well,
I’m a GHF piper that is going to go over to the small pipes.
I’m going with a set of B flat pipes, with just one tenor drone and one bass drone. Quick question, should I go with an across the chest set up with a common stock, or over the shoulder? I’ll just play for myself and no thoughts of playing with others. For the record I have no interest in bellows and these will be mouth blown. These pipes will be made of Cocobola and will have a full size B flat chanter. Any strong thoughts? I’d love to hear em
Regards, benS
When playing alone I find having the drones across the chest lets me hear the harmonic blend of the drones a little better. If you have the common stock tied into the bag high enough you can flip the drones over to your shoulder so that they are out of the way when you need to.
The water trap questions depends on the reeds. If they’re plastic you won’t really have to bother with a water trap. If the reeds are cane, definitely consider a water trap if not totally reconsidering bellows. If you have no interest in bellows, opt for plastic reeds and no water trap.
I have both types.
I prefer the sound and look of my mouthblown on-the-shoulder c1900 “miniature Highland pipes”. All the “classic” 19th century Highland pipemakers made these. The term “Scottish smallpipes” is a recent one and wasn’t used in any of the old makers’ pricelists.
I also have a set of the common-stock pipes, which are lovely in their own way. The bellows-blown common-stock Scottish smallpipes, which were around in the 18th century during the heyday of the Lowland pipes, could be considered “miniature Lowland pipes”.
In the old days Highland pipes were made in four sizes and Lowland pipes in at least two.