Specifications
Standard specifications
- Chanter: two mounts, metal head with top; C key
- Bag: hand-sewn, double vinyl/leather; velvet cover
- Drones: bottom part with two mounts; slides (top part) wood with ferrule and one mount
- Regulators: one mount; tops with ferrules; detachable bass regulator top; hand forged keys
Special orders
There is a range of special features that are available for the instruments, some add to the functionality of the instrument, others are decorative:
- additional keys: extra keys on the chanter: F; G-sharp; A-sharp; D(2nd)
(the C key comes as standard as it is the only key that is used with some regularity in the traditional repertoire. The C in the 2nd octave cannot be obtained by cross fingering). On flat sets it is possible to have the so-called 'ghost D', a soft sounding D.
- wooden chanter head
- chanter stopkey (to cut off air to the chanter – handy for tuning the drones)
- extra mounts and ferrules
- hollow mainstock
- left-handed sets
- double bass regulator
- other weird and wonderful contraptions one could think of
Materials
Pipes are made out of the following materials:
- wood: for the pipes, outlets, mainstock, and bellows
- metal: for ferrules, bends, and keys
- imitation ivory or wood: for the mounts
- leather: for the bag and bellows
Wooden parts
Chanter, drones, regulators and outlets
These are made out of stable and dense hardwoods. I prefer to use wood from well managed forests that have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). At the moment the following species are available:
- Coracao de negro (Swartzia benthamiana) – from FSC certified forests
A hard and dense species from Brazil. It has a reddish-brown colour when freshly sawn, that quickly darkens to black-brown with occasionally a purple shade.
- Preciosa (Aniba canehila) – from FSC certified forests
A hard and dense species from Brazil. Brownish when freshly-sawn, it darkens to a brown-black colour.
- African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon)
The best-known wood for pipes and other musical instruments from Tanzania. Hard and dense, with a colour that ranges from dark-brown to black. FSC certified material is likely to be available in the second part of this year
- English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
A native hardwood traditionally used for woodwinds. A hard and dense species with a slightly milder tone than blackwood. The colour is pale yellow with occasional light brown stripes. This timber is usually stained to a light brown colour.
Mainstock
The mainstock is usually out of a suitable stable timber that is available in thicker dimensions. At the moment I use reddish hardwoods such as Jatoba from Brazil or Planchonia from Papua New Guinea.
Bellows
Bellows are made out of Papua New Guinea Rosewood with an imitation ivory valve.
Metal Parts
The metal that I normally use is brass. Other metals such as nickel-silver, silver, stainless steel, and nickel or silver plating can be ordered.
All the keys are hand forged.
Mounts
Mounts are of imitation ivory. Other options, such as a contrasting timber, mammoth ivory, etc, can be ordered. I prefer not to use elephant ivory (other than for repairs – I have still got some reclaimed ivory billiard balls).
Bags
Bags are handsewn, double layer leather/vinyl combining airtightness with strength.
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