Customer Quotes:

A full rich sound. A winner for sure.
- P/M B Gough, Illinois.

I love them. Great service too!
- J. Bradley, Co. Armagh

Well done on a fine product.
- Paul Burke, Waterford

What can I say, the new drone reeds are spectacular. My drones are alive and have never sounded better.
- Peter Calleja, Ontario

My drones sound absolutely beautiful. I will recommend your reeds to every piper I meet. They don't know what they're missing!
- Bob Baker, Arizona

(re: My Pipes are Singing!!)
My reeds arrived this morning and, as you may gather from the subject line, I am delighted with them. They went straight in with no fuss. I find them very easy to strike in, just a light squeeze and they are away, and they sound superb. Many thanks indeed!
- David Fraser, Aberdeenshire

The combination of the Peter Henderson pipes and Canning Reeds is unbeatable.  When I first broke out these pipes at practice, I did not tell my band mates that I was playing new pipes and reeds.  However, folks just kept staring and were amazed at the sound!  Thanks so much for a wonderful product.  Your reeds were extremely easy to set up and were steady right out of the box.
- Mike Lynch, North Carolina

I've tried about a dozen or so synthetic reeds trying to find that perfect sound. After trying hard to find it, I finally resorted to cane. After trying your reeds I'll never go back. I love the bell-like resonance of the tenors and and depth and power of the bass. In my honest opinion, your reeds sound better than cane and I will not hesitate to recommend these reeds to my band-mates and all of my piping friends.
- Lynn Blair, Texas


Feedback

On this page you will find feedback about Canning Reeds from some of our customers and also short reviews from some of the worlds most respected names in piping.

Here's what they have to say:


 

P/M Ian McLellan BEM needs no introductions. He was appointed as Pipe Major of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band in 1972 and turned the band into one of the most revered and respected pipe bands in history. With Ian at the helm, the band won 12 World Championships titles. The 6 World Pipe Band Championships won in successive years (1981-1986), remains unequalled to this day.

Here's what he had to say about Canning Drone Reeds:

"What a sound, first class.  No problems with having to fiddle about with them, they went straight away and the balance with the chanter is excellent especially the bass drone.  You're onto a winner!"
 

A native of Ontario, Canada, Jim McGillivray is one of the worlds most respected names in piping. On top of numerous other solo awards, he has won both Gold Medals at the Northern Meeting and Argyllshire Gathering. He has also won the Clasp at Inverness and in 1986 won the March, Strathspey and Reel section at the Glenfiddich Championship - the pinnacle of solo piping. Jim was also a member of the ground-breaking 78th Fraser Highlanders during the 1980's & 90's. He now concentrates on teaching and publishing and has released many books and instructional DVD's. Jim runs a successful piping business in Aurora, Ontario - McGillivray Piping. Here are his thoughts on Canning Drone Reeds:

"I just plugged your drone reeds into my 1912 Henderson bagpipe. They are remarkably steady, and the carbon fibre bass brings out the deep Henderson sound perfectly. Well done; I'm very impressed!"
 

At the age of 27, Margaret Dunn (nee Houlihan) has already established herself as one of the worlds top pipers and is not only the most successful solo competitor ever to come from ireland but also the most successful female piper in history. She has taken numerous top placing's in the Silver Medal at both the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban and the Northern Meeting in Inverness & Aviemore. In 2003 she became the first female piper to win an 'A' Grade event at the Argyllshire Gathering where she won the Strathspey & Reel. She also won the Strachan MSR at London in 2000. On top of this, she is a former member of the Shotts & Dykehead pipe band and was part of the band when it won the Grade One World Championships in 2000.

