Chiff and Fipple Forums

If the reed is split, first get it repaired. A reed, while playing, closes from edges toward the center in different ways with each different note. The split is probably in the F#/G area.

Ted

Hi Brian, I hope you get kidnapped and brought here. Once here you will only have to pay for meals, pints and $10 admission to the concert. We will set you up with someone to stay with, if you would like, and also arrange transportation to and from the airport, if needed, and get you to and from eve...

The first Joe and Antonette McKenna album is with C# pipes; chanter in boxwood by Leo Rowsome, body by O'Meally.One should note that there are 16" chanters which are sharp of C but not up to C#,and 15" chanters also. Until the last 15 years or so many pipes were made in inches; a 17" ...

Lorenzo, I have only made elder reeds that are scraped for a fairly light pressure. A thicker reed would undoubtedly be less weather sensitive. John Walsh got one from me that played his Taylor chanter with less rushes in the bore than with any cane reed he had used to date. He liked the reed at fir...

The black elderberry (with red bark) is what we use for reeds. I have made double reeds from it but they are more weather sensitive than cane. BTW Loorenzo, congrats on the new pipes. Bring em to the tionol Feb.

Ted

Re:Bag Seasoning. You can use the beeswax/lard mixture for bag seasoning. It should be made with a higher ratio of lard in it than for bellows seasoning. Denis Brooks' tutor has the correct proportions for each mixture.It is placed in the bag hot, sloshed around and the excess poured out before it c...

Re: bellows leak You can season or seal a minor leak by making a warm mix of beeswax and lard @ 3:1 ratio.Cork off outlet, remove inlet valve, pour in melted mixture, allow mixture to flow to leak, cork off inlet and squeeze bellows. Remove coks and get rid of excess mixture while warm. Allow to coo...