Reed collapse
+4
Dai Robb
wee_fee-Fee
Gordy88
Redneck
8 posters
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Reed collapse
this amazes me every time it happens, belter of a reed medium strength, untouched ( not shaved ).
Blew up last night, WTF?.... . Nursed this reed all winter thinking it would last the season.
Great balance wi very little tape on the chanter, when your done grips or birled the chanter near split lol. Good vibration through the chanter whilst playing.
Now...........it's fackin' firewood.
What causes this in the matter of 24 hrs?. Beats me. .......
Blew up last night, WTF?.... . Nursed this reed all winter thinking it would last the season.
Great balance wi very little tape on the chanter, when your done grips or birled the chanter near split lol. Good vibration through the chanter whilst playing.
Now...........it's fackin' firewood.
What causes this in the matter of 24 hrs?. Beats me. .......
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
A hell of a good question mate,
I reckon its to do with moisture, I have played reeds that all of a sudden get very easy, usually at or near the end of a practice.
I think what happens is that they get really wet, the pores of the reed open up and take the moisture in, then as they close, don't get the moisture out quick enough and the pores get damaged, swollen and burst etc.
It is a shame when you lose a good reed this way, but I have found that if it does go easy like this, although it comes back, it only has a limited lifespan, and gets kept for emergencies.
New reed required.
Its my view, but I could be totally wrong, would be interesting to hear a reedmakers view on it, they probably love the idea, makes you buy more
It does frustrate you all the same
I reckon its to do with moisture, I have played reeds that all of a sudden get very easy, usually at or near the end of a practice.
I think what happens is that they get really wet, the pores of the reed open up and take the moisture in, then as they close, don't get the moisture out quick enough and the pores get damaged, swollen and burst etc.
It is a shame when you lose a good reed this way, but I have found that if it does go easy like this, although it comes back, it only has a limited lifespan, and gets kept for emergencies.
New reed required.
Its my view, but I could be totally wrong, would be interesting to hear a reedmakers view on it, they probably love the idea, makes you buy more
It does frustrate you all the same
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
Re: Reed collapse
Mate, the reed is dry no excess moisture. Never been a wet blower, a slabber yes, but never had trouble with reeds becoming too wet.
Bit of a pain as you say, reeds nowadays never last the season.
Bring the big Mac's back. They'd a done ye a season 'n a half fer sure, no problem.
Well, back da the wee box..........all the gid yins will be gone......
Bit of a pain as you say, reeds nowadays never last the season.
Bring the big Mac's back. They'd a done ye a season 'n a half fer sure, no problem.
Well, back da the wee box..........all the gid yins will be gone......
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
Bring the Big Macs back,??
We'd all be on our knees
We'd all be on our knees
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
Re: Reed collapse
We'd just have da get back inda proper training...lol
Well.........any other thoughts on this dilemma?, bound to have happened to others too.
Well.........any other thoughts on this dilemma?, bound to have happened to others too.
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
Think you have hit the nail on the head Gordy. When you generally blow your bagpipes water becomes trapped inside the reeds pores. The immediate effect of this "waterlogging" is that the reed will feel harder and won't respond as well. In the long term, however, waterlogging causes the fibers of a reed to collapse. So perhaps the reed may look dry to you Iain but when you have been playing it your moisture has been filling in the pores. May not be the cause of your reed collapsing but could be a factor.
Also be careful if you are working with the sound box. (The bottom of the reed) The sound box supports the rest of the reed and contributes greatly to bottom hand sound and strength. It should not be scraped or sanded. If you want to lessen the strength of a reed by working with the sound box, grasp the reed at the top of the sound box and squeeze gently until you can feel some giving in the cane. If you collapse the sound box, the reed is garbage. I know ya never touched or shaved it but its just another pointer.
Also be careful about exposing reeds to dry, heated air also. My dad keeps his locked up in a pill bottle or in his bagpipe, or in a reed protector. Five minutes in the dry air and they'll turn into scrap. Reeds don't like sudden changes in their moisture content. If you wet the reed too much, it will become dull and lifeless. If you dry it to quickly, the blades will collapse and the reed is ruined.
