A wire can be inserted. Staple can be shortened or a staple with a smaller diameter can be used. Bind tip, unwrap from the staple and withdraw the staple approx. 1/8" out of the blades. (Koehler)

Scrape or thin head overall to thin slightly. Where bridle is moveable up and down, move it down a little. Close lips slightly with fine pointed pliers, never between fingernails. If done too soon after manufacture, the reed may not last very long and may become weak. (Hegarty)

Lips too thin or mouth too closed. Open a little carefully, with pliers-or if bridle is moveable, move it upwards. This will flatten reed overall and if too open maybe too hard to blow - dulling response. (Hegarty)

Leaky dry binding where reed is inserted into chanter socket. Possibly too much cane removed from heart of scrape, or possibly cane gouged too thin, or possibly leaky sides. Shortening reed by cropping may correct. Risk of making reed too sharp. (Hegarty)

Overall extending or thinning of scrape near back may cure this - to lengthen overall "V". Scrape a little at bottom of "V" on both sides especially as cane may be a little strong here - work in the "W" area. A bent rush, or matchstick or piece of cardboard, kept in place in the bottom of the chanter may also cure this. Throat of chanter too large (may have been interfered with) or reamed out too much. If this is the case, a small piece of rush or paper, rolled up and inserted/wedged in with the reed - into the socket, could serve to reduce the cross sectional area of the throat, stabilizing the bottom D. Sinking the reed farther into the chanter may help. While a rush, a piece of cardboard, etc., may cure the problem, it may also make it worse. (Hegarty)

Ensure reed sides are not leaking. Ensure fingers are not leaking. (Hegarty)

Reed is leaking along the edges of the reed head. Take a small bit of the red wax that comes from Gouda cheese and rub it lightly along the edges of the reed. Reed is leaking, adjust the collar. (Sky)

Tape top of hole. Head of reed could be too narrow. If back D is corrected, then the low E is likely to be somewhat sharp. Extending or lengthening scrape may bring back D into tune. May flatten overall pitch and cause back D to break. May make high octave more difficult to obtain. (Hegarty)

Head too long. Crop a little off lips and retest. Insert a rush or wire into the chanter - extending up to and opposite all notes which are to be flattened. Rush may quiet chanter, may cause gurgle in bottom D. May cause snarl on high E or other upper octave distortions. (Hegarty)

Tape holes as necessary. A piece of rush inserted in the chanter opposite note hole may correct these. Quiets chanter. May have greater effect on high octave. (Hegarty)

Tape holes as necessary. Reducing note hole size can cause squeaks. More open playing may be necessary or note hole moved downwards. (Hegarty)

Flattening the staple for a little longer than the 25mm may help to correct this. Or disassemble the reed and reassemble it with the staple going not quite so far into the head. Requires the reed to be disassembled. Lengthening the reed may make the overall pitch slightly flat. (Hegarty)

Reduce the amount of flattened portion of staple, but keep the eye the same size and re-assemble the reed. Or disassemble the reed and reassemble with the staple going a bit further into the head. Risky. May require new bridle. (Hegarty)

May require alteration of chanter bore. (Hegarty)

Experiment with different head shapes and scrape lengths. Wider staple eye may help. (Hegarty)