I just got a reed from Howard music for my Hughes chanter. I put it in and it played well, but a little tough and loud. I removed it and adjusted the bridle slightly, and reinserted, carefully I thought. When I tried to play it again it squawked, and squealed and sounded dead. As I removed the reed and inspected it, I noticed a crack right down the center of one of the blades, about halfway own the scraped portion. I didn't hear anything like a cracking sound, and I was being careful as I removed and replaced the chanter top. I have cracked a reed before by adjusting the top, but this usually results in a crack at the edge of the reed blade The reed was shipped to NYC. I am wondering, was this me being careless? Or is something else afoot?
Arbo

Perhaps....... (!!!) you are just learning all the different ways a reed can crack. Everyone fiddling with these yokes goes through it, sooner or later...

Sometimes cane has subtle weakness along the grain. Changes in bridal tension or even in humidity could push such a reed over the edge. It's not uncommon. Maybe the reed is telling you that it's time to learn how to make your own!

You still may be able to salvage it. I managed to keep a split reed going for over a year with a bit of crazy glue and careful sanding. The trick is to get the blade to it's natural curvature, then coat the crack with glue, being careful not to let the glue join the blades (you could untie it first.) Sand it down with super-fine sandpaper until there's no glue left on the surfaces. Ymmv, but may as well give it a try. You can always reuse the staple if it fails. Good luck.

Thanks for that. I AM learning how to make my own... just not successful as yet!

He he, I remember back in the early 80's, I had a reed that was cracked at it's edge, and that I had stuck back together with some huge clumps of beeswax, and I played it for years, and it sounded great, but lo, Joe McKenna, that great man, he asked to see it, and he looked at it, and he scowled something fierce, and for a moment I was rightly embarrassed, tho I was chuffed he was interested to see it, as it sounded so grand, but it was so f'in ugly, I was not proud of its looks, but god damn it there was a lovely sound off it. Whatever works will do, I say.

Before I learned how to make reeds, I spent 2 years learning how not to make reeds.

I'm going for my Ph.D. in how not to make reeds!



I like this man.

My experience is that reeds from far-off climes take a few days or weeks to settle, so I avoid too many judgments/adjustments until then. Meanwhile, shoot, I'd try the crazy glue/sanding method for sure. What've you got to lose?

only 2? you did better than me!

I heard back from Howard Music and they offered to replace the reed! Very nice of them.
Arbo