Hope ya get a new reed blown in in time I'm glad I'm no a piper anymore
Also be careful if you are working with the sound box. (The bottom of the reed) The sound box supports the rest of the reed and contributes greatly to bottom hand sound and strength. It should not be scraped or sanded. If you want to lessen the strength of a reed by working with the sound box, grasp the reed at the top of the sound box and squeeze gently until you can feel some giving in the cane. If you collapse the sound box, the reed is garbage. I know ya never touched or shaved it but its just another pointer.
Also be careful about exposing reeds to dry, heated air also. My dad keeps his locked up in a pill bottle or in his bagpipe, or in a reed protector. Five minutes in the dry air and they'll turn into scrap. Reeds don't like sudden changes in their moisture content. If you wet the reed too much, it will become dull and lifeless. If you dry it to quickly, the blades will collapse and the reed is ruined.
Hope ya get a new reed blown in in time I'm glad I'm no a piper anymore
wee_fee-Fee- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-15
Number of posts : 630
Age : 39
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Boghall & Bathgate Pipe Band
Re: Reed collapse
A Font of knowledge is oor Fiona, never ceases to amaze me.
Dai Robb- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 1995
Age : 87
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Band Name: Enter Band Name Here!!!!
Re: Reed collapse
This is why ..in general pipers are all alcoholics....The problems appertaining to being a Piper.........are so many.......!!!!!
Wyatt- Member
- Registration date : 2008-10-31
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Age : 73
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: 79 New York Highlanders..
Re: Reed collapse
Wyatt wrote:This is why ..in general pipers are all alcoholics....The problems appertaining to being a Piper.........are so many.......!!!!!
'nuff said
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
Re: Reed collapse
wee_fee-Fee wrote:Also be careful if you are working with the sound box. (The bottom of the reed) The sound box supports the rest of the reed and contributes greatly to bottom hand sound and strength. It should not be scraped or sanded. If you want to lessen the strength of a reed by working with the sound box, grasp the reed at the top of the sound box and squeeze gently until you can feel some giving in the cane. If you collapse the sound box, the reed is garbage. I know ya never touched or shaved it but its just another pointer.
Also be careful about exposing reeds to dry, heated air also. My dad keeps his locked up in a pill bottle or in his bagpipe, or in a reed protector. Five minutes in the dry air and they'll turn into scrap. Reeds don't like sudden changes in their moisture content. If you wet the reed too much, it will become dull and lifeless. If you dry it to quickly, the blades will collapse and the reed is ruined.
I'm glad I'm no a piper anymore
Maybe yer no a piper anymore because ye werny treatin' yer reeds right!
Nothin wrong wi scrapin or sandin the soundbox especially if you play medium to hard reeds like masel.
A crackin reed may be too hard to blow but a small scrape of the soundbox will make the reed easier without destroying it.
If you have a flat / dull reed due to a lot of moisture, taking the chanter out the stock and just holding it in the fresh air for 5 mins will work wonders and not scrap the reed.
Just some things I've picked up over the years which are at odds with yersel. There is no right or wrong other than doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.
stormy- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
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Re: Reed collapse
If that works for you that's fine. I always got told not to scrape the sound box unless it is a last resort for reeds that are extremely hard. Holding the reed on the sound box between the thumb and forefinger and giving it a squeeze until you can feel the cane give way a bit is less hazardous. If the reed is too hard to blow you don't need to scrape it just get a small dental band and double or triple it on the blades of the sound box.
If you find your new reed has gone flat quickly. This is just new cane absorbing moisture which causes the mouth of the reed to open up, hence lowering the pitch. The odd light pinch around the shoulder of the sound box should sort it and once the reed has eventually settled you shouldn't need to do this.
I know you can scrape the soundbox if you want to free up the top hand a bit but you need to be careful when doing it or your reed may become unstable.
