Thank You!!!

I'd like to take a moment to thank a few people who have been absolutely instrumental in my reedmaking journey.

P/M Sandy Hain

First and foremost, Sandy Hain. I met Sandy about 20 years ago when I needed a new bag for my pipes. I went up to his house and we went down into his basement workshop. There he tied on a new MacHarg leather pipe bag for me and the whole while he was instructing me how to do it so that I might acquire that skill. He's a very good teacher and very funny and kind.

After the bag tie in he proceeded to show me his reed workshop. I was amazed! So much stuff! He very patiently and generously showed me the whole process of making a chanter reed. My mind was on fire! From that moment the spark for reedmaking was lit in my soul.

Sandy and I have gotten together on more occasions than I can count to talk reeds and reedmaking and he has helped me so very much! I would like to take this time to thank him from the bottom of my heart.

This is a competitive business and it's amazing that another reedmaker would be so generous with the details of this art.

Thank you Sandy!

Jerry Gibson

Next I'd like to thank Jerry Gibson. Another amazing person that I've known for over 2 decades of my life. Jerry too has been so very generous with me. He's got one hell of an amazing mind that man! So technical, and if there's anything that needs figuring out in a mechanical sense this is THE man for the job! Jerry was a mechanical engineer for many years well before he ever became a pipe maker and he's used that vast knowledge to make Gibson Bagpipes the amazing product they are today. The man is, simply put, a genius.

Jerry has opened my mind up in so very many ways with regards to manufacturing ideas and techniques and I can say nothing but thank you! He has shared secrets with me that I, still to this day, can not believe he'd be willing to share.

Jerry has been so generous to me. He actually gave me a tool that I needed for my chanter reedmaking process. He himself designed and had this tool built and without it I could not do my job as accurately and efficiently as I am able! Thank you a million Jerry, your help to me is very truly appreciated!

Robert Hain

Finally, Robert Hain, Sandy Hain's brother in fact! Bob has helped me in so many ways. He's helped make the bulk of my tooling and he's also been so amazingly generous with his time and reedmaking advice. I could not be where I am today with my reeds without the help of this man! Also another incredibly generous person whose fire and passion for reedmaking knows no bounds. Thank you Bob for all that you've done for me and my reedmaking!

So Many Others

There are many others I could thank here who've helped me along the way with my reedmaking but these three people are at the very top of my list. Without them I would be lost....I could not have come this far without the help of each. So thank you again to all of you!

And thank you as well to the many others who've been kind enough to speak with me about reedmaking and who've shared techniques, thought's, theories and other ideas. It's great that so many reedmakers are willing to share.

Thank you all!

Some others I'd like to thank: Richard Winslow, Brett Tidswell, Shawn McDaniel, Ross Bates, Iain Allen, Rory Grossart, Dave Atherton, Ted Anderson, Ron Zissell, Joe Smith, Udo Heng, Brian McCann, Edino Biaggi and finally my family and friends who've listened to me blather on and on for endless hours about reed design and tooling issues.... You've all helped me and encouraged me in so many ways, thank you!