reed lifespan

4.0fig · Post by **4.0fig** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:58 pm

I have a newbie question. I was wondering what is the average lifespan of a
reed? Let's assume that it is a good reed and well taken care of. Do they last 6 months, a year, 5 years? I have no idea and was wondering if I should order some extra reeds when I purchase my pipes. I am going to learn how to make reeds, but realize that it takes time to produce a quality reed that plays well.

After getting some great advice from this forum and looking again and again, I have decided to order a practice set from Uilleann Pipeworks of Boston and should have it by sometime next March. I have added the Uilleann Pipes CD-ROM tutorial to my Christmas wish list, so I will have plenty of time to watch it before I even get my pipes. I think I am going to order the "My Method" book on reedmaking as well. If anyone has any other suggestions I am all ears.

Thank You

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:01 pm

And that was my next question (after dry vs. damp weather reeds) ....

But hey, who needs to worry about reed lifespan when you've got a cane-u-copia like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... Q7dQQfviZ1

And I quote ....

These Cane Reeds Can be Used With Bagpipe Chanters, Bagpipe Practice Chanters And Oboe Bombard Chanters. Very Cute With Lots Of Fun For A Beginner, As Well As For Professional Bagpipers.

Those lucky warpipes guys. Their reeds get called 'cute.' Mine just get called ugly names.

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:04 am

Reed lifespan varies a great deal. But, making the assumptions you have laid out (a good reed, well cared for), it should be a few a years at least. I've heard of the occasional reed lasting 20 years or more.

My own is nearly four years old, and while there have been times when it seems like it's on the way out, it never has died, and it's doing remarkably well so far this winter.

The Sporting Pitchfork · Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:48 am

Good reeds can last for decades if you don't screw around with them too much. There is the oft-told story of how Liam O'Flynn still apparently has a reed made by Leo Rowsome more than 40 years ago or something, but that may be somewhat apocryphal...

Bottom line is when you get your set, get an experienced piper who really knows what he/she is doing to check the set out and (if necessary) set the reed up for you. After that, don't f**king touch it. This is important: if you go tionóil, you'll likely find more than a few beginners with reeds closed down too far so they barely play, or struggling with ones so far open, they're practically split apart. A few minutes of help from someone early on could have spared them (and anyone having to listen to them) months of agony. Provided you're not playing the thing in radically different humidity levels on a regular basis, you should seldom need to make any adjustments to the reed once it's set up comfortably for you.

josh perkins · Post by **josh perkins** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:41 am

Peter Laban used to mention with some frequncy (no pun intended) that his original Wooff chanter reed was still going strong after 20 years.

billh · Post by **billh** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:46 am

The Sporting Pitchfork wrote:...

Bottom line is when you get your set, get an experienced piper who really knows what he/she is doing to check the set out and (if necessary) set the reed up for you. After that, don't f**king touch it. This is important: if you go tionóil, you'll likely find more than a few beginners with reeds closed down too far so they barely play, or struggling with ones so far open, they're practically split apart. A few minutes of help from someone early on could have spared them (and anyone having to listen to them) months of agony. Provided you're not playing the thing in radically different humidity levels on a regular basis, you should seldom need to make any adjustments to the reed once it's set up comfortably for you.

I mostly agree, but the notion "don't touch the reed" can be taken to extremes. I have known several intermediate pipers who were afraid to touch the reed and thus played perpetually out of tune, played a reed that was clearly unsuitably set up for the weather, or stopped playing altogether until the weather cooperated. That's no way to make progress!

I think that reed adjustment is something that should be taught in regular piping classes, not just reedmaking classes. That way a player can learn when and how to adjust a reed with minimum risk (it's of course never totally risk free). ( I agree that most beginners are in no position to judge a reed and should keep hands off until they have achieved some level of comfort with the instrument).

best regards,

Bill

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:15 am

Aha! This discussion is helping me a LOT -- thank you guys so much! I'm coming at this as a flute player completely clueless about the pipes except for a reasonable idea of what I want to sound like (I've listened to a lot of piping over the years), and the knowledge that if you have to beat something half to death to get a sound out of it, there's a good chance it's leaking or has some other mechanical difficulty.

Anyway, I've read Pat Sky and Alan Burton and Seth Gallagher's pieces on reeds (and the Crowley tutor too -- I enjoy its "d--n the torpedoes" pragmatism), and it seems to me that the reed really is fundamental, especially if you're a beginner on a secondhand set in the provinces. As billh says, there are so many problems a wrong reed can create, and thus so many a good one can help avoid.

I'm looking forward to my first tionol mit pipes in April, and I know I'll have a million questions by then -- and the one I've been asking since the day my practice set got here is "Should I take the playing class or the reedmaking class?"

Once again, many thanks!

(P.S. Muchas gracias to Kelly for the invaluable info and most-diplomatic warnings

)

rgouette · Post by **rgouette** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:29 am

6 years & going... B.C Childress Concert pitch reed

Richard Katz · Post by **Richard Katz** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:33 am

My original Charles Roberts reed is still going great since 1998!

I live in mild Northen California which is a definite advantage. Never gets too dry or humid here. We are blessed with fairly constant weather.

I have played in Ireland with no reed issues as well.

I play a full set in D made by Charles.

I agree with the, get it set and don't even look at it, advice. I have only adjusted my reed once when the bridle came loose and I had to retighten it. It took me nearly two hours to get it fine adjusted back to where it was. No problems since.

By the way...he is doing fine in Spain. I just received a new bellows arm strap and two new reeds from him this weekend.

Cheers! Richard

Kerryman · Post by **Kerryman** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 1:21 pm

I saw a Leo Rowsome reed playing perfectly on Saturday. It was made by Leo in 1970. It was one of 4 reeds he made at the same time for this customer. The other 3 have since failed but this reed was a winner!