Piper Wanna Be

[Mael Coluim]

This weekend, I cleaned out my closets and drawers of clothes I no longer wear. My kilt collection is growing and I needed the room.

Today, I took the clothes down to the Salvation Army Re-Sale Store. As I brought in my bags of clothes into the receiving room a red box on some other bags of clothes caught my eye.

It was an unopened (sealed in clear wrap) Piper Chanter Kit from the Bagpipes of Caledonia in Edinburgh. Wow, I thought. I don’t know about you but when folks see me in the kilt it’s the second most asked question, “where is your bagpipes?”

I have often said if I was younger I would like to learn to play the bagpipes. I also have no musical talent what so ever. All that aside, that red box seemed to have my name on it.

So, I picked it up and told the attendant I would be interested in buying it. Taking it to the cashier, she asked for $2.50. I gave her ten and told her to keep the change.

Wish me luck!

[McMurdo]

Meant to be, no doubt, best of luck with it.

[Bugbear]

Good luck with your musical adventure. Back in colege, I used to take a chanter and jam with the jazz dudes. You can really play between the cracks if you're using plastic reeds and just the chanter. It's kind of fun.

[TheKiltedWonder]

best of luck! I need to start hitting the thrift stores!

[Mike S]

You'll likely want to upgrade chanters once you have been bitten by the bug. Although the packaging and name would suggest otherwise, the chanter in question (it is sold thru many other sources, not the least of which, Ebay) from Bagpipes of Caledonia is actually made in Pakistan to VERY shaky standards of materials (Pakistani "Sheesham" wood), quality, and dimentions...translation, it is off key with poor intonation, and not up to the standards of Scottish, Canadian, USA made "proper" instruments.

Get an instructor (which is vital for the pipes, previous musical experience or not), and you'll get the full dope on this.

No attempt on my part to depleat your joy factor in this, but I'm telling you NOW what you will learn LATER without the advice to guide you.

Cheers.

[auld argonian]

Not to rain on your parade but my well intentioned mom gave me that exact set a couple of years ago...I think that you'll be interested in doing a chanter upgrade relatively quickly. It is one of the notorious "Far Eastern" instruments and may cause you some frustration. At least you get it at bargain basement prices.

Best

AA

[Mike S]

Err,
A little late on the draw AA, but it reiterates what I wrote above.

[auld argonian]

Err,
A little late on the draw AA, but it reiterates what I wrote above.

Sorry to be repetitious...I really didn't read your post, I just was responding to Mael's initial post to let him know about my own personal experience with that kit. Guess those "Far Eastern" chanters are deservedly notorious!

Best

AA

[Mike S]

Sorry to be repetitious...I really didn't read your post, I just was responding to Mael's initial post to let him know about my own personal experience with that kit. Guess those "Far Eastern" chanters are deservedly notorious!

Best

AA

I know, I was just razzing you a bit my friend.


As a foot note:
A few sets of respectable AB and Ebony pipes have been known to have come out of Pakistan MANY decades ago, when British and Irish pipemakers were flirting with the idea of having sets manufactured over there.

HOWEVER, the last 20 or so years have produced little other than products of very shoddy materials and manufacture, to put it kindly. Pakistani and Indian military and civilian pipebands buy their stands of pipes from the Western pipe makers, if that puts it into perspective.

Not bad for someone who just wants to hang them on the wall, but hardly musical instruments worth the bother.

Some of the last, fine quality wire work embroidery, lace, badges, pipe banners etc. is being hand made in Saikot Pakistan, however. These accouterments are purchased by the MOD for Regimental use by the British Army to this day.


Piper:

The lighter wood pipe chanter you speak of is likely made out of Mid East Coccus wood, which is lighter than the stained or unstained Sheesham wood.

The Chanters coming out of Pakistan presently are based on older chanters of 50 to 100 years ago. As we pipers are aware, the Chanter has been creeping ever higher in pitch for some years now. Even allowing for that, most of these older, lower pitched chanters have horrible intonation (i.e. not in tune with itself).
Be glad your's is usable.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. ;)

[Prester John]

Congratulations!

Just be sure to find yourself an instructor pretty soon - trust me, it will make all the difference in your motivation.

And welcome to the motley crew of pipers!