I’m looking for any experience with a maker. I heard about Michael Hubbert from another Uilleann Pipes board member.
Anyhow, he was in Southern California for many years, and has recently (if I have this correct) moved to N. California.
Any information would be great!
Baen
Have you seen his website?
Follow this previous discussion:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=11958&highlight=hubbert&sid=ce0047299114042b7e9bb968c9f7193f
Exactly where in N. California is he? I need some work done on my chanter. It would be nice to have someone local do it.
J.
Michael has lived near Mendocino, a few hours north of San Francisco, for at least twenty years.
I’ve never seen a set of his pipes except in photos, but I’ve known him since about 1978, and I can assure you that his workmanship and attention to detail is topnotch. He’s built many kinds of instruments over the years, including Baroque bassoons and hurdy gurdies. He’s been restoring old woodwinds for quite a while, and has played the Uilleann pipes for decades.
-Jonathan-
I heard that he used to work with Rod Cameron, who makes very expensive repro woodwinds for classical players. There’s an earlier thread about Michael somewhere, I think.
Hello-
I’ve seen two of Michael’s sets, and played a couple of his chanters. The workmanship is topnotch and play very well indeed. The detail work on his sets needs to be seen in person (and up close) to be fully appreciated.
-No E
Watch out for his pipes… he has many pokers in the fire. His pipes are top-tipity-top of the knotch! Some of the smoothest workmanship I’ve seen and they play like a dream.
His background is woodwinds and old period instruments. His love of uilleann piping is a blessing on us… trust me!
PD.
In 1987 I watched Michael and Rod construct a jig for drilling toneholes (each at a different angle and size) in a reproduction baroque bassoon body. They used a fine old instrument as a template, and placed rods and sleeves in the carefully masked original, built a box with retractable end fixtures to grip the joint by its tenons, and poured epoxy around the sleeves to register them into position and act as drilling guides.
It was quite inspiring to watch this process, and I marveled at these two fellows’ ingenuity. Michael also showed me the reamers he had constructed for the bassoon, which were huge and quite beautiful, just as a piece of craftsmanship in themselves.
I’d love to see and hear a set of his pipes. Some day soon…
-Jonathan-
If you come along to the Southern California Tionól in November www.socalpipers.com you will have lot’s of oppertunities to see samples of Mr. Hubbert’s work.
Patrick.
Thanks, Patrick. I saw your announcement, and I’m going to try to make it. I spoke to Michael Eskin about the event last night, and I’m hoping I can convince John Tuohy to come up with me.
-Jonathan-
That’d be great Jonathan! It’s always great to see John.
Until then… adieu!
Patrick.
If you come to the Southern California Tionól in November, you will probably also get to meet Michael as well because he mentioned in his last E-mail to me that he was planning to attend that gathering.
Matt Schibler