For those of you who bravely attempt to make reeds, I am curious as to what your success rate is. And by success I mean the reed plays in tune, and to your liking with regard to pressure, etc. I, for one, get about 7-8 “good ones” out of 10 attempts. How about you?
CJ
20:1
Usually, 9 out of ten. Sometimes ten out of ten… if I remember to take my time, and refrain from rushing things.
Seth Gallagher states an average success rate of about one out of four. Wish I could say mine was that good - at least for really decent reeds. But every once in a while, I get a bullseye. 
I’m probably more like one out of thirty or so that is remarkably good.
Surely his success rate is much better than that. I find it hard to believe that after all of his years making reeds, he would spend that amount of time and resources on making reeds at an average of one out of four. How old is that average?
Mine is close to yours CJ 8:10
So, if you only make one reed in your life, and it works, then you have a success rate of 100%?
S’not me… 's’stitsics 
That’s what he’s stated to me on no fewer than three occassions - the most recent late last year. Perhaps that also includes slips that don’t make it very far into the process and are binned early on. Don’t know the details. But it was very clear that he’s averaging one out of four that are keepers. Joe, you should come out this June, and you and Seth can rub gouges together for a while. It’d be great to have two greats carving away!
Man, that is soooo tempting, but unfortunately I can’t this year. But fear not, I really would like to get there one of these tionols. Talking with David in Atlanta, he said he had a great time in Salt Lake City. 
Yeah, baby, YEAH!!! 
I make a few a week and it varies… This weekend, I had 1 “great” one of 3. Last weekend, both reeds were keepers.
I’ve only started in the past several months or so to have most reeds I make to be “keepers”. 8:10 sounds like a good average.
I experiment sometimes and that’s when they get flunky.
I grade them and keep only B+ and above. I have a B+ reed I play all the time now and it has turned into an A with playing.
I’m getting quite a pile of these things now. I figure I have over century worth of reeds now…
Dave Jones
I think you will find this example the case with most reeds. They tend to settle in nicely after a good deal of playing.
… don’t let that stop you from making tons more.
I think it would come down to what seth thinks is a good reed !!
His adverage reed may be the best certain other makers have ever made .Its all about quality control
RORY
There are no good reeds. We just learn to play the bad ones.
There are no good reeds. We just learn to play the bad ones.
There you’ve hit the nail on the head. This becomes especially evident when playing more than one chanter/reed combination.
There are so many adjustments the player can make - even while playing - I think it means there is a wide range of “good” in judging reeds.
I think this is unique to this instrument. I’m also thinking of P Sky’s post some days ago where he discussed adjustments the player makes and how an excellent player will be out of tune at first when playing someone else’s pipes.
I bet I’m judging my new reeds by how they compare with the one I’m used to playing.
Dave Jones
I bet I’m judging my new reeds by how they compare with the one I’m used to playing.
That’s exactly why I don’t have a spare reed for my chanter, because I keep trying to get it like the one I’m happily playing, I have to need a reed to satisfy myself (pipingwise that is!!).
When I reed up someones chanter, I set it so,hopefully, it is stable in response and tone and volume as much as is possible with the given instrument. I am fastidious about my set being airtight, some are not so, so there’s little I can do about judging the set up for the owners personal taste, unless they are present.
But… if you have drones and regs., once you play the new reed, you will have to adjust all the reeds to get a good balance or suffer the consequences anyway.
Reeding up a chanter is a process that can require more than 1 reed to get it sorted, so success in constructing each individual reed is not really important. As long as the player is happy with their reed they get, I deem my work a success, otherwise shrug.
To follow on from Uillman, a reed is only as good as the chanter it’s in.
p.s. what’s with all the shark avatars??
Shark avatars? What shark avatars? 
I don’t really know my “success” rate. In terms of good looks and a well made reed I get 9 out of 10. That said, out of those 10 reeds I can expect 1 or 2 very good reeds…at this point it really depends on the cane. Cane is inconsistent under the best conditions. All reed makers have had the experience of making a reed out of a tube of cane that is just great only to have the others, out of the same tube, turn out poor.
All of this depends if you are making the reed to fit one specific chanter. Once you find the right reed then it is easy to copy. If on the other hand, you are reeding a strange chanter you might make 20 reeds and not get it right.
Years ago when I first started, I thought I knew everything about reeds and considered myself the worlds greatest reed maker. I was so confidant that I put out the word that I would guarantee to make a reed for $15.00. ..BIG MISTAKE! People would send me chanters that I would spend 2 days trying to get one reed to fit only to finally give up in frustration.
Your aim should be to make one great reed…then leave it alone. Liam O’Flynn’s reed is over 50 years old.
All the best,
Pat Sky
I keep wondering what people mean by “good.” I think that may vary widely. Some pro reedmakers disgards may be another’s pride and joy.