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From the Bob Dunsire forum
I recently had the opportunity to read the Chris Apps book on reeds that Nancy brought home from Stone Mountain. Excellent book for anyone looking for information about the workings of reeds, and how to manipulate reeds to achieve what you need. I was lucky enough to have attended a workshop with Chris last August where he demonstrated such things as techniques for easing up a reed without ruining it, or how to use the mandrel to open up the throat of a reed you thought was shot and bring it back to life, or how rid the reed of a crow, or where to work a reed to fix other problems that might crop up. I thought the book did a great job of capturing that same information Chris presented in the workshop. It's in plain English, and explains things in detail without boring you to death.
I did a LOT of trial and error when I first started out, and went through a whole bunch of reeds. This book would've saved me a lot of time and money.
I recommend it to anyone who is interested in gaining some knowledge about an important element of happy and successful piping.
Kenton Adler |
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another forum comments ....
I also got a copy of Chris Apps reed book and found it very informative and user friendly. As a top reed maker, he really knows what he's talking about. There is nothing else out there like it and I highly recommend it for pipers of all levels.
John McDonald
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another forum comment ....
I have attended one of Chris Apps reed classes and bought the book. It has made it easier to get reeds in playing condition quicker - and they last longer. Go figure.
Be forewarned - don't get this if you are from the school that thinks "real pipers blow their reeds in - no sanding and scraping allowed. Take that gut buster reed and pop that vein out on your forehead until that reed is perfect".
Sanding, scraping and mandrel work for me.
Bruce |
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Thanks,
Got them and they sound great, plug and play. Great top end, very clear high F, G & A.
Regards,
Rick |
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I just wanted you to know that I love the practice chanter reed from your company - which Chris made. Thank you for making such excellent reeds.
Sandra
LA |
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My reeds arrived a few days ago, thanks very much. I love the reeds, they are a very well finished product.
J. McKenzie
UK |
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| Chris
I wanted to let you know I received the reeds on Monday. I have to say WOW….they make my Naill chanter sound amazing! I didn't realize it could sound so good! Seriously, I am blown away I was really questioning the Naill chanter reputation until I put these bad boys in. Thank you so much for awesome reeds….now I know what a reed is supposed to sound like. Not to throw anyone under the bus, they make anything I've used before sound crappy by comparison.
Jason
North Carolina |
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I wish all reed makers would give attention like you do.
Kevin
NJ |
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| (Complete Guide to Highland Bagpipe Reeds)
I just received your book on reeds and think it spectacular. Well done!!
Cheers
Wayne
NJ
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I have the band useing your reeds now.
I love your reeds and now the band loves them as well.
I have a G3 set at 26, I have been playing for almost a year now and it still plays nice and bright like the day I got it.
keep making them great reeds and I will always have an Apps reed in my chanter!!
Andrew
Missouri |
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Thanks Mr. Apps:
I received the parcel yesterday and have already had a half an hour playing the new chanter with #26 reed - all I can say is WOW - never had a sound so crisp and clear - and I'll be 75 this Sunday - many,many thanks
Sincerely
Ian McPhie
Vernon,B.C. |
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Chris,
The reeds arrived today and I wanted to let you know how impressed I am that I am able to move from my medium strength reeds without compromising tone or stability.
What a blessing these "customized-pressure" reeds are and I thank you for offering the service and quality.
Best wishes,
Shawn Downs
North Carolina |
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Chris,
Thanks for the note. Your booklet came yesterday and I realized it had the answers I was looking for. It seems to have about the easiest to understand explanations about reed tinkering that I have found.
Bill
Washington |
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| Hello, Chris
I wanted to let you know that your order arrived yesterday, and WOW - am I ever impressed! Reviews that I have read say that your reeds are "plug & play", but I would never have completely believed it unless I had actually placed a new APPS reed in my chanter, blown it, and found out for myself. I'm a new convert, let me tell you !
