I have a D concert pitch Reg Reed I got from Paddy O’Hare at the Belfast Tionól Saturday 6 March 2010 for my Andreas Rogge full set.
The D Bass reed dimensions
89.3 mm OAL
13.2 mm Head Width
32 mm Head Length
32 mm Tails Length
26.5 mm Scrape Length
57 mm Slip Length
56 mm Staple Length
3.2 mm Staple ID
27 mm Length of binding
31 mm how far reed in reed seat
I did not do anything to the reed at the Belfast Tionól but the next day I had to replace the original green nylon thread with Waxed Polyamide thread as used by Rogge/O’Briain and reset the bridle.
I tried the bass reed this evening and the reed is in tune but the reeds plays G at -40 on the Korg Chromatic Tuner.
The reed seat on my Rogge regs all have the brass tubing and the bass reed is inserted just before the tails where the blinding ends.
Do I trim the reed head lips or cut/file the staple to correct the the pitch.
Cheers
Ferg
Do NOT cut, or otherwise alter the blades of your reed. Work on adjusting how deep you sit that reed in its’ hole. Patience my friend, patience. Perhaps the only thing that needs adjusting is the the time that reed requires to acclimate itself to your home environment. Again. patience.
Why did the thread need replacing so soon?
Patrick.
I had to replace the original green nylon thread because it was binded all the way at bottom of staple and the reed would not fit the bass reed seat in my Rogge bass reg and also is was not waxed thread. I prefer Waxed Polyamide thread anyway.
This photo below from Aaron Hagan’s http://www.myspace.com/aaronhagan shows another similar reed with green binding used first.
Cheers
Ferg
Hi Fergus
Hope your well.
If the reed is flat over all i would suggest that you trim the steeple. I think about 5mm or so would do the trick.
As Joseph says, if it is behaving well and not jumping octaves DO NOT adjust the blades, work on the steeple.
Chat soon
Paddy
Hi Paddy
I will file the bottom of the staple first before cutting with pipe cutter.
When I get concert pitch chanter reeds from Alan Burton Alan also suggests to file the bottom of the staple and not trim the reed head.
- Bass reg reed seat 2) The Bass reg reed 3) The Bass reg reed in reed seat.
Many thanks
Ferg
Does the wooden section the reed seat is in move further into the bass regulator bar? Usually they are a tuning slide of sorts. It’s looks very far out to me. Ideally it should be butting up against the bass regulator at the drone switch end to avoid wind turbulance and tuning wiryness.
Patrick.
Good stuff my friend, let us know how you get on.
Me too actually 
don’t know why i made that reed with that stuff 
Although Green is my favourite colour 
I would also take Pats advive any “gap” in the bore caused would give all sorts of tuning and behaviour issues
The reed seat with the brass tubing is made from plastic not wood. Yes I know it moves and I have it at the right place as far as it can go with bottom end up against the bass regulator.
Cheers
Ferg
Before you do anything to the reed you should try messing with the mount at the end of the reg(moving it out a little) or try moving out the keyed section from the bass bar a fraction or sharpen the whole thing to bring the G in and rush the rest.
RORY
Agreed this can often be all that is needed, I believe this knowledge led to the development of the "tuning piston " favoured by B. Howard, C.O Briain and D.Williams (RIP)
I Dont think this would work, remember that flattening the A,B and C notes with a rush will also flatten the G, which is already a problem. Such wide variation in tuning (40 cents flat) in my experience doesn’t respond well to rushing.
I try to get the reg in tune as close as possible by reed methods, then resort to rushes and such as a fine tuning method. If you think "to bring the G up by 40 cents will increase the other notes by 40 cents also IMHO this is way beyond using a rush in the bore, thus alternative reedmaking is needed or modifications to the existing steeple.