Hello,
Does anyone know a good source of drone reed cane? Does Medir supply it or do I have to rely solely on NPU?
Thanks,
DavidG
Medir is the best known source, and are experienced in shipping internationally. Here is the last info I have on contacting them:
Web: http://www.medir.org/ E-mail: balitra@medir.org
Here is one in Sardinia. I heard Geoff Wooff tried their cane once, but I don’t know if it is any good: http://xoomer.virgilio.it/seperra/
I understand there are some sources in France, but I have not tried it, and cannot say what it is like. Ted Anderson on this forum boasts of his California cane, but also says it is in limited quantities, and only available to expert reedmakers. (do a Search on this forum for more).
djm
Thanks for the info djm. I’ll send a query to Medir.
Cheers,
DG
Yes Medir doe’s supply drone cane,he will email you the prices on request.
I just received a reply concerning chanter cane from Medir. Prices are very reasonable, it’s the freight charges that are the killer - 18 euro for a kilo of 25mm cane, 46 euro for the postage 
Cheers,
DavidG
If I remember correctly, drone cane is about twice the cost of chanter stuff. It’s ungraded, so you have to sort out your small mid and big drone sizes yourself. I bought some last in about 1998, about a kilo. I have plenty of mid and big left, but tenor stuff just doesn’t seem to figure happily in the equation. But maybe times have changed??
Alan
I have little drone cane. The places I get soft chanter cane are too soft in the drone sizes. I have gotten small amounts from some harder sources and may offer some next year, when it is cured.
The cane from Medir is not sized small enough for tenor sizes. The smaller pieces are sold for NSP drones. It is good try to order some NSP drone sizes as well, in order to get the tenor sizes (and some cane too small for UP as well).
Ted
Medir has drone cane that’s fine for Tenor. Just order by actual size (in mm) instead of saying “I want some tenor drone cane for Uilleann Pipes.” Or at least this was the case when I ordered. A Kilo or two should last you a long, long time.
Dionys
Hi Ausdag
http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apiiGenus
It appears that the European Common Reed Pragmites australis has taken up residence in Australia, but there is also a native species shown in the link.
I’ve used Common Reed to make Uillean Drones very successfully.
You’ve even got a native Elder
http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/S1710C5196856/079.html
but I’ve no idea what it’s like for reed making.
TTFN
John S
Hi John,
Interesting about the Common Reed. I’ll look out for it.
About the native Elder - I just noticed the other day that there are some common Elder trees growing wildly in a gully just down the street. I was eyeing them off thinking they could be a potential source of reed material. I’ll have to wait until next autumn/winter to collect though as I hear you need to wait until there is minimal sap flow. I’ll look out for the native variety too.
Cheers,
DavidG
Yes David, Autumn-Winter is the best time to harvest, but you might find some dead stuff on the trees at the moment, to have a go with. You can even make a chanter reed out of Elder though I’ve never tried it myself.
John S
From medir’s website:
"Arundo Donax L, avui coneguda amb el nom de canya, és una planta perenne de la família de les gramínies que viu a tota la regió mediterrànea, on està profosament extesa, tant és així que ara com ara ens seria molt difícil concebre el paisatge mediterrani sense la seva presència. Sovint s’ha dit que és una espècie introduïda, però no sembla pas que hi hagi cap dada concluent per pensar aixó, ans al contrari la seva utilització per les poblacions mediterrànies es remunta a les civilitzacions més antigues de la conca "
…
I love the bit about the one-eyed barmaid and her cat. Hilarious.
