These unique drone reeds come ready to play. However depending on the drone characteristics and the actual blowing strength of your pipe small adjustments may be required to obtain the optimum sound from your drones.
Please find detailed instructions below to help you get the most from your set of Balance Tone Drone Reeds

Reed Base
There has never been a standard diameter for bagpipe reed seats, therefore, you may find that you have to apply hemp on the reed seat to ensure that you have a firm, secure fit. If not this will give an unsteady tonal quality. The reed base properly fitted should be screwed all the way into the drone until the shoulder is firm against the bottom of the drone

Tenor Reeds
The reeds come with the bridles set to suit a medium strength pipe. Balance Tone Reeds can be adjusted to optimise sound quality and to suit your blowing strength. Very small adjustments to the position of the bridle have a significant effect on the strength of the reed and tonal quality. If you blow a strong pipe the reed may have a tendency to stop. If this happens adjust the bridle upwards i.e. lengthen the tongue. Conversely, if you blow a light pipe the reed may be too strong. To adjust the strength, shorten the length of the tongue by moving the bridle downward a little.

Once the bridles have been adjusted the next step is to get the tenor drone tops tuning just above the bottom of the hemp on the tuning pins. Lengthening the reed will lower the tuning position of the tenor top on the tuning pin and conversely shortening the reed will raise the drone top on the tuning pin. Adjusting the length of the reed is done by moving the position of the reed body in the drone base.

Finally the volume can also be adjusted by rotating the white plug to reduce the reed aperture, i.e. the small rectangular hole in the reed body. Reducing the aperture will make the drone quieter.
It is recommended however that the aperture be left unrestricted i.e. fully open as this usually produces the optimum tonal quality. Any requirement to produce a quieter sound should be made by adjusting the bridle as described above. Rotating the white plug to close the aperture can also shut off the reed.

Bass Reed
The recommended position of the tuning pins on the base drone are as follows; the top tuning pin should be long and the bottom tuning pin should be short i.e. between 30 to 40mm in length. Tuning adjustments to the base reed are as detailed for the tenor reeds.

If the above procedures are followed you should get the best possible sound from your drones using Balance Tone Reeds.