as a complete newbie to reed-making for the UP (actually I haven’t started yet ) I would like some advice / ideas / comments and I guess that this forum is more than perfect for this.
O.k. … clear is that I need lots (?) of materials and tools and there are several webpages or brochures explaining what one would need.
The question for me is now, where I could order or buy these materials and tools the best? Being in Finland is a bit remote from most sources. I saw that the NPU offers all this stuff for sale but also several piper-makers (e.g. Andreas Rogge) themselves offer e.g. reed-making kits (sanding block, gauge, shooting board). So, where to buy?
Maybe you can give me some “jump start” concerning this issue.
Best regards from Finland and stay tuned,
Thies
P.S.: My pipes (Half-Set by Alan Ginsberg and Practise Set by Andreas Rogge) are in Concert Pitch.
Thies,
Some of the tools can be found in a hardware store. The specialized items are listed on these websites. You might find the same thing closer, but this will give you an idea what is needed:
Thies, from Finland it would probably be easier for you to order from NPU. NPU also has reed-making books and videos that you will want to get in order to acquaint yourself with the nastier aspects of reed-making before taking the maddeningly time-consuming plunge into the darkest side of the dark side of piping.
The Anima link is still showing CelticFire as a reed materials supplier. They are no longer in the business. They gave me the name of an oboe reed supplier in the midwest as an alternate, but they had gone out of business.
I’m not having any luck finding a North American supplier of tube cane.
I ordered 2 kilos of cane from Medir and it was here within a week. THey’ll ship without any downpayment. They were very patient, good to work with, the cane was all of the correct diameter, and softer per my request, at least as Spanish cane goes.
Dear all,
thank you very much indeed for your comments and hints so far. I knew already beforehand that reedmaking belongs more to the “dark side” of the UP business … but that’s always challenging - isn’t it? So may the force be with me …
I hope to produce something reed-like (at least from the look … and maybe as well from the sound) by the end of the winter … meaning when most of the snow will be gone (end of April).
Reedmaking for me is like another hobby, almost. I’ll put in an entire evening making them, and another testing them out in the chanter; and trying reeds that have been sitting around for a while. Certainly I spend a lot more time just playing, but I’m very glad I don’t have to depend on someone for reeds, I’d be very nervous about adjusting things to get them just right.
) I would like some advice / ideas / comments and I guess that this forum is more than perfect for this.
So may the force be with me …