During the autumn we have been doing a little research with the concert chanter reed that resulted in some improvements to the “off the shelf” version. The changes that were made to the staple and cane geometry have made the reed fit more makes of chanter, according to the feedback that we have received, and strengthened the “back D” on the Howard chanter.
We are now using the cane harvested in 2008 and some harvested in 2009 both seem to be vintage years. We are having really good results with harder cane.
Speaking of the Howard chanter we have made a small change to the bore perturbation that give a big improvement in tone and seems to make the upper end of the second octave more accessible. It makes it easier blown.
It is a good idea to check regularly with your pipe-maker to see if there are any improvements that have been made to the your instrument as often, as in the case of the bore improvement above they can be retro fitted. Often these can be done free or at low cost after all it is in a pipe makers interest to have the sets being played out there sounding good and being the best advert for his pipes.
I would imagine that the only improvements required would be to duff instruments sold in the 1st place.That they where sold at all in this way is questionable so I do not think it is a guid idea…Any thing sold should be the best that the maker can produce or not at all.This would require a lot of R&D before marketing
Reading yoor post
and strengthened the “back D” on the Howard chanter
Speaking of the Howard chanter we have made a small change to the bore perturbation that give a big improvement in tone and seems to make the upper end of the second octave more accessible. It makes it easier blown.
Twould seemeth that ye have been having trouble with the Middle D the Upper Octaves and Hard Playing if’n ye where to read the above and take it at face value…Shooorley Not?
I used to have one o yoor chanters back in the last century and it was fine No keys. no iris just a stick that did whit it was meant to do…
Uilliam
edited to shew that I am not anti anyone in particular just everyone in general
Thank you very much, Brian. Brian has always been very kind to update the chanters that I have of his make for no charge. He also keeps customers informed as to any improvements he makes on his reeds. I look forward to bringing my two Howard concert pitch chanters over this summer (if I can make it) to have them updated according to the above post.
Always glad to see improvements. It is a never-ending search. The tuning iris and key touch locations are sheer genius IMHO. Your reed design is under appreciated. Glad to see you still keeping on with your efforts. All the best to both of you.
I’d suggest that that would mean you were happy as it was so no need to ask really, common sense should tell you that its probably non reversible
I think you’ve missed the point again rory, many top makers often DO offer bore improvements, surely thats the mark of good after sales care and y’know generally no bad thing, perhaps if more “makers” adopted the Howard Music approach there would not be so much unplayable “intsruments” flooding the place, with reedmakers and players wasting all their efforts on a non-servicable instrument, not to mention the criminal amount of money that is being charged. I dont see how it can be interperated that Howard Music is telling other makers what to do, i believe the post said you should “check”, a suggestion, not as you put it a command
It seems to me rory that you are very negative towards the efforts of Howard music and what they are trying to do.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, It seems to me that yours is clear, but maybe your negative remarks would frighten away a new piper reading this post that could do with exactly the service Howard Music is offering unless of course your able to offer a better service?
I totally agree Ted, I know of many pipers that previously struggled greatly until they availed of Brian and Dots services. Please keep it up.
From experience, I sent a Gallagher C changer back to Seth for him to add two keys and make some reeds.
The chanter was a few years old that I bought used. Seth called to ask if I wanted 1 tone hole ‘moved’ as his newer chanters had the hole located over slightly to make it easier to play. The change involved plugging the original hole and re-drilling a new one. Since I had no trouble with the chanter, I decided to leave it as it was.
Another experience… wood moves. We all know (should) most makers wait months (sometimes years) between boring/reaming/shaping operations to let the wood settle after it’s been worked on. There is no guarantee it will be exactly the same many years later. Let’s say a chanter you have owned for a while doesn’t play a well as you ‘remember’ when it first arrived. Perhaps it’s harder to reed or some other issues. I’d have no problem sending a suspect chanter back to the maker for inspection… maybe checking the bore for deformation. Certainly inspecting it for hairline cracks or revoicing it if needed.
I think you must be confusing my posts with someone else’s,I never said a bad word about Howard music and what they are trying to do .In fact I think its great That Brian offers to perform alterations to his chanters.
I just gave my opinion that I dont think its up to Brian to suggest that pipers should be approaching their pipemaker asking to do the same.If a certain maker does offer improvements to his work it should be up to him to contact his customers to let them know.Its also up to that pipemaker to state what he charges for the service.
I also asked the valid question ,if alteration are made can the chanter be returned to their original condition if the result is not to the pipers liking. Madfortrad’s reply was that you would be only getting such alteration done if there was something wrong with the chanter in the first place, so it is his posts that are being negative towards Howard music,not mine.
