Hoggan Synthetic Highland Bagpipe Drone Reeds vs Ezeedrones (HD)

How do the new Hoggan Synthetic drone reeds compare to a classic set of Ezeedrones? Find out in today's video!
Hoggan Reeds Website: www.hogganreeds.co.uk
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[@jimmydews1333]

Hi matt the sticker is supposed to say hoggan reeds I've just changed the sticker so all new reeds will have the new sticker on thanks for the review I liked them also in the hein and Henderson pipes take care folks

[@davidsoutar6898]

Do you make them for smallpipes jimmy?

[@bryancampbell8288]

Great video and comparison, this is so hard to do for many of us trying to make a decision on a new set of drone reeds.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johnlennie2657]

Jimmy helps me with my piping, so I'll get a set of these from him when we meet up on Monday

[@paulbill1078]

Who wants to partner with me to invent a drone reed with a fine-tune screw for adjusting the bridle rather than a damned rubber band.

[@SVAFnemesis]

it might be easier to have a fixed drone reed and an adjustable base since the reed needs to vibrate but the base don't.

[@bagpipermariah1210]

Omg this would make tuning so much easier

[@heybruh3274]

could be as easy as a “thrush” type design that we used with cane reeds to lift the tongue

[@LucMaillat]

Kinnaird edge (and discontinued Omega) have a screw to set the opening angle of the carbon tongue. But this is not a fine tuning, and a microscopic change in the screw rotation changes everything radically, this is not easy to setup.

[@jimmydews1333]

I will got a few ideas that I can try

[@maxs1738]

I've still been using the Ezeedrone tenors with a cane bass, then my band set has Selbies as the PM wants. The Selbies are also really good in regards to tone and steadiness.

[@channingdodson6133]

Very much liked the Hoggan reeds in the Heins as well, but I think based on what I heard in the video, my personal favorite was the Hoggans in the Robertson reproduction. Great, full, cane-like sound there. Hadn't been aware that Ronnie Hein was making pipes now. I'd love to know more about them.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Unboxing & Play Test! Ronnie Hein Bagpipes from Malaysia! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnrNm6WOosyUorM

[@MAMDAVEM]

I preferred the Ezeedrone reeds they seem more resolved and stable , to my ears the Hoggan reeds were too full and there were some additional harmonics that made them sound less stable/in-tune. I thought the best setup was the Ezeedrone reeds with the McCallum pipes. My own setup is Ezeedrone reeds with inverted base in a set of 1920 Starck pipes with the original chanter which tunes to 466Hz.

[@heybruh3274]

agree!!

[@gavpiper]

I've never tried Ezeedrone reeds, but they sound quite good, would be tempted to give them a try. I use in both my Naills and Inverans Selbie tenors with a Kinnaird bass. I've tried Redwood's tenor and Kinnaird tenors but can't see passed selbies.

[@anguswhitfield6113]

I found the X-tremes to work well in my Nails, just a shame they’re not made anymore

[@richardallison8023]

Great video, as always Matt. I too play the Heritage pipes with Ezee moisture absorbing reeds & inverted bass. Which do you prefer on your set between the two?

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

The Hoggans I think have a bolder tone than moisture absorbing Ezees... So it's more what's you're going for drone-wise in your sound.

[@tonyb6806]

Thanks for the review Matt. I bought a set and love the sound in my Henderson Heritage pipes but just cant seem to get them calibrated to my reed (I play a stronger reed, about 30" of water on the manometer). Followed the help video which shows how to "open the tongue" a bit more but they became very inefficient at that point....perhaps I'm just missing something obvious as they are either too closed and cut off while playing, or too open and I can really feel myself working harder to keep the bag at sweet spot pressure.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

The sweet spot for any drone reed can be difficult to find. A fracture of a millimeter can make a big difference in air efficiency.

[@davidparkhurst9715]

The Hoggans sound good in the Hendersons and McCallums to my ears. Nice and crisp. I’ve tried Ezeedrones with limited success. My fave setup is Canning tenors with either cane or Kinnaird Evo bass, gives a more rounded tone. For Jeffers: Balance Tone HR

[@scottcampbell5536]

The Hoggan are very similar to the ezeedrone but a bit louder and buzzier imho but still sounded very nice.