"I initially tried the reeds as I know Ryan on a personal level. He is an accomplished piper with the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band and therefore should know what a good drone sound is. Upon trying the reeds I was not disappointed and found them easy to set-up, very steady & easily tuned. I highly recommend these reeds. "

 

Gordon McCready is one of Scotland's most consistent solo prize winners in recent years. In 2004, he won the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering and was also the overall winner at the annual Dunrobin Castle competition. On top of many other prizes in 2006, Gordon also took first place in the A Grade March at the Argyllshire Gathering. A former member of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, Gordon now plays with the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

"I was pleased when Ryan asked me to try his new drone reeds. I put them straight into my solo pipes and was pleasantly supervised how they sounded like cane drone reeds. They were easy to set up and locked in with the pitch of the chanter straight away. An excellent product which I would recommend to any piper."
 
Gareth Rudolph hails from South Africa but has been a resident in the UK for many years and has established himself as a top solo player and band member. In 2006, Gareth won both the B Grade March and the Strathspey & Reel section at the Northern Meeting, then held in Aviemore. he then went on to win the Strachan Cup competition held annually in London. In 2007 he took second place in the Silver Medal and this year went on to take third place in the Gold Medal. Gareth is also a member of the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band of Dublin and in 2008 helped them win both the Scottish and British Championships.

"Fantastic reeds - I put the reeds in and they went immediately. I hardly made any adjustments at all and was really impressed with the sound from the outset. There is a good balance between the tenors and bass which lock in within minutes and just stay there! As the reeds settle, they produce a lovely full rich harmonic tone giving that feeling of the drones and chanter becoming one - the greatest feeling that makes all the effort worth while.

From a teaching point of view, they are a pleasure to work with too; it is very easy to set up beginner pipers. They don't take much air and so, are easy to keep steady. The reeds go in any make of pipe with very little effort.

A great product and great sound. Good job Ryan." 
 
Cameron Drummond is one of Scotland's finest young pipers and a regular prize winner in recent years. He has played with the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band, Boghall & Bathgate and most recently The Band Club from Sydney, Australia. Currently studying for a degree in Scottish Traditional Music at the RSAMD in Glasgow, Cameron has also taken numerous solo prizes. In 2008 alone he won the Piobaireachd at the Duncan Johnstone Memorial (having won the MSR in 2006), the S&R at Blairgowrie, 5th in the Silver Medal at Oban, 2nd in the Piobaireachd at Perth and 1st at North Berwick among many other prizes throughout the year. He is also a member of T-N-T (The New Tradition), winners of the Danny Kyle Open Stage award during the 2007 Celtic Connections Festival.

"The Canning reeds are fantastic, an immediate plug in and play experience. So easy to manipulate (if they ever actually need it that is) with a steady well balanced sweet sound that is the closest to cane I have come across. Great product and great customer care, Easy to recommend."
 

Brian Switalla was born in Dunedin but now resides in Auckland, New Zealand.  

Solo Piping is a large part of Brian’s life.   He has won all the Premier Solo Piping Competitions in New Zealand, including 7 New Zealand Championships, The Gold Medal and Clasp (2)for Piobaireachd playing at Hastings, and the Senior Clasp March Strathspey and Reel event at Christchurch on 12 occasions. In 2009 he won the Gold Medal for Piobaireachd and was most points winner at the RU Brown Competition held in Adelaide, Australia.

Brian is on the New Zealand Judging Panel for both Bands and Solos, and has adjudicated in New Zealand, Australia and America.   He holds the Advanced Certificate in Piping with the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association, and is an Associate Principle of the New Zealand College of Piping.   He was the first recipient of the William Boyle Memorial Foundation and now is trustee of the William Boyle Memorial Foundation.

Brian has been actively involved in the Pipe Band scene throughout his piping career.   He was the Pipe Major of the City of Dunedin Grade One Pipe Band from 1984 until 1993.  In 1995 Brian joined the New Zealand Police Pipe Band and played at the World Championships from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 the opportunity to play with the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, from Northern Ireland arose.   Brian played with the Band in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

"I have been playing Ryan's drone reeds for almost a year now. I have found them excellent. They are easy to get going, and produce a very pleasant harmonic tone, which has none of the overtones evident that you tend to find with synthetic reeds. The reeds are very stable and are idea for those keen on Piobaireachd playing. I have also found the 'after sale' service from Ryan very good indeed, with availability and assistance never being a problem."