Buskersean, I see you rate Mr Howard very highly indeed.
Good to hear a satisfied piper 
I remember Mr Howard at a clancy week in 97, He was working on a universal concert chanter reed. Do you know if he ever managed to realise this vision?
Ben, I am certainly pleased with my practice set anyway. the half and full sets i have seen and heard are pretty good too. (Although I remind you I am a novice piper.)
The universal reed you mentioned is now available in the ‘Howard reed making kit’ and we used these on the Floating Tionol. They worked very well in various makes of chanter. And were put together from kit form to fully working reed within an afternoon. Can’t give exact timescales as I the workshop took place inside the boat, while I was at the helm (in the rain!), but that is the Captains job.
I am hoping to have a go with the kit myself at the aforementioned Tionol
As much as I like Brian’s work, it seems getting a full set will involve a long wait, as he is pretty busy at the moment. Are there any quality makers who DON’T have a long waiting time?
Consider it now. Don’t let anyone tell you you “can’t” make a read for X reason(s). That’s just crap. Start now. You won’t likely find a cheaper hobby, and you’ll be that much further ahead when folks ask you if you’ve tried this or that in adjusting the reed to achieve your goals.
Just do it, and damn the consequences. It is NOT as hard as all that to get started, and even to get some really decent reeds going in very short order. Get going. Don’t let anyone try to scare you with their horror stories of why you shouldn’t start learning that great skill right away. You’ll supprise yoursef with what you can do - I guarentee it!
I thought i’d chip in a post BEFORE people started suggesting the hacksaw. 
About the second part of your post, indeed and thanks! 
[/quote]
(who said the Scots were tight?).. Ye just did!! 
‘if Howard chanters are so perfect why do they need this?’ …Well why do they?
don’t knock it 'till you’ve tried it… I had one o his chanters years back?
Come to the ‘dry dock tionol’ on 17th June in Oxford and do just that…So what ye are saying is wait until June to get an answer? 
Ye can’t make something better if it is already optimum.So if the chanter is optimum to start with,which it should be,(remember I had one which was in tune,I just didnae like the look of it) then why does it need a gizzmo to make it work as it should do without the iris??Thats all,simple question expecting a simple answer ..granted maybe is a simple enough word but it is hardly an answer is it??
Slan Agut
Uilliam
edited after second thoughts …
Alan
Alan…why don’t ye say what ye really mean?? 
When I 1st saw Brian’s so called technical article in the issue of Na Piobaire,I wondered what startling revelation he was about to pronounce to the piping world.
I started to read it and then quickly realised it was nothing but a blatant advert for his own business,and to be honest if and I stress if,he has used na Piobaire for business advertising under the guise of a technical column,thereby avoiding advertising fees,I would be even more pissed off as it would be an abuse of the membership.
Thinking more about this ,it is a glorious cop out to sell pre gouged slips,staples etc with all the gumpf about how easy it is to assemble,blah blah blah …
What of course isn’t mentioned is, if ,after assembling same,it doesnae work as ye expected, ye have to tweak,scrape sand or whack it with an axe in the end and ye have paid out good money for fresh air…then ye have no comeback…and more to the point Brian has no responsibility as of course the setting up of the reed is outwith his control…
I wasnae gonna raise this but when it came up,and is indeed a form of advertising,back door o no…then I felt it fair game to make pronouncement.
Uilliam
Hey guys … please calm down!
I just wanted some comments on my “problem”. I got those and thanks to all that contributed! I’m sure these technical questions about paper, plastic or iris are up to each chanter, reed and favoured playing technique.
Thanks again and best regards, Thies
misfired, edited :roll:
a bit triggerhappy there, edited
…OK, who’s in the third…I mean…only photo?
Dry Dock tionol is 17th October 2004, it’s the next Floating Tionol June 2005. Sorry for any confusion.
Uilliam, you say you had a Howard chanter years back, it won’t have had an Iris on then will it?
As for the reed making kit, I’ve seen it work. Again don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
Uilliam, you say you had a Howard chanter years back, it won’t have had an Iris on then will it?
Er no…
I said it was in tune so it didnae need one
I wish ye would just answer the question, it isnae difficult.
Put it another way …If he didn’t need an Iris on his chanter way back,and it played perfectly well(which it did) what has happened to the design of his chanter to make it so necessary nowadays?
As for the reed making kit, I’ve seen it work. Again don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
If ye read my post ye will find that I… said if… it doesn’t turn out as expected…and then went on to explore the scenario,should that be the case.
Now then if this is not the case and Brian would happily give back the money if the reed turns out to be under par…then brilliant..but is this so??
IMO there is no such thing as a universal reed no more than there is a universal chanter.
now if that were the not the situation we wouldnae have a problem.
So have a wee look at what I am saying before being so defensive!
Maybe I am being a bit hard on ye here (after all its not your business is it?)and ye can’t answer..if that be the case there is no shame in it…ye won’t be the first one to fall under the Iris of Rasputin 
Oh, and if ye come north o Hadrians Wall,I wouldnae advise ye calling the natives ..tight…they might not take too kindly to that 
Uilliam
Uilliam, If you ever come South of the border, I wouldn’t advise opening yer gob, as whatever you say you will probably offend someone.
Such a shame people want to knock new developments, but has oft been the way of the world.
Come’ead lads calm down, calm down
So I take it that is your considered and final answer on my query!
I have edited the main portion of this post for three reasons
1)Alans fine example
2)Becky is right.
3)I’m bored with this.
Gob by the way is Irish for Beak as in bird… water off a duck’s back etc… and I’ll leave it at that.
Slan Go Foill
Uilliam
Children children please!!!
I’ve seen 3 year olds bicker less than this!
But of course… this kind of sniping takes years of practice! 
Who dat der now in der pic:-? 