If you can reed this you're too close!

[TnWhistler]

Well, I have decided the best way to understand my reeds and what to do is to start making them myself. I'm a fairly handy and clever guy (famous last words) how bad can I screw it up? OK don't answer that.

Is this like golf? I buy lots of junk, get special clothes, get hooked and never have time to play? I have been reading lots of stuff on different websites about it and am actually getting excited. Ballpark me a figure what it'll cost to get started. Gouges, mandrels, cane, scrapers, toters, lifters, wipers, etc.

Am I getting into something I'll regret. Should I just be happy to play and not worry what makes it play? I hate getting set-up to do something and then getting in over my head, or am I making too much a big deal about it. Lemme have it!


Timmy

[DarthWeasel]

I started about 8months ago. I fiqure it cost me about $150-$200 for tools
Probably more by now since I keep looking for better stuff to use.
But you'll probably want to get the NPU videos. Another $60

Seth Gallagher sells a kit for $170
Tim Britton as one for $270

It looks pretty steep but a new reed from one of these guys costs $130-$90. So a kit should eventually pay for itself assuming that you learn to make em.

From one beginner to the next here's what to expect. Learning to make these things is comparable to playing music.
* You'll have to set aside HOURS of time each week to practice. If you're not patient and diligent then you don't stand a chance.
* Progress comes in small doses and over weeks/months/years of practice. At first getting one that crows will be a success. Then more and more things will start to work.
* Eventually you'll have a reed which works about %90-%95 percent of how you'd like it to. That %5-%10 that doesn't work is going to drive you *&#@#ing crazy.

This was my experiance and it still is. I'm sure that others will agree/disagree.

[waymer]

Learning to make reeds is not a question of if but when.
Unless you live next to a reed maker you have to learn to make them.
You don't have to become a master reed maker you only need to learn to make them for your instrument. every great contemporary player that I have asked makes their own reeds. Next time you see Paddy ask him who made his reed. David Power said he waited 15 years before he finally gave in and learned how to do it himself. bite the bullet and bite it now you won't regret it.

[CHasR]

I came from an oboe background before getting into UP, and have made hundreds, (and altered hundreds more) of oboe & english horn reeds.
Bucketsfull.
(& before that, spent just as much time and effort on Clarinet +Sax reeds...)

I, too figured, how difficult can it be?

SO, after seven years of trying + learning,( having lost count of the expense a long time ago,) I managed to make something that LOOKS and ACTS like a UP chanter reed, but not one that I would proud to play publicly IN THE LEAST...

If you have a mind to do it, great!! by all means it pays off in the long run. (Ive personally given up)
but be prepared for a long, steep climb....

[Brazenkane]

I If you're not patient and diligent then you don't stand a chance.
* Progress comes in small doses and over weeks/months/years of practice. At first getting one that crows will be a success. Then more and more things will start to work.
I'm sure that others will agree/disagree.

I agree 100%. Get to a summer scoil and/or a tionol...and watch, learn, listen and ask many questions to the reed expert @ hand. Buy all the books you can + the NPU dvd. All of it will help.

I lreally like the guouge,winder, hemp, shooting block, and YES the pre-made bridles (slag if you want, but I HATE making those buggers) that Cillian sells via NPU.

get yer feet wet... go slowly... don't force it..

[Doc Jones]

May I ask how long it takes to make a reed once you're any good at it?

Is there any waiting time for things to cure or glue to dry or whatever?

Doc

[PJ]

I'm a fairly handy and clever guy (famous last words) how bad can I screw it up?

Reminds me of a funny joke (at least it was funny when I heard it, so here goes):

A guy sits down to fill out his tax return. He says to himself: "I can do this. I'm reasonably intelligent. I'm university educated ... " and with that he starts to fill out the form.

Question 1.
Name: John Doe

Question 2.
First Name: .......


By the way, Nick Whitmer provides reedmaking supplies. Nick's reeds are slightly different from others. If you're planning to reed a Whitmer chanter, you might take advice from Nick on the best materials and tools to get.

[billh]

I think you can get started cheaper than US $100 - especially if you are in a position to make a few tools yourself, filing old screwdrivers and such.

Things you can't make or scrounge, but still need (probably):

1) gouge - you'll pay $40 or so for a good one. This is the most expensive item.
2) round-topped cutting block - can be made from a wooden rolling pin or bought for about $10;
3) good knife (personally I don't like Stanley knives but some folks use them - cheaper still): $20 or so; I say spend money on a good knife, you'll be glad.

Most of the other items can be had for a tenner or less, made, or scrounged. You can get a few tubes of cane for a few bucks.

It's hard to put a time on a good reed, it depends so much on the method and experience of the maker. A few folks can make a reed in a few minutes but not all of them will necessarily be good. IMO a really excellent reed is unlikely to be the product of less than a few hours including tweaking.

Between the initial scrape and the "fine tuning" stages can take a couple of weeks or more - or should. Any faster, and the reed is likely to "relax" into uselessness over time.

Bill

[Doc Jones]

Thanks Bill,

I think I'll just keep mailing my chanters to the reed-meisters.

Doc

[meemtp]

Bill,

This makes me wonder: I have a guy making a reed for me, he is an experienced reedmaker, with a good rep. But, due to some chaos going on in his life, he's trying to fit it in in the span of a couple days. Does this mean I can expect a shorter life out of this reed? If so, I may have him hold onto my chanter longer!

[billh]

Bill,

This makes me wonder: I have a guy making a reed for me, he is an experienced reedmaker, with a good rep. But, due to some chaos going on in his life, he's trying to fit it in in the span of a couple days. Does this mean I can expect a shorter life out of this reed? If so, I may have him hold onto my chanter longer!

Longer is better, but there's the tradeoff that you will be without your chanter. If things are so chaotic, perhaps he won't have time to revisit the reed later anyway?

If he knows his stuff, then he can probably leave the reed a bit stiff/underscraped (and probably he should and will). The thing is, it can be hard to predict exactly how a reed will settle in (especially for an unknown chanter). So trying to guess in advance how stiff the leave the reed, etc. is tricky. Trying to get it to finished playing state in a couple of days is probably not a good idea - that does probably lead to a short-lived reed.

To recap - if he sends it back after a couple of days, he is likely guessing as to the final target and the reed will arrive a bit over-stiff. With luck it will settle in just where you want it. But if the chanter stays with the reedmaker for those couple of weeks, he can probably do a better job of zeroing in on the target.

Bill

[meemtp]

Great, thanks Bill. It is indeed a bummer to be without my chanter, but I'd rather have the reed hold up longer and be better all around.

[Dukkha]

I went the cheap route myself. I probably spent about $50 total on stuff to get started. I just made my first attempt at making a reed for a Daye pennychanter - I actually got it to crow, and it played a couple of the high octave notes. I'll consider that a victory.

My problem is, I'm trying to follow like 3 or 4 different guides, and they all do things differently. So I'm cherry picking stuff from here and there, so there are quite a bit of unknowns. But I'm sure through trial and error I'll improve.

[wgority]

May I ask how long it takes to make a reed once you're any good at it?

Colin Ross is reputed to be able to make 3 fully-functioning NSP chanter reeds per hour - and sometimes more when he's really in the groove.

[PJ]

Is there any waiting time for things to cure or glue to dry or whatever?

Most makers recommend that once the cane slips have been tied to the staple, the unscraped reed is set aside for a few days or even a week to allow the cane get settled.