Have a look how they make GHB chanter reeds

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:41 pm

"Kilts drive women wild"

Yes, they do.

Especially when they've been drinking.

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:46 pm

Great video...

"Aye, Aongus, 'tis a fine rrrrrreeeed you've made therrrrrrre, laddie. Now, if yooorrr able to make just thrrrrreee hundred moooore just like this todaaaay, then ye can go home when yoooorrrr thrrrrrooooooh."

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:57 pm

djm wrote:
JES wrote:it would also make fixing or replacing client reeds quicker
No doubt about it, but every chanter is just a wee bit different, even by the same maker, and chanters by other makers would require the machine to be reset every time. At $1200 a pop, these machines would take a long time to pay for themselves, considering all the re-adjustment they require from reed to reed.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound too negative. It would be wonderful to have a gizmo that could crank out a new reed in minutes, but that assumes all reeds are the same size, which they aren't. That's what makes these things less wonderful than they may seem at first. If they only cost $100 I'd buy one in a flash, but if I'm only going to use it once a year, the current prices make them hard to justify.

djm

No no no no no no no no no no!! You're wrong, and I'm gonna hold my breath 'til you agree with me...starting..............NOW!

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:07 pm

you could have noted settings for some of the most common maker's stuff...how many could that be? 15? Plus, it might help to develop a standard for future makers...

If you could get a reed for $30 instead of $75 wouldn't you buy two or three just to have some spares? I know I would...

phcook · Post by **phcook** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:14 pm

Every GHB chanter is different, too. the main difference is that, when you have to reed one GHB chanter, you go to a music shop and they give you a box in which you can find 50, 60, 80 different reeds.

And you can spend 1 hour, looking for THE reed that fits the best.

It's made possible, because the numerous reeds that solo players don't choose are bought by bands.

I think it should be possible to define standard reeds that could suit 90% of existing chanters.

I think that it could be even be easier for regs reeds.

But the individual selling price should be low enough -say less than 15 $ or euros. In that case, a "mass" production could be possible.

I dream of plastic regs reeds...

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:38 pm

phcook wrote:It's made possible, because the numerous reeds that solo players don't choose are bought by bands.

I dream of plastic regs reeds...

Your comment reminds me of a friend who did an internship at Robert Sheperd's family-owned and run (GH) pipe-making shop in Scotland. He noticed that near the reed-makers' bench that there were 3 buckets. The first was "Scotland", and it was maybe 1/3 to 1/2 full. The 2nd was "Canada", and it was about 3/4 full. The 3rd bucket was "USA", and it was nearly overflowing.
I think the implications of that arrangement are clear.

As for your plastic reg reeds... have you tried the bronze reg reeds? They're rock steady.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 3:39 pm

....>GASP<..... so, how long did I make it for...whew!

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:35 pm

Not long enough, but my, what a pretty shade of blue you've turned, Joseph!

phcook wrote:I think that it could be even be easier for regs reeds.

Reg reeds are the most bizarre things on earth. Although my chanter is a medium-bore concert D, the regs are all small-bore D, with no relation in size or scrape to the chanter reed.

phcook wrote:I dream of plastic regs reeds...

Me too!

brianc wrote:have you tried the bronze reg reeds? They're rock steady.

My bronze reg reeds quit. Stopped dead after a couple of months. No amount of frigging with them could restore them to life.

Next step - spruce reg reeds.

djm

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:51 pm

djm,

Whose bronze reeds were they? (Feel free to PM if you like).

The ones I have are by Seth Gallagher, and *knocking on arundo donax AND wood here* and they've been great for some time now (1 year & more).

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:25 pm

They were Joe Kennedy reeds, of course. I am waiting for an example of an experimental plastic reed from Jim Daily of Scotland. Hopefully this will give me an example to work from to see if I can come up with something useful.

djm

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 12:03 am

brianc wrote:Your comment reminds me of a friend who did an internship at Robert Sheperd's family-owned and run (GH) pipe-making shop in Scotland. He noticed that near the reed-makers' bench that there were 3 buckets. The first was "Scotland", and it was maybe 1/3 to 1/2 full. The 2nd was "Canada", and it was about 3/4 full. The 3rd bucket was "USA", and it was nearly overflowing.
I think the implications of that arrangement are clear.

Those implications would shock few who pay much attention to pipe band politics.

Composite bodies with carbon-fibre tongues are the norm in GHB drone reeds anymore. Anybody tested such things out in UPs?

Cheers,
Aaron

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:28 am

Aren't GHB drone reeds designed to be really loud?

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 5:41 am

Tony wrote:Aren't GHB drone reeds designed to be really loud?

Louder than UP drone reeds anyway, and they are also too large to fit into UP drones.

Calum · Post by **Calum** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 10:43 am

Loud is a pretty relative term. Grand pianos are easily louder than most GHBs. And a concert set with drones and regs blazing is not exactly quiet, either.

I don't believe that story about Shepherd - he's not very bright, but he's bright enough to know that stock is dead money. And three buckets of reeds is a lot of dead money. Plus, every time I've known someone go to his place to pick reeds, they've either been newly made or indeed were being made as they tried them - not particularly good from the point of view of the cane settling down, but never mind.

Cheers,
Calum

PS I'm not saying he doesn't send the crap reeds to the US, but that's drifting well OT...

Jay-eye · Post by **Jay-eye** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 4:36 pm

edited by me!

I'd like to see the full film, in real time and with dialogue. I guess that's what the UP reedmaking videos are like? I haven't seen them yet.

j.i.

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Have a look how they make GHB chanter reeds

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