Not only was my #26 instantaneously playable (NO break in period required), but on mouth blowing, I suspect that my #28 and #30 will be as well. I had to re-adjust my Selbie drone screws to allow the tenor drones to tune higher on the pins, but that was quickly and easily done. The chanter reed is strong and vibrant, and complemented our band reeds with no problems at all. I put your new reed in late yesterday afternoon, and went directly to band practice last night Tuned up my Kintails (after PC practice) at 8pm and played continuously "in the circle" until 9pm. Now that doesn't seem like a "big thing" to many, but . . . I've been down with the flu for over 7 weeks, and have also been having some fluctuating blood pressure issues. The past few parades and practices have been tenuous at best for me. I have needed to stop playing during a couple of parades, and had to actually sit down once or twice at the last 2 band practices because I was getting dizzy. "Mother Nature" is not always kind to us "senior citizens"
With your new reed installed, I had not one problem with dizziness at all last night ! My pipes are an absolute pleasure to play again -- I was giving the analogy to other band members that the difference in playing "before APPS" and after, was like driving a clunky Mack truck and now a sleek, responsive Ferrari ! Not struggling with my chanter reed has actually allowed me to focus on my playing, embellishments, etc . . . And -- not worrying about keeping pressure up for the chanter seems to have lessened my stronger grip on the chanter itself, and my fingers now seem to "fly" when I play !
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU !
Cheers my friends
Roger Loth
Police Pipe and Drum Corps of Florida |
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Chris:
The new reeds I ordered are wonderful. As a new player I was struggling with my other reeds, but when I put the new reed in that you sent I was amazed at the time I could practise. It has definetly increased my practise time and will help with my playing. I will be ordering more very soon. Thanks for your help. I am excited about playing again. It's a pleasure playing your reeds.
Kathy
Ohio |
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I never thought a reed could be this easy to use out of the box! After
much frustration, I am in reed heaven. I can finally play without
quickly tiring out and can concentrate on fingering, breath and bag
control instead of struggling to get sound. Thank you for helping me.
I will be ordering extra reeds soon and have recommended your reeds to
my group.
Joy DeMatteis
albemarlepipes.com
PS I appreciate your highly informative articles on your website. |
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The red APPS reed (G4) is a killer reed and it needs no shaving at all. It is the crispest reed that I have ever played. It really makes that 440 chanter bark.
Thanks for your help.
Kim |
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| Dear Chris
I just received my 24,26,28,30 reeds today. Chris, you are my Hero! Plug'n'Play you promised - and Plug'n'Play it is.
As I have told you, I struggle with my KOL and a lungcapacity of 60%, but I played the 24 for ½ an hour with a minimum of effort and feel I could have played for hours - WHAT a kick - thank you. Will have to spend some time testing the other reeds, but I am positive, that I have finally found my future supplier of reeds.
Cheers and thank you saving my day
Henrik
Denmark
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Dear Chris
Thank you for the great reeds you sent. They were both easier to play than
what I had been playing. I almost gave up because of my previous reeds.
These reeds played well and sounded great.
Now I just need to practice more.
Thanks again. Whenever I need reeds again I will definitely order them from
you.
Sincerely,
Robert
Missouri |
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Chris,
In all my years of piping, I have never taken a reed out of the box and have it play the way I wanted it to play. Sometimes you get a reed that is like playing two 2x4s and other times the reed is easy, but sounds terrible. Either way you have to work the reed to get it to play. I played a funeral today and decided to use one of the reeds I purchased from you. I WAS AMAZED!!!!!!! I play a Gibson wood chanter and your reed was perfect. It was in tune, the sound was crisp, and the grips and thrown on Ds sounded great. It wasn't a hard reed or easy reed.....IT JUST PLAYED! I don't know if you dip them in gold solution, but whatever you do to get them to play this way is something else. You have a great talent my friend. Thanks again.....I am sold!
Mark Little
Fresno Stag & Thistle Pipe Band |
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Chris,
Many thanks again for guiding me through the purchase of -- and the vetting of -- my new Naill D6 pipes. They're everything I hoped them to be. They came out of the your box set up perfectly and with your reeds spot on. After 50 years of piping in the US and Scotland, I have found your counsel, expertise, skill and patience over the last few years to be unparalleled. No baloney, such facts and knowledge. All of which gave me the confidence to make this very important acquisition-of-a-life-time through you.
