Tube with one end stopped for carrying Union bagpipe reeds

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Bamboo tube with one end stopped with a cork. Used for carrying chanter reeds consisting of two blades of Spanish cane bound onto a staple for a set of Union bagpipes (H.1995.795.1) that belonged to William Mackie.

A strong type of cane, Arundo Donax, both farmed and naturally grown, is favoured for making reeds for bagpipes as well as for other musical wind instruments. The drone reed, a so-called 'single reed', uses the whole body of the cane. The same cane is also cut into thin blades to make into chanter reeds, the so-called 'double reed'.

The cane is cut into lengths, longer lengths and larger bodied cane supplying bass drone reeds, one end is blocked off at a natural division within the cane; the 'blade' is cut horizontally and this produces a 'tongue' which vibrates freely in the flow of air from the bag into the drones. The cane reed is 'seated' in the bottom end of the drone.

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• Online ID: 000-000-579-839-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: The Bagpipe Collection
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.2002.1367.7
• Date:
• Material: Bamboo and cork
  Tube for carrying bagpipe reeds
  
• Dimensions: 105 mm L x 20 mm W
  
• What: Tube for carrying bagpipe reeds
  
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• Who:
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• Description: Bamboo tube with one end stopped with cork for carrying Union or Lowland bagpipe reeds.
  
• References:
  • Baines, Anthony,. Bagpipes. Occasional Paper on Technology 9, Oxford University Press, 1973. 
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