Reeds...

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 3:07 pm

Just in time for the New Year (depending on shipping and other circumstances -- I can't guarantee delivery dates), I'm offering three (count them, three) free chanter reeds. Call it a reed contest, if you will.

Email me why you think you should receive a reed (please don't write an enormous essay). No making up stories. If you're not starving, don't claim you're starving. If you can't afford a reed because you spent all of your reed money on beer, it'd be best not to mention it. If you spent all your money on your kids and you're not bitter about it, do. Feel free to tell me about your past, present and hope for the future if you think it will help. Liars will be taken care of by na daoine maith. Are these hints enough?

Three people win one chanter reed each in their choice of style. As I'm sending them blind and cannot fit them exactly to your chanter, I cannot guarantee they will be perfect. However, I do have my personal notes as to what reed generally works for what maker (though we *all* know there is no 'universal reed' and that bores vary over the years of a maker's work). The worst you can get is a back-up chanter reed, the best - a wonderful performance reed.

Judging of who wins is completely subjective and dependant upon my careful consideration of entries. Depending on the number and quality of entries (and needs of people), I may modify the number of reeds I'm giving away. This is a one-time offer (though it may become a yearly thing), so if you come upon this message a few months from now, please do not Email me.

Please have your entries in by Sunday, December 22nd, 2002.
Winners should be notified soon after. Delivery should be early in January (perhaps even for new years depending on my time, shipping and fate).

Email: dionys_pdx@yahoo.com
Please include "uilleann" in the subject header.

Dionys

p.s. Please feel free to nominate deserving people who may or may not have access to this list.

_________________
Tir gan teanga <--> Tir gan Anam.

[ This Message was edited by: Dionys on 2002-12-12 16:52 ]

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 5:26 pm

Good luck on your contest. Somehow I don't think I could qualify. I just don't think I could hide behind all the ballyhoo, boohoo, etc., that I would be making up!

I was trying to imagine what would catch my attention if I were to give away one of my best reeds (actually I did that once..the only time I ever made a REMARKABLE reed).

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 5:57 pm

Doesn't have to be a boo-hoo story, sob story, or whine story. Best 3 reasons win. It could be as simple as "I'm a dedicated piper who practices X hours a day and I don't have any extra chanter reeds and live in constant fear that I will be without one... &c"

Your approach is good thinking, though. If you had an extra, good reed.. What would make you part with it.

Doesn't hurt to try.

Dionys

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 6:46 pm

Dionys, what a nice gesture.

Are these reeds designed to fit a wide bore (rowsome) D chanter?

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:00 pm

That's how I know that making a good responsive, snappy, crisp, in-tune reed is partly just beginners luck (within the first 100 reeds). I remember well...I told a fellow piper to come on over and he could watch me make him a reed--thinking he would learn to make his own.

Something went terribly right, it could have been the cane--probably was. I never could quite repeat it, although I tried repeatedly. I never told him what he had...I just gave it to him, very reluctantly, as if it was nothing.

Ah, but now I have a tok reed and no one really knows what that means to me, for sure, except me. I didn't realize that uilleann piping could be about as easy as playing the tin whistle...

anima · Post by **anima** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 9:18 pm

I have two tok reeds. I know.

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 10:50 pm

I haven't made many narrow bore flat set reeds, so I'd prefer it be for a wide-bore D (or medium-bore D). If the winner has a narrow-bore flat, I can work with my measurements list but won't feel as comfortable.

Dionys

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 10:33 pm

Well, since this is apparently a public process, I'm going to voluntarily comply with the "Open Public Meetings Act" and leak my three reason so all may know.

Top 3 reasons why you should consider me:

1) Good reeds should't go to just anyone who may not know how to maximize or appreciate their potential.

2) I would reciprocate with you for a day and let you try my tok reed for comparison.

3) I blew out my only back-up reed while playing the "Turkish Rondo" by Mozart, with the symphony last week, and I promise to never stray from Irish music again.

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 12:50 pm

Only a few more days left

I'm surprised at the dearth of entries, considering how many people I hear bitching about the price of a reed from a well-known maker.

Dionys

maze · Post by **maze** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 1:46 pm

All right, I have to get in on this if there is indeed a dearth of responses... i mean, what an opportunity!

Reason?... I want one. I do not have a sob story... I am between a britton, childress, burke, and a lynch chanter... trying reeds between them to combat florida humidity. my lynch reeds are gurgling on bottom d due to recent temperature changes... the britton reed split.. burke reed only works in arizona, and childress reeds are suffering from a breaking back d... my whitmer reed got jammed up into the brass windcap...guess which contestant won that tet a tet...

so, i really dont have a great reason except to say that i would be honored if i could be presented a new reed... who knows... may have to get a matching chanter if it sings.

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 2:13 pm

On 2002-12-17 13:50, Dionys wrote:
considering how many people I hear bitching about the price of a reed from a well-known maker.

Dionys

Whats the going price over there generally?
Alan

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 5:39 pm

Alan...generally between $45-70 (28-44GBP).

I've been thinking "Reeds and Rosin" lately. I think it was Dale Russ or maybe Frank Ferrell who said, " if you have a $100 violin go out and get a $200 bow."

So, what's the difference between a $10,000 bow and a $200 bow, or Mongolian horsehair vs. synthetic, or your neighbors horse, or a generic reed vs. a high quality one, made perhaps by a person like yourself?

The differnce is just "a lot of little stuff" and I'm happy to leave it to you guys! The difference is worth tons!

I'm thinking that good reeds are mostly a result of who makes them, aside from all the techniques, etc, etc.. though I do know the quality of the cane is of great importance.

(BTW I hope to try one of yours someday but can't find your contact info on your web site, oh and I've got to have one of Dionys too)

[ This Message was edited by: Lorenzo on 2002-12-17 18:41 ]

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 4:52 pm

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for their entries. The number of people interested certainly picked up at the end. I will be printing them out today and going over them the next couple of days. I will post the winners list (and notify the people via Email) by the end of the week.

All the best,
Dionys

Dionys · Post by **Dionys** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 8:34 pm

Just wanted to congratulate the winners:

Bok Choi
Andrew
and Janice

Thank you everyone for all your wonderful entries. This will be a yearly thing and everyone is welcome to try again next year.

Let me assure you all it was hard to choose the winners, as everyone that sent an email had valid reasons as to their desire/need for a free reed. I'm only sorry I cannot devote the time for giving each and every one of you a reed

Dionys

p.s. (almost forgot) - I'll be contacting the winners by Email.

[ This Message was edited by: Dionys on 2003-01-08 21:35 ]

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:35 am

So it's congratulations to the winners and back to the shooting-board for the rest of us.

And thanks to Dionys for a really decent gesture in the best spirit of C&F.

Best wishes for the new year to everyone, whether reed-challenged or not.