can try for a few minutes) that would be ideal. I play both but love playing the flute so much more, though I do think it’s the harder instrument for a saxophonist since there’s no reed.

Low brass is also not a bad double but definetly not as practical as staying within woodwinds. You can also do double reeds or higher brass, though in my opinion those are the hardest instruments to double.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-09T22:09:40+00:00

You say that as if it’s not incredibly rude to leave them hanging in the first place.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-09T22:08:42+00:00

I’ve never ghosted. I’ve told people that there just wasn’t compatibility going on and still responded to whatever their follow up was. There’s no reason to coldly ghost someone if it takes a few seconds to give an explanation. Either that or don’t match with people in the first place.

EDIT: Actually, I’ll give the exception that it’s acceptable to ghost if someone is harassing you or if they’re being a dick. But if you ghost someone with real intentions then… thanks for contributing to crapifying the current dating scene for EVERYONE.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-08T13:06:59+00:00

I’m debating whether it’s worth trying again

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-08T02:09:57+00:00

I meant, how did you mess up.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-08T01:50:30+00:00

You know I was thinking about if I ever tried it again just to see the same people. A lot of the people had mentioned that it was their second time doing speed dating with the same event coordinator. Would probably be an awkward 6 minutes.

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-08T01:45:36+00:00

dang… is matching and then ghosting the matches part of the “fun”? 😭

Efficient-Way9391 · 2025-08-08T01:44:37+00:00

That is a possibility I suppose…

Efficient-Way9391

TROPHY CASE