What kind of drone reeds are you using?

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:43 am

I use a brass tube style with a flat filed of at the end with a basmati file a piece of hobby store styrene for the tongue. I was shown this method by E.J. Jones works great...

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:45 am

Not everyone is thrilled with the sound of styrene. Some use a slip of cane (arundo donax) for the tongue on a brass barrel. Benedict Kohler recommends using sugar pine from old piano keys. This is what I am currently using, i.e. sugar pine on a brass barrel.

djm

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:47 pm

I use brass/plastic drone reeds from D. Boisvert.

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:03 pm

In the D's: Elder, brass and sugar maple
In the B's: Cane.

Patio.

Thies · Post by **Thies** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:04 pm

"Old fashioned" cane reeds in tenor and baritone drone. The bass drone is equiped with a cane-body-brass-tongue reed. Works fine for me!

daveboling · Post by **daveboling** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:04 pm

I've currently a cane bass reed, and brass/plastic for the baritone and tenor. The baritone is a bit forward (leaning toward rude). All three have been quite stable, but I'm considering giving a go at a brass/cane, or brass/pine composite. Can anyone give me an idea on dimensions/thicknesses for a set in D?

Thanks,

dave boling

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:45 pm

Dave, copy the internal dimensions of your existing drones (as near as you can get, given that brass tubing is available in only so many sizes). Dave Quinn gives measurements for brass barrelled drone reeds in his "Piper's Despair" book.

djm

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:22 pm

Currently using natural cane. I've tried brass tubing with styrene tounges and it was fine. Also, brass tounges worked well for me and... to my suprise a tounge made from 1/16" thick balsa worked. It was on the quiet side.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:32 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:I use brass/plastic drone reeds from D. Boisvert.

Same. Quite nice, they are.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:27 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:I use brass/plastic drone reeds from D. Boisvert.
Same. Quite nice, they are.

Yes, they provide a really nice 'Buzz' IMHO.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 7:18 pm

Joseph E. Smith wrote:
Nanohedron wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:I use brass/plastic drone reeds from D. Boisvert.
Same. Quite nice, they are.
Yes, they provide a really nice 'Buzz' IMHO.

Better than...ahem...hemp.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 7:38 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:
Nanohedron wrote: Same. Quite nice, they are.
Yes, they provide a really nice 'Buzz' IMHO.
Better than...ahem...hemp.

Yeah, and legal too.

tommykleen · Post by **tommykleen** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 9:08 pm

Tenor: wood dowel/plastic tongue
Baritone: cane/plastic tongue
Bass: cane/bronze tongue. Foot of the cane has a small copper ring in it to support the cane...which has split. Works though!

t

srfmowman · Post by **srfmowman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 9:31 pm

Tenor D - Currently trying a natural UTAH "cane" like tube (small grass with feathery top that grows in swampy areas). Usually have styrene/brass

Baritone D, Baritone A/G, Bass G - Styrene/brass

Bass D - Currently trying same as the tenor

The Sporting Pitchfork · Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:26 am

Spanish fly...er, cane...