Anyone have any info on these student chanters from Davy Stephenson.
http://www.bagpipeworks.com/student.htm
Tuning, timbre, problems etc. Leave me a message at the C&F private message, or e-mail me …
I want to put together a Practice set for my son and don’t want to put alot of cash into something until I know he’s serious. If he sticks with it we’ll upgrade. Davy, if you have any more info on it let me know. Can you get a Cnat key? if so how much more?
Tim
I think this was covered elsewhere on the board, but I’ll give you a brief. The only difference between this student chanter and Davy’s other chanters is that the outside of the student chanter is turned by a CNC (computer controlled) Lathe. The bore and fingerholes are done by hand as usual.
Dionys
Get him a whistle i’d say…
Cheaper to toss in the bin if he doesn’t like it than a set of pipes innit? 
I’ve played a reeded Davy’s student chanter. The student chanter is precisely and well made to Davy’s standards. The chanter is VERY easy to reed and plays SPOT on in-tune.
Thanks guys, he is learning tunes on the whistle now, but is captivated by the sounds and mystique of the pipes like we all are. Would like to get him started young, but don’t want to push it on him.
Nothing worse than living your parents lives as 4 years of piano lessons have proved to me as a kid. I don’t know how much I learned on the piano, not much I imagine as I spent 4 years seated at the … um… oh, what are those white and black thingies called… you know, ah hell with it.
Timmy
has he taken your pipes for a spin yet?
has he taken your pipes for a spin yet?
Not yet, I am rather large (around 300) and he is rather small (11 years old, and scrawny), and have a special air pipe set-up, belts and arm strap. Need to build a slightly different shaped bag for him as well.
Hard for him to get his arms around my set.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
Timmy
has he taken your pipes for a spin yet?
Not yet, I am rather large (around 300) and he is rather small (11 years old, and scrawny), and have a special air pipe set-up, belts and arm strap. Need to build a slightly different shaped bag for him as well.
Hard for him to get his arms around my set.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
Timmy
Check out Patrick Murray site http://www.thepiperscut.com/contents.htm
he has nice practice sets for a reasonable price. I just got a Chanter from him and am quite happy with it. My experience if very limited but he seems to be producing a quality product in a reasonable amount of time.
practice set at $500.00 and chanters at $275.00.
Good reed also!
Tn Whistler, 
you cant complain at the price of this practice set
to get him started but if he takes to the pipes it will cost
you more money if you buy a top notch set and he dose
not take to them you will still get most or all of your
cash back for the practice set. 
I don’t think David Boisvert would mind me posting this here, I just got an email from him, regarding this subject, via the U-LIST:
Sorry if this is a bit off the recent thread trends. But some members of
this list had requested a review of Davy Stephenson’s student chanters
some months ago when he began offering them. I’ ve had the opportunity
to reed, and play one of these chanters. It is a wide bore D made from
lignum vitae.
If you don’t want my opinion on it..don’t read this post! 
Worksmanship–> The turning was classical/traditional with integral
(same color) mounts and brass ferrules. The lines were clean and
precise. The finish was smooth. all in all a nice looking chanter
reeding–> This chanter was very easy to reed. Using a hobby shop
tubing with pretty “standard” or “typical” reed measurements I was able
to easily reed this chanter in 15 minutes.
tuning–> using my wife’s tuner (she’s a classical cellist and cello
teacher..yay me!) the chanter, with only minor reed adjustments (I had
to push the reed deeper into the socket than I normally do…Davy
recommends the reed sit 3/4 into the reed socket) the chanter was spot
on in tune over the octaves…both against a tuner, and against stable
wide bore D drones.
overall sound quality–> This is definately a wide bore concert D!
This is, as Davy himself describes it, a banjo blaster…or session
blaster. You will* be heard. Again, with some minor reed adjustments I
was able to quiet /soften the chanter.
Have a lovely easter weekend!
DB
Hmmmmm, I’m no match for this “GUY” 15 minutes 
To quick for me 
I must admit…the staple, slips and bridle were pre-made…I like to assembly line the basic bits so that when needed I can just assemble and focus on the shaving, sanding and tuning bit…
I can post a pic of the above mentioned chanter if people would like…if I ever figure out how to do decent audio I’ll post some clips as well.
DB
Davey,
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.