Warm regards,
Bill Currie
Chicago |
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| Hello Chris,
Just letting you know that the chanter and reeds you sent have arrived.
I've only managed to have a quick test of both by mouth
I have to say they sound fantastic.
It is the first time I've popped a reed into a chanter and played a true scale without the need to apply any tape to balance the chanter.
Regards,
Mark Spooner
Australia |
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| Chris,
Thanks for the pro practice chanter reeds. they really sound great in both regular and long practice chanters, very clear and bright. I will not be buying anything else.
Thanks
John
Missouri
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| Chris,
This is just a note to let you know that the reeds, booklet and mandrel etc arrived yesterday afternoon (Thursday, Perth time.) in good order.
Thank you for your prompt service.
I have played one reed in my D. Naill chanter for about thirty minutes and was very impressed. The chanter is about twenty four years old, designed by MacIntosh and Henderson for D. Naill and is one that I wouldn't swap for quids. Your reed sounded as if it was made to be played in it. The reed sharpened in pitch after about ten minutes and had to be raised slightly in the chanter. After and fifteen minutes or so, the sound was quite brilliant producing beautiful harmonics with the drones throughout the scale.
The bottom line is that I'm very pleased with the reeds that you have sent me. Your good reputation is well deserved.
Thanks once again.
Regards,
Bob
Perth, Australia
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| I thought that you would like to know that I swapped reeds today and
managed to pound out my first 'Amazing Graze' with chanter and drones.
It was great. The old reed was too hard, although I may have just abused it
too much to function. I swapped it for an Apps 'easy' reed and the
notes came pouring out.
Thanks.
Bill |
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| I have been using your reeds for about 8 years and they've done me great service
I am mightily impressed with the G4 reeds. I am using one of them in the new Naill band chanter with our band at home and I find it very good.
Thanks and regards,
John Leamy |
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Hi Chris,
Just wanted to let you know that we received our order of reeds and I'm very pleased with them. Not a bad one in the batch, which I REALLY appreciate. Thanks for showing such meticulous care in your work. We'll certainly be ordering more in the future.
Jeff Schenck
Schenectady Pipe Band |
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Hi Chris, I'd like to say a BIG thank for the Plug & Play Reeds I received from you,I have been struggling for some time with my piping, not any more, my piping has come back to life. You will be hearing from again soon.
Arthur Craven
Skelmersdale England |
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| Dear Apps; those reeds are amazing. They made me look amazing. BA PB sounded amazing after I reeded them up with them. Simon Fraser eat your hearts out. At last you actually listened and did as I directed you to do (snigger) hence the result.
Rog I mean Huth
UK
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| Hello Chris.
The reeds arrived last week.The 24 is just right for me and the scale is so true in my Macallum and in my mates Shepperd chanter.Now we know how our pipes are supposed to sound.We were both struggling with reeds that were too hard and that didn't sound right.Your made to measure service I wished I had known about earlier. I have ruined so many reeds by trying to do it myself. I will be now getting my reeds direct from you,set up correctly in the future.
Many thanks.
Pete.
Germany
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| Hi Chris,
The reeds arrived on Friday. Lorne was very pleased with the reeds. I think the strength is right for our band; we can get them going with a little breath warming and holding the lips together for a few seconds. The break in period should be reasonably short.
Also, the match up with our new chanters is excellent. We were amazed to find that little or no tape is required. Fitted out with new chanter reeds, MG drone reeds and the new chanters, we sounded like a different band with better tone and noticeably more volume.
I really appreciate your effort in getting the reeds to us in time for Lorne's visit.
Regards,
Bill
San Diego, CA
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Just a quick note to let you know that this last dozen reeds are plug
and play. Good job, Chris.
Thanks,
Darroll Morehouse |
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| Dear Chris, I've been playing your reeds for a month now and they have settled in nicely. I congratulate you on your product and will not hesitate in recommending them to my Piping friends.
