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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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