It helps being brought up in a family of pipers Stormy and living with one lol I do pay attention sometimes Now back to twirling my sticks
If you find your new reed has gone flat quickly. This is just new cane absorbing moisture which causes the mouth of the reed to open up, hence lowering the pitch. The odd light pinch around the shoulder of the sound box should sort it and once the reed has eventually settled you shouldn't need to do this.
I know you can scrape the soundbox if you want to free up the top hand a bit but you need to be careful when doing it or your reed may become unstable.
It helps being brought up in a family of pipers Stormy and living with one lol I do pay attention sometimes Now back to twirling my sticks
wee_fee-Fee- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-15
Number of posts : 630
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Band Name: Boghall & Bathgate Pipe Band
Re: Reed collapse
Stormy has hit it on the head,
Its doing the wrong thing at the wrong time,
Maxim for life there
Its doing the wrong thing at the wrong time,
Maxim for life there
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
Re: Reed collapse
Gordy88 wrote:Stormy has hit it on the head,
Its doing the wrong thing at the wrong time,
Maxim for life there
Thing is, nothing was touched, am at the game long enough now to know a good reed when a have one, and how to manipulate reeds.
This one went from " Holy yucky broon stuff, wata crackin' reed " da " WTF is that? " overnight.
Nothing has changed, it was treated the way it always was, no excess moisture or anything.
Bit late now anyway it's in file 13.
Just wanted to hear all the amazingly technical summaries
My view? it was poor cane / ripe cane. Normally ad get a good season out of a reed broke in the way I did with this one.
No fackin' about next time...razor out shave da fack outa it. Da hell wi all this pussy footin' about, av no time da molly coddle a new reed.
The royal order of the Sweeney Todd fer the next yin.
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
Redneck wrote:Gordy88 wrote:Stormy has hit it on the head,
Its doing the wrong thing at the wrong time,
Maxim for life there
Thing is, nothing was touched, am at the game long enough now to know a good reed when a have one, and how to manipulate reeds.
This one went from " Holy yucky broon stuff, wata crackin' reed " da " WTF is that? " overnight.
Nothing has changed, it was treated the way it always was, no excess moisture or anything.
Bit late now anyway it's in file 13.
Just wanted to hear all the amazingly technical summaries
My view? it was poor cane / ripe cane. Normally ad get a good season out of a reed broke in the way I did with this one.
No fackin' about next time...razor out shave da fack outa it. Da hell wi all this pussy footin' about, av no time da molly coddle a new reed.
The royal order of the Sweeney Todd fer the next yin.
A mystery mate
Get MUlder and Scully on it!
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
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Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
Re: Reed collapse
More like Taggart that's his favourite inspector.
wee_fee-Fee- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-15
Number of posts : 630
Age : 39
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Boghall & Bathgate Pipe Band
Re: Reed collapse
Taggart ain't a patch on Rebus.
True_Blue_Piper- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2002
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Elastic Band
Re: Reed collapse
Hey........."there's been a merrrder".....Rebus is a tosser compared da our Taggart.
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
Taggart's a weegie w-anchor. Rebus's miles better....
True_Blue_Piper- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2002
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Elastic Band
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
Re: Reed collapse
good pic....but can you now find a pic of Taggart to put beside it?
True_Blue_Piper- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2002
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Elastic Band
Redneck- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
Number of posts : 2051
Age : 66
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Drumlough pipe band N.Ireland 3A
wee_fee-Fee- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-15
Number of posts : 630
Age : 39
Pipe Band I belong to
Band Name: Boghall & Bathgate Pipe Band
Re: Reed collapse
What are you two like? (I 'm wi you Iain, Rebus is a big girls blouse)
Dai Robb- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
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Re: Reed collapse
And he plays the bagpipes.....bet your weegie didn't !!!
True_Blue_Piper- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-13
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Band Name: Elastic Band
Re: Reed collapse
And he's a Hibee played by a Jambo,
Must be difficult when he sees a doorway, doesn't know whether to kick the door in or p1ss against it
Must be difficult when he sees a doorway, doesn't know whether to kick the door in or p1ss against it
Gordy88- Member
- Registration date : 2007-10-18
Number of posts : 1142
Age : 58
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Band Name: Geoghegan Memorial
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