Thoughts on the Dream Gouger

I’ve been using the Dream gouger (specifically the pro model) almost exclusively for the last ~8 months. I've made some phenomenal reeds on it, as well as some complete duds. I know there is quite a lot of discourse surrounding the machine, so I thought I would chime in with my own thoughts

Primarily, this is a very heavy gouge. It has been nearly impossible for me to make a reed that is extremely light to the likes I would be able to with a Ross or Opus 1 machine. However, that has its benefits. The slow taper of the gouge really allows me to scrape large amounts of cane out of the reed without the pitch dropping. In turn, this gives me immense refinement over the sound and feel of the reed. Also, I am able to make much larger sounding reeds, something I’ve desperately been trying to achieve for years. 

I have also noticed my cane selection for this machine is much different compared to other machines. In my experience, the dream gouge demands a piece on the softer side. Because of how strong and resistant the gouge is, a softer piece gives way to more vibration without it collapsing like it would on a typical gouge. The machine is known for cane cracking on its way out. Using softer cane largely reduces this problem, to the point where it is nearly a non factor for me. I have found using Alliaud cane gives me by far the best results. 

Perhaps the biggest point of intrigue with the dream gouge is the ease of gouging. Because of how temperamental reeds and cane are, I do not like gouging large amounts of cane at once for fear of it not working come drastic weather change. With the dream gouge gouging just a few pieces takes seconds, and Is a huge quality of life improvement. 

I’ve hit walls with the machine that have made the use of it frustrating, but I think having one as a backup machine or just one to use in conjunction with something else is great. I’ve really enjoyed it for principal playing, as I get so much sound output in the reeds. A more played in reed on it can also be great for 2nd oboe playing as well. 

One thing I am curious in trying is more extensive use of the original model, not the pro. The pro model has seen more backlash, particularly since you can not swap the blades out. Adjusting the curve while keeping it symmetrical is nearly impossible.

Shoutout to my gf Susannah