I want to learn how to make highland bagpipe chanter reeds. With tutorials i have found i couldn’t really get anyway. I’d rather have a video tutorial. I think i can substitute cane with bamboo for making reeds. Thanks
Hi CG
It is not GHB, but Northumbrian, but might give you some ideas.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=48741&highlight=reed
For more of a laugh than anything - practice chanter reeds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6T4fy1j2PY
How to reduce the strength of a reed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuN6AAn3Ls0
David
You may start by contacting Harris Reedz. You can find DIY kits, parts and instructions. The gentleman in Davy’s 3rd video also sells some supplies etc.
Cane is the preferred material for reeds, arundo donax most specifically. The C&F reedmaker in residence, Joseph E. Smith, has his own supply of cane. Apparently some great cane can be found in California. The biggest supplies of cane are from Spain, France or Sardinia.
GHB reeds, smallpipe and uilleann reeds are all very different in their construction. It certainly helps to look at info on smallpipe and uilleann reeds (of which there is good online instruction), but GHB and border pipe reeds have a different style of manufacture. The only online info I’ve found for GHB are these:
http://www.bagpipejourney.com/articles/PDF/Speirs_Reed_Making.pdf
Which is mostly just confusing.
And this:
The pictures are tiny, but at least there are pictures.
I can’t comment on how these instructions resemble “real” GHB reedmaking techniques. I"ve never seen that. I do think the problem with getting info on this is that almost all GHB reeds are made with a truck-load of very expensive profiling and gouging machines. To make them by hand is uncommon. I think.
Good luck.
Nate