Subsections

• Cima
• Rubén
• Noly
• Herme
• Enríquez
• David
• Carlos Peixoto
• Linares

   
Reed Makers

One definitely distinctive point of a good bagpiper is the sound quality. Either aggressive, mellow, you name it, the sound should match the player's style for better effect. The sound quality depends heavily on having a good reed. Moreover, it is a widespread lore than certain types of reeds work better with some chanters than others, and this materializes on some reed makers' products being more adequate to the chanters of some gaita makers than others. There are some reed makers that deny this. I'll show the information available when I have any.

Virtually all gaita makers will sell reeds -- usually those which work better with the instrument they make. My advice is to let the maker tell you which are the best reeds for the instrument you are purchasing. Anyway, I am gathering addresses of reed makers for those who want to order reeds directly from them. Tell them always what is the tuning of your chanter and, if possible, who made it.

Cima

Manuel Cima makes very good chanter reeds (he does not make drone reeds) which play beautifully in Antón Corral and disciples' (e.g. Oli Xiráldez, X. Miguel) chanters. His address is:

Manuel Cima Martínez
Parada n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 49
Xinzo - Ponteareas
E-36891 Pontevedra
Spain

Ph: +34-986-660141

Rubén

Rubén's reeds are reported to work specially well in chanters made by Seivane (and, I suppose, by Antón Varela as well). His address is:

Antonio González
Carrero Blanco n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 95, 5 $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ A
Lugo
Spain

Ph.: +34-982-244327

Unfortunately, I believe he has a long waiting time.

Noly

Noly makes high quality chanter and drone reeds. Noly (which is actually a nickname for Manuel) can be reached through snail mail and phone at:

Noly
San Roque 51-2n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$
Lugo
Pontevedra
Spain

Ph.: +34-908-199556

Yes, this address might seem strange, but it is verbatim what appears in his business card. His reeds work just fine in chanters made by Alfonso R. Castro, X. Miguel Mosquera and Oli Xiráldez.

Herme

Hermenegildo Fernández has recently passwd away. May his soul rest in peace.

Enríquez

Enríquez reeds are reported to behave well with chanters made by Antón Varela, which possibly means that they will work fine as well with chanters made by Seivane. My personal impression is that they tend to have a mellower sound than others I have seen, so if you are interested in this sound, you may give them a try. Enríquez address is:

José Luis Carballo Enríquez
Batalla del Salado, 1, 1 $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$E
24400 Ponferrada
León
Spain
Ph. +34-987-419073

David

See his entry in bagpipe makers.

Carlos Peixoto

Carlos made his apprenticeship with the late ``Herme''. He, after extensive experimentation, reached to the conclusion of the existence of an universal reed, i.e., a reed which can be used in all (or most of) types of chanters (Seivane, Antón Corral, Diputación de Lugo, etc.).

Carlos Peixoto
PO Box 3334
36202 Vigo
Spain
Ph. +34-667792799
otopeix@e-milio.com

Linares

He specializes in reeds for bagpipes of the type made by Seivane. He makes reeds for several well-known bagpipers. His address is:

Linares
Baamonde (Lugo)
Spain
Teléfono +34-629-017145