Regards Kev Kelly |
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| You made a reed for me at the Richmond Highland Games. I plugged it in today and fired up the pipes. As a new player, having a reed adjusted to me made a amazing difference in my playing. Thank you for your help and I will be ordering more in the future. Great job and help for a beginner piper !!
SS |
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Got them yesterday. They appear to be all right on the money as marked. This is a great service that you offer and I am not sure any of your competitors offer it. My instructor has a Wika gauge and allows her students to use it to adjust reeds but it is well worth $2.50 to get one out of the box ready to play.
Jim McKnight |
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Today, I have received the two parcels, one with the reeds and one with the
pressure gauge. Thank you very much for your fine work and your fine
business. All this things are working very good. I wish you all the best for
the new year. Thank you and kind regards,
Alexandre Aebi
Switzerland |
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I just wanted to write to thank you. You sent my order FASTER than I ever expected. Your reeds are the closest thing to plug & play there is......they are absolutely THE BEST!!!!!!!!
Very sincerely, a very satisfied customer,
P Rutgersen
Astoria NY |
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| I received the two chanter reeds and cane bass reed a little more than a
week ago. The chanter reeds played beautifully, right out of the box, in
the ABW McCallum chanter that I usually use for solo competitions. They
are exactly the strengths I was hoping for, and are bright and clear on every
note. They impressed me so much that I used one for a competition in
Dallas this past weekend, where I received very high marks for chanter and pipes (judge Jimmie Bell used the words "excellent" and "beautiful pipes" twice
when assessing sound quality on my score sheets). I have many other
reeds, and never imagined I would compete with a reed played less than a week, but yours sounded so good that it was the obvious choice to play with.
The cane bass reed is the first I've ever had that also played well right
out of the box. With no more preparation than some warm, moist air, it
played through a complete piobaireachd at full pressure (I was using the
'35' reed) without shutting off - no hair under the tongue, no springing
of the tongue - and without dropping out of tune. That is quite impressive
from a cane reed, at least in my experience. The only change I've made is
to replace the plastic bridle with a waxed hemp one. With another couple
of weeks of playing, I expect it to become my full-time bass reed.
You've just made pipe maintenance easier for me: I no longer need to
worry over which reeds to buy next, when I need new ones.
Many thanks for making such a fine product.
Regards,
E Selden
Seabrook, TX |
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I wanted to let you know how delighted Lucinda and I have been with your reeds. We each took 1 and are still using them. Custom ordering them will spare us much time and money and eliminate the "gambling" habit that usually occurs when shopping for ready to play reeds.
Jay Goetz
St. Louis, MO
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I received the pipe chanter reeds and am starting out on the number 20. I find it far easier than the previous reeds I was trying but not able to blow. I was able to play an entire scale, up and down!!! I am confident this will help me as I learn to blow my pipes. I want to thank you very much for making my dream of being able to play a set of pipes become possible.
Yours truly,
Karen Bell
Canada |
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I received the reeds yesterday and they are fantastic. Thanks again
for your help and I will be recommending to our little
South Texas band that they become acquainted with your shop.
John
Texas
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I just got the reed and it is one of the best reeds
I have received in
years. I appreciate the well crafted reed.
Honestly, I love the reed and I
have not been able to say that about many of the
reeds I have received from
other makers.
Thanks,
Shawn
Indiana |
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I just wanted to let you know how delighted all of our band members were
to receive their new reeds. With 15 pipers in our band, you would think
there would be at least one negative comment. But that wasn't the case.
the consensus was that, with our having determined our individual blowing
strengths before we ordered, we all got reeds that were basically plug and
play. Now, after several weeks of play, the sound is great and everyone
is quite happy with our purchase. Thank you for taking the time to work
with me on this.
Cheers,
Darroll Morehouse
Oregon State Defense Force Pipe Band |
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Chris: Thank you thank you thank you for the new reeds! They're perfect right out of the box, every last one of them (I ordered four.) What a difference in sound and ease of playing!
Stephen Mack
Virginia |
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