[@seanwennihan6191]

Great video Matt 👍👍👍🍀🍀🍀🍀

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@seanwennihan6191]

@@MattWillisBagpiper thank you Matt for all your great videos the Polyester Thread in my Bagpipes are still working great no problems at all & I rehemped my Airstream Blowpipe on my Macallum acetyl pipes with polyester thread thank you for the Advice Matt 😊😊🍀🍀🍀🍀🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@chrishampton5854]

Have you had a chance to experiment with MG White Mambas? Haven’t really found any videos for a review.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I have not... :(

[@yvettejohnson5592]

The hoggans sounded more robust in all your pipes think about trying a set in mine

[@jesseburnette6028]

The bottom line question: what’s the most air efficient AND best sounding drone reed set? How were they (the Hoggans) on air efficiency? I think the Ezeedrones have a universal appeal for easy of use, longevity, and sound (they’re the go-to reed for the British Army and ASBM-HD), but they’re not nearly as air efficient as Balance Tones. But Balance Tones are frowned upon here-too loud and harder to tune. I’ve heard Cannards and Selbies are good, but never tried them.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I found the Hoggan reeds quite efficient, especially for their volume. I love Balance Tone bass reeds, but the tenors I cannot keep from wheezing before striking on most sets…

[@dennisdudley4419]

I play EZ Drones in my McCallum AB2s, the only thing that I don't like about them is that the rubber band bridles tend to break, especially in hot weather, my cure for that is the local medical supply store. I have found that thick catheter tubing works great. That tubing will not ever break, just cut it as wide as the normal bridle, and off ye go!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Good to know, though I’ve never had any issues with the bridles and heat and I’m in Texas!

[@sebastianallen]

Great content as always. Is your main mic close the drones or is it just the camera mic? Would be more interesting to replicate with a drone mic up on a mic stand. I'm still really only hearing chanter in this mix, tbh, even though you turned the drones to the camera. :)

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Thanks! What are you listening to this through? It's quite drone heavy on my Rokit 5 studio monitors...

[@sebastianallen]

@@MattWillisBagpiper fair point. Rookie move. I will get back to you. :)

[@theslayeryt9863]

My new pipes a great but I have ezee drones not in sync with of the strike ups

[@Hotfir78]

What do you think of balance tones? That’s what I use with my synthetic McCallums.

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

They are good, if a bit on the buzzy side. I tend to find the tenors wheeze a lot making clean start ups and cut offs difficult.

[@lesliethomson2441]

As always Very interesting, will have to listen a few times more to come to any definitive conclusion BTW, Have you lost weight? cheers

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I have lost weight. 20 pounds since January 1. Plus been strength training more, so hopefully some additional muscle as well.

[@T.Ackland]

@@MattWillisBagpiper

[@T.Ackland]

Matt, I hope the weight loss is due to diet and exercise?

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

Yes, diet and exercise induced fat loss. I stopped drinking alcohol at the beginning of 2023 and used that as an opportunity to both lose excess body fat and gain much needed muscle. Don't foresee going back to drinking. Feeling better than ever! Though I did have to buy all new clothes after losing 20 pounds.

[@lesliethomson2441]

@@MattWillisBagpiper you do look more fibrous. And the longer you last the better for us.

[@monkmichael-munkmiikael-hy7842]

May I ask how do you record your bagpipes? I got a Blue Yeti for bagpipe lessons through Skype. The mic is very sensitive and so badly distorts the bagpipe sound that it is worse than even laptop mic. Changing settings on mic does not help. Would an audio mixer or interface help to quieten the sounds and make it work really good? Thank you!

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

I use an old Blue Snowball USB mic (not the newer Snowball ICE model that is being sold). It has three settings, and the middle setting has a built in pad to not overdrive the microphone. This no longer appears to be available. I'd try lowering the gain a ton on your current mic through either your software (Pro Tools or Logic or similar) or through a mixer.

[@dennisglorie9503]

I've never been a fan of ezeedrone reeds, they always sound flat and lifeless to my ear. The hoggans sounded quite nice, especially in the Hendersons.

[@mathewmcauliffe7653]

They don’t work on my set of pipes. 😞😞

[@MattWillisBagpiper]

What do you play?

[@jimmydews1333]

Mathew you can send them back I'll have a look at them for you and repost them I can replace also of I think they need replacing

[@davidhensley76]

The Hoggans sound very reedy, compared to the mellowness of the Eezedrones.

[@jimdonaldson64]

👍