Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi all (particularly Richard),

I've been asked to play on an upcoming album a friend of mine is recording in the spring. He'd like flute, whistle and smallpipes. Problem is, playing mouthblown smallpipes wrecks my flute embouchure, and despite how in-tune they are with my synthetic reed, the tone leaves a lot to be desired. It's time I switched to a cane reed and a bellows. Any suggestions on where I might find a cane reed that might be adaptable to a Walsh smallpipe chanter? Also, is anyone selling a bellows? Although I am aware John offers a conversion kit, last time I just used plumbing parts and vacuum hose to adapt a borrowed bellows and it worked fine.

Thanks again!

The Walsh chanter design works well with his plastic reeds. However because of the design the chanter does not take a standard cane ssp reed. Bill Carr was working on trying to design a reed to fit the chanter a few years ago, but I dont know if he was successful in the endeavor.
I would encourage you to not purchase the Walsh bellows. Simon Hope and Kelleher make much nicer and more functional bellows.

Hey, I really appreciate your suggestions. Any idea how I might get in touch with Bill Carr? I can't seem to find his contact info out there anywhere. I'm just curious what his observations were, whether he was successful or not. My worry is that the warmth and brighter embellishments I like about other pipes may result from the chanter rather than the reed, but who knows? Either way I'd love to chat with him. Thanks for the note about the bellows as well!

Hi,

Chris Apps does make a cane chanter reed for the Walsh small pipes. You can contact him through his web site.

JD

jadphoto wrote:Hi,

Chris Apps does make a cane chanter reed for the Walsh small pipes. You can contact him through his web site.

JD

Awesome! Thanks so much; I will follow up with him right away.