Quote Originally Posted by OC Richard View Post
In the old days I think it was more common for pipers to make their own reeds.

In the 1980s we had a pipe band here in Los Angeles that had three reedmakers in it! That's quite rare nowadays. I did play for a couple years in a pipe band that was led by a super piper who is also an excellent reedmaker. It made a huge difference in the quality of the band's sound.

For sure a Scottish piper immigrating to Cape Breton Island or North Carolina a couple hundred years ago would have to make his own reeds, and make his own bags too.

Would a fiddler be able to make his own strings? I never thought about it.

The flute travels better than either pipes or fiddle! No reeds, no bags, no strings.
Oh wow! I've never heard of people making their own reeds, but that must be a much more accessible way of access (once you are passable at the craft at least). Looking up the violin, at least modern violins, seem to have a variety of materials as their strings. I'm not sure if this is standard, or the historical way it has been. An acquaintance of mine from the Appalachian region once told me that many instruments out there aren't necessarily made in the traditional ways either, so people very possibly could have found their own ways to supply their fiddles strings. I'm unsure of the details though, definitely a thing to ask around about if the chance ever comes up.

And that is true! It's also quite light, so easy to transport. I wonder the reasons for its spread being so much less than the pipes or the fiddle considering.