hi,
the reed i’ve just made has a flat back d but it sharpens to the correct pitch after a few moments of sounding it continuously. The air pressure when the note is initially sounded seems to flatten it. i have already shortened the reed somewhat and i believe the blades are definitely not too thin (in fact, I could probably take more of them). The reed is good in other respects and I think the staple eye is correct. Does anybody have any advise on avoiding this problem (it’s happened with other reeds before) and also for remedying it? If so, I’d love an email or something.
Thanks
mitchell, can you give us more information to your sinking D problem?
Who’s reed and chanter, what’s the weather like there… does this problem occur year 'round and how firm is the reed in overall play?
Oh, welcome to the Chiff & Fipple message board!!
Hi,
thanks Tony, for your reply to my earlier posting. My chanter is an earlier style adrian Jefferies chanter with my own reed in it. The weather has been humid and I am in Australia. I actually have abandoned the reed in question and have made two others which are sufficiently good. I have had this problem on several occassions though and if you have any advice then great. However, I am starting to make my reeds a little differently and this seems to be okay, at least so far anyway. The problem with the back d flattening only occurs when you jump back and forth from other various notes, which causes a sudden change in pressure which the back d couldn’t handle, even though the blades were quite thick etc. Anyway, I am leaving a central ridge in my new reeds now, which i didn’t really do before. I’ll just keep on exploring i guess. Thanks again,
mitchell
Hey Mitchell, is Adrian still making pipes? I noticed the other day that his website no longer worked.
Nothing worse than a weak back d , lol, , nothing better than a good strong back d . The problem may be the chanter If you have made several reeds and it is allways the same outcome . Try a longer scrape with a shorter staple . Opening the eye of the staple may help . If I encounter a chanter with a stickey note , I will often exagerrate the dimentions as a way of experimenting to find what makes the chanter work the best . If it is a good chanter there will be an equation that will suit it . However , some chanters will just have a weak back d and then just get around it by playing it that way . Sometimes rushing the staple with a wire thin strip of copper will help things .
Tom 
.
Thanks tom, for your reply about my back d. It’s all sorted with a new reed now and i know of all your suggestions already, but still appreciate you taking the time to reply. I should say also, that the adrian jefferies chanter does not consistently have a back d problem. Also, he now makes a different style from mi one which is older. I do make reeds for it that are fine but have made several that did have the d problem. i am simply modifying my reeds now. Thanks again.
Also, to Anima who asked about adrian jefferies, yes he does still make pipes and i can put you in touch with him if you’d like…email me.
Cheers,
Mitchell
Thanks Mitchell . I did not mean to imply that The Jefferies chanter Has a weak back dee . To the contrary , oh contrare mon frere , have a Jefferies chanter that I am very happy with . And the price is right too , in aussie dollars .
Tom .