California cane (Land of happy cows)

Uilleann Pipes
1

I got a few tubes of cane from Ted back a few months ago and with the holidays and various things, I just did not have the chance to make a chanter reed. My current reed has just been singing and vibrating and it’s hard to get motivated, that and I been making more drone reeds, just can’t stop fiddling.

Well, long story short, I sat down tonight to make a reed for a fellow pipers Gallagher chanter with his rolled staple. The reed didn’t look too promising ( the cane is definitely softer than Gallaghers tubes) but I stuck on a bridle after I got a fairly easy crow. I put it in my CR chanter and boy is it nice. Little hard still, but in tune to 2nd 8ve C (too hard still to go higher). The tone of this cane does appear to be more lower tones, more woodwindy (new word I made up). It is very nice. :slight_smile:
I am having naughty thoughts hoping that it will sound like crap in Marks chanter so I can keep it (it wants my precious). I going to get a big head if I make another reed that plays so well with no adjustment after the original scrape. :smiley: I must be channeling Alan Burton!!

May all your reeds crow,
John

2

Hey John, Is that for Mark’s C chanter? I had a go with one using Seth’s cane, and it seemed to play fairly well, but still on the hard side. Don’t know how much time Mark’s been able to get playing it in or not, but who knows what it may do in the coming months. I may need to call on you for some assistance with his Angus narrow bore. :slight_smile: Great news on the new reed though. Keep them coming!

3

May the Cane Muse smile upon all your endeavors, John. Can’t wait to try it out. I certainly wouldn’t want to waste Ted’s cane on any of my reed-making efforts just yet, but if this reed works as well as you hope, I’ll have to see if my reedmaking skills improve any faster than my playing (shouldn’t be too hard, that). Thanks!

4

Is that you Mark? Whatcha doin’ in NY? Lewis