Wanted: Practice Chanter for GH bagpipes

**artificer** · 15th June 11, 01:50 PM

Title pretty much says it all. Looking for a decent chanter to get myself on the road to annoying all the neighbors.

Nothing fancy required, but I'd like one of decent quality so I don't give up in frustration before I get started (like I've heard about re: some of the cheap import garbage).

Can pay via paypal.

you can post here or email me directly - artificer@earthlink.net

**davidlpope** · 15th June 11, 01:52 PM

PM sent.

**artificer** · 16th June 11, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

PM sent.

Thank you very much, David.

Mods. This thread can be closed.

**ohiopiper** · 16th June 11, 07:27 AM

No it can't. You need to leave it open to start your support group for your new addiction. And to let all other pipers and learners geek out over what you got.

Poly? ABW?

Dunbar, Cushing, Soutar?

Details, man!

**kc8ufv** · 17th June 11, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by ohiopiper

No it can't. You need to leave it open to start your support group for your new addiction. And to let all other pipers and learners geek out over what you got.

Poly? ABW?

Dunbar, Cushing, Soutar?

Details, man!

Gibson poly is good. Just have them drill it out before they send it to you. My dad sent his back because he couldn't feel the holes, and they drilled it out bigtime. I'm gonna swap with him for a few days, make sure I like it, and likely send mine back to be drilled out durring the few days I will be unable to practice due to a training exercise. (I am not taking my chanter into an austure environment for a week)

**Guinness>water** · 17th June 11, 08:34 PM

I dont know if we can do this or not but I too am looking for a used good practice chanter. Could really use the book that some come with also. I know several places to buy it new but saving a few bucks is good for me.
If you got one, let me know by PM please. Thanks

**saxandpipes** · 19th June 11, 09:14 AM

let me know when you're on the look out for a set. I can recommend a pipe-maker (myself!)

Cheers!

Michael

**Pyper** · 19th June 11, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Guinness>water

I dont know if we can do this or not but I too am looking for a used good practice chanter. Could really use the book that some come with also. I know several places to buy it new but saving a few bucks is good for me.
If you got one, let me know by PM please. Thanks

Most of us seem to accumulate them, rather than sell them, but you might want to look at ebay for a used practice chanter. Just make sure you get a used one from a major maker, and not some useless bit of randomly turned soft wood from Pakistan. I'd go for a plastic one, which you can easily clean and even polish.

I rather like Oliver's advice, found in his ebay listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fine-Bagpipe-Pra...item1e6482326c

**saxandpipes** · 19th June 11, 10:54 AM

Some sage advice in the last link!

Thanks for that. Indeed, watch out for the pakistani pipes, but if you are wise enough to be asking advice here, I think you are wise enough to be able to avoid the dreaded trap of the high-street paki-pipes!

To go a bit further than the previous post, I would say, go with a wooden practice chanter, for the pure fact that you will spend a fair amount of time on the thing, and while it is merely a "practice tool" it is simply so much more pleasurable if you can think of it as a real instrument! (Something you actually want to spend time on!)

Here is my own practice chanter (one of the big names, I didn't make it) but it was supplied with a hideous plastic mount and plastic top, which I have since rectified ;)

The top is made from American Hard Maple (inexpensive, but tried and tested tone-wood) and African Blackwood.

Cheers!

Michael

**JDHill** · 19th June 11, 11:30 AM

There are a couple things to consider when buying a practice chanter new or used. Poly vs blackwood, standard length vs long length.

African Blackwood is one of the best woods available for chanters (there are others, but less likely to see them), but is very expensive and can run a minimum of $150. Polys are just fine and atleast half the cost. Im on my third PC in twenty years after some unfortunate breaks. Glad they weren't ABW!

Long length PCs have hole spacing equal to the pipe chanter which makes the transition easier. The standard PC hole spacing is closer, but possibly more comfortable for a beginner.

You could also take a look at the Bob Dunsire bagpipe forum's trading post; they usually have a few good PCs for sale there.

Good luck! Its a long challenging road, but well worth it.