On my Rogge C regs without bass reg it is hard to reach F sharp, D chord with both hands on chanter. I can just about reach the D, G chord with a straight.
Do I need a shorter brass mainstock cup to be able to reach the above notes with hands on chanter. Length of mainstock cup at present is 60.5 mm including bag binding.
Cheers
Hi Fergus,
Well, I encountered the same problem at first on my 3/4 C set, so we’ve probably had similar experiences in the past few days…
I play with the bag at my waist, not up under my armpit, and I use my leg to move the anchor point for the end of the chanter to the right and left as required to reach the regulators. Also, my bag is about an inch shorter than I would have first wanted based on my experience with my concert set. At first I found it a bit frustrating, but I realized, that with the shorter bag neck, the chanter is at a very slight angle towards my body, which puts my right hand more parallel to the regulators and increases the ability to reach the lower regs.
Also, my bellows arm strap doesn’t go around the pad on the bellows, it goes from the back of the bellows to the front, so I am able to shift my arm foward within the bellows strap if required to get a farther reach.
So, for me to reach the lowest reg pair comfortably, I have to:
Move my right leg out, shifting the anchor point for the chanter if I want to play it closed. I’ll also anchor the chanter closing point some distance from the regulator (counter-intuitive) to allow my hand and wrist to stay straight and parallel to the regulator.
At times shift how I cover the right hand holes on the chanter from mid second joint to sometimes finger pads, particularly if I want to hold a low E or bottom D.
Adjust my body position, I think in my case it give me the greatest parallel arm extension to lean back slightly (also counter-intuitive).
Now, I’m not saying that its easy for me to reach the lowest course with my right hand on the chanter even using all the techniques I listed, but at least its possible.
I’d suggest loosely putting on your set and find a position where you can comfortably reach your lowest regulator course. Try adjusting your bag/bellows position foward/back as required until you find a workable solution. Perhaps your blowpipe is too long (or short) and pushing the stock away from you. Play with the variables available to you before taking a hacksaw to the stock. 
Best of luck!
Michael
Sent email to Andreas Rogge about reaching regs and shorter mainstock cup and got a reply from Jens saying.
Hi Fergus,
it might be possible to shorten the cup a couple of millimeters but not that much.
However it might be an option to to tie the cup further into the bag
if aesthetic reasons don’t bother you that much.
regards
Jens
Well then, hope you find a workable solution…
Does anything I described ring true/false for others monitoring this thread…?
I play a 3/4 set in D. When I’ve played in the past, typically, the stock and associated equipment (since the position of the stock will, logically, dictate where the drones and regulators fall) lay across my lap, not quite horizontally but nearly. I find, with this position, that all regulators are easily within my reach. When positioned to play, I would like to have my right hand positioned (whilst on the chanter) over the G (baritone reg.) and B (tenor reg.) notes; perhaps a little further down, but around there anyway. While the regulators are more horizontal, I find that my right hand is above the D (baritone reg.) and G (tenor reg.) keys. While that’s wonderful for the lower end, reaching the upper A-C notes are much more difficult.
Whenever I play sets with bass regulator bars, I find myself totally thrown off. This is because, methinks, in order to play with the bar, and due to my physiology, the stock needs to be higher up on my body and more under my armpit. This causes everything “downstream” to be more angled and changes my habits. No, I won’t use a shoulder strap. While I think that may help initially, I think (for me) it would be a crutch. It may work fine for others.
If I ever have the money to purchase a bass regulator (or get a new set that has one), I want to have that bar. In order to play with that bar, I’ve been looking at how more experienced pipers hold their sets (in particular folks with bars). In particular, I’ve been looking at pipers who use their regulators frequently, or at least, seem capable of reaching all keys/chords with ease.
What I’ve found is that I would either need to have my stock tied in higher in my bag and/or learn how to hold the bag higher under my armpit. Then, of course, comes the time to re-learn how to use the regulators (not that I know how, now, but I can play a bunch of chords and single notes whilst playing a tune).
In preparation for this, I’ve started to hold my bag a bit higher under my armpit. I’ve noticed a distinct difference in how I hold the instrument and how I play (both the chanter and the regulators). I’ve also noticed that my regulators will lie differently across my lap. Instead of the keys facing nearly directly upwards, they’re now tilted a bit more away from me. With the stock held in this position, I’m finding it much more ergnonomic to play the regulators – just wierd from my usual hand-moving-downwards-and-hitting-keys. Gotta get used to that.
Anyway, my two bits. Oh, and flat sets! Very different instruments, but, I find that the latter way of holding the set (as described above) would also work for them (a few of my absolute favorite pipers, who play sets with a bass regulator bar, play flat sets).
Jonathan
P.S. In order for me to imitate the bass regulator, I’ve, in the past, tied a broom handle to my stock. Instant, and cheap, bass regulator bar!
Michael on your Quinn C 3/4 set I see from the photos that the mainstock cup looks shorter that my Rogge C full set mainstock. My C full set photo is posted on pictures of your pipes page 20 which shows the mainstock cup with the bag cover covering binding and some of the cup.
What length is your Quinn mainstock including binding in inches or mm. As I said before the Rogge Mainstock cup including binding was 60.5 mm.
I you a Shoulder strap around the mainstock cup when using the set as a 3/4 set/fullset. or put the shoulder strap around mainstock after bass reg sliding part beside art ivory on mainstock for better comfortable playing.
All the best
Hi Fergus,
The stock, including binding, is 9 3/8 inches or 23.8 centimeters.
M
Michael can you give me the length of the brass cup only including binding without drone mainstock which I meant to ask you.
Cheers
Fergus
Ideally your hand should be over the middle chord [aFA]. I played a rogge C once [yes i did honestly 
and for a few hours too] and I had no problem reaching any regulator.
Maybe you should look at you playing position, in your avatar shot your regs seem to be pointing almost backward, away from where you want them, if that is the way you normally play you may want to turn your upper body towards the regs a bit compare the pic at
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/photos/peter_laban/kittyandpeter.jpg
the pipes look more comfortable.
Also consider the angle under which the stock is tied in [or the mainstock cup actually] maybe the angle should be changed slightly.
[fixed typo]
Peter, have you met the American traditional musician Tim O’Brien? The likeness between the two of you is uncanny, except you’re a few pounds trimmer. He might have been over your way a few years back gathering experiential material for his CD “The Crossing”, i.e., group pissup.
I don’t think i ever met him, since early feb I have shed most of the middle age spread so I am in fact a few more pounds trimmer since. :roll:
Can anyone who plays ‘C’ 3/4 or full set of UP including Michael Eskin give me the length of the metal cup plus the binding?
This is to work out the best size brass cup before I send to Rogge to shorten the cup or tie the cup further into the bag.
If anyone’s C set cup is shorter than Rogge’s brass cup including binding 60.5 mm as I would like to be able to reach the notes F sharp, D chord and D, G chord with both hands on chanter.
Bye for now
Hey Fergus,
Before you do anything drastic read Peter Laban’s message to you about positioning the pipes. Could save you loads of money and heartache.
Patrick.
I have tried what Peter Laban and Michael Eskin said but still can’t reach the lower reg notes.
A guy called George in Belfast also has a left-hand set in snakewood C and he has the same problem with reaching the lower notes on the regs.
George asked Andreas Rogge at the Belfast Tionol in March if he could tie the brass cup further into the bag and Andreas said he could do this but he had no binding thread with him in Belfast.
Hi Fergus,
Sorry for the delay. On my set, the brass cup, including some room for tie-in is 3 inches long.
M