From master hand for a master hand
How was
LnK Reeds
A passion for music brought two different worlds together: Leitner & Kraus, a renowned clarinet manufacturer, and neo-plastic, a technology company in the plastics industry. This connection led to the founding of LnK Reeds. Tradition and innovation unite to redefine the world of woodwind instruments.
The story begins with Hubertus Franckenstein and Wolfgang Kraus. Hubertus plays the piano and saxophone with great joy. Wolfgang is a dedicated clarinet maker. Hubertus would love to play plastic reeds, but the sound of a wooden reed remains unmatched. Wolfgang seeks perfection in the clarinet sound and suffers from the uncertainties that wooden reeds bring.
Driven by their longing for the warm sound of a wooden reed and their pursuit of the best possible sound performance, Hubertus and Wolfgang founded LnK Reeds. They combined the clarinet manufacturing expertise of Leitner & Kraus with the technological expertise of neo plastic.
Specifically, Leitner & Kraus contributed an understanding of the intricacies of a reed and how it creates sound, while neo-plastic added expertise in plastic materials and processes. Their shared goal was to develop reeds that are best-in-class for professional musicians and that provide beginners with the fastest tonal success.
It was a difficult path full of challenges. Initial attempts were not very successful, but with determination and perseverance, after five years of development, the perfect and now patented material was found: harmless and stable in shape, with a patented reed geometry, and wonderful sound characteristics combined with the advantages of a plastic reed.
But the story didn't end there. At a trade fair in Nuremberg, Hubertus Franckenstein spoke with Stephan Pieger about the possibility of using the new material for the production of oboe ears.
Stephan has run an oboe shop in Munich's Westend district for many years. He was enthusiastic about the idea of developing reeds that work reliably and solve all the problems oboists face with their mouthpieces in everyday life:
Wooden reeds are very sensitive to all kinds of external circumstances, such as the weather or the varying conditions when playing in a concert hall, orchestra pit, or at home... They should always be smooth and have a beautiful tone.
Thanks to the innovative material from neo-plastic and the know-how of LnK Reeds, a first promising prototype was soon developed and meticulously refined into our finished oboe reed.
neo-plastic
“For more than 50 years, we have been dedicated to the perfect combination of material and form.
Our performance principle for
We call your success: Performance in Plastics.”
Hubertus Franckenstein
Managing Partner neo-plastic
Leitner & Kraus
Josef Leitner and Wolfgang Kraus founded their company in 1993 with a passion for clarinet making and innovative ideas. An improvised basement workshop became a company that combines traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology. Today, Leitner & Kraus' high-quality clarinets are valued by musicians all over the world. Each instrument is made with the utmost precision and attention to detail.
Woodwind house - Stephan Pieger
The Stephan Pieger Woodwind House in Munich's Westend district has been the right address for all questions about the oboe since 2001. Here you will find instruments from many renowned manufacturers, including Europe's largest selection of Josef oboes, as well as all kinds of sheet music and accessories.
In our specialist workshop, we repair and maintain your instruments with great care and our many years of experience as instrument makers and musicians.