Hello folks! Iv’e managed to hang up my shingle at ; http://www.erinscall.com .
absolutely beautiful website.
Jeff
How about some measurements on those taylor reeds/staples, or some 100% B&W scans? 
Dionys
Anima,Thanks!! Also, Dionis, here is a guestimate of some specs on the whole or complete taylor chanter reed.
Taylor;
staple lenght, .51 mm.
diameter at bottom, .4 mm.
eye width, .5 mm.
eye height, .2 mm.
blade width, .10 mm.
bridle width, .4 mm.
blade lenght (total exposed area above winding), .25 mm. (roughly).
scrape, .21 mm.
reed lips seem to me to be best at one half a mm. Or a little less.
overall length, .71 mm.
I hope this is helpfull.
T.K.
[ This Message was edited by: tok on 2002-06-18 23:17 ]
One of the most interesting features of Taylor [style] reeds, and little has been published on that aspect of them, is the fact they used a staple with an inverse taper i.e. it widened considerably towards the reed head quite opposed to the Rowsome school of reedmaking.
Only yesterday I was looking at a staple that belonged to the Patsy Touhey chanter, and had played in it for over sixty year and originated either with the Taylors, Touhey himself, or [most likely] Mike Carney. This staple was extremely well made and regular formed and had a strong taper towards the head. Stronger I would imagine than the one in the pic on Tom Kennedy’s website.
As I said some articles have been written aboutthis aspect of the Taylor’s reedmaking but there’s plenty of room for research there.
I copy below measurements given by Bill Ochs for a reed that was in his Taylor chanter.
Length: 1.75”
Staple dimensions:
Inside Diameter: .128” - .141” (not perfectly round at bottom)
Outside Diameter: .180”
Thickness of brass: .020”
Length of eye (inside): .205”
Width of eye on centerline (inside): .073”
Length of taper: .970”
Blade dimensions:
Width: .415”
Length: 1.945”
Length of staple bed: .975”
A bit of nit picking on the website, ‘Seamus McMan’ for Wexford is Seamus McMahon or his preferred Irish spelling MacMahuna, Martin Rochford’s townland was Ballinahinch but the village was Bodyke.
[ This Message was edited by: Peter Laban on 2002-06-19 10:05 ]
Thanks,peter.
Wonderful site, I have added it to my bookmarks. Love the reed pix!
Great Site!
(edited to correct spelling of sight to site. I make that mistake all the time)
Billy Taylor of Louth and Philadelphia, Patsy Brown of Kerry and Boston, Patrick Hennelly of Mayo and Chicago - all used the inverted staple in their chanter reeds.
I believe that Bill’s pipes are Patsy Brown and would also have the inverted staple.
Bill who, Jim? Bill Ochs, Billy McCormick? I thought those were both confirmed Taylor, though.
Great looking, well organized site. Best of luck with it.
I will send you a PM with a recommendation for one minor enhancement.
Regards,
Gary
thanks for the positive feedback on my site . It took me a few days to just get a good paragraph that would describe the uilleann pipes in a way that would be informative to folks who have never seen , or heard them + that is as historically acurate as I could sumise .
I have moved , I now live in augusta , maine .
. It is nice to be back on line .
,tok .
Hey Tom…I wondered what happened to you. Nice to have you back around. Still playing the Roberts set?
Nice site, good reed photos.
Folks - take a look at the following reed image:
It’s the top reed that I am bringing to your attention. Do you notice the angle of the lips/tip? It’s not straight across and appears to be at an angle that is not explained by the positioning of the reed.
The reed in question is a chanter reed, and it is Leo Rowsome’s from his famous set. Has anyone had any experience with reeds that have this type of angle at the lips?
Here’s the full url: http://www.esatclear.ie/~rowsome/leo.htm
McCormick’s is a Taylor.
lorenzo , thanks !! and I am still playing the roberts set , I have not had to change the cane drone reeds , much , at all , save a small tweek on the bridle , and a couple of snapps on the tounge , to get it all going , great guns . I have moved , and am now in augusta , maine , using dial up for the internet , it only saves me about 80 dollars a week , beer money , lol .
tok .
p.s. I thought the reeds aboved mentioned were all but done in , has someone heard otherwise ?
tok ??
The angle on that chanter reed of Leo Rowsome’s is the result of a technique which involves trimming the lips of a reed as you simultaneously sneeze violently while a cat sinks its fangs into your shin bone. It takes years to master.
Morning Captain! But, never underestimate the details of one of the old masters himself, like Rowsome. The trimming angle may not be important, and if such is the case, may further correct a significant mistake in the thickness of uneven lips, not to mention correcting the ununiform overall tuning of a chanter that warped, or whose maker’s reamer went slightly South on him. (whoops, a little hyperbole)
Actually,
Craig Fischer has a keyless Coyne D chanter, and a reed for it which still works after gawd knows how long; maybe a hundred years or more. You can tell it was made for the Coyne because its reed seat is slightly crooked, and the staple of the reed is made to compensate for it…
Craig wrote of this in an article in one of the Sean Reid Society CD-ROMs, which has details of lots of old reeds.
I am wondering hows , come the taylor chanters have been set up to play with an inverted cone staple , and narrow reed system , and were able to play with a full sound in the chanter , as is heard with the taylor drones , and regulators .
Having come from learning a reedmaking style based in some degree from the rousome , i.e. wide bore school , I can see the same characteristics , in the rousome , sets , though the sound on the taylor chanter , is rarely heard as modern makers do not tend to use an inverted cane staple .
Was the inverted cone staple intended to give a longer lasting reed ?
tok . ??