There have been various comments in the recent past about C.Roberts so here’s another. A friend of mine has just received a set of D drones from Charles (now based in Spain) – brass and ebony with boxwood ferrules. They are superbly made, beautifully finished, stable as any I’ve heard, and buzz along beautifully. One of the nicest I’ve seen in quite a while. I’m not normally a fan of boxwood end pieces etc., but I think I’m now a convert.
Good to hear he’s still at it!
Shuts up all the ugly rumours at least! 
As far as I was concerned Mr Roberts ablity to make good pipes was never in question but more the way he conducted his business
RORY
I’m having a half set made by C.Roberts as wel.
(the set is about 3 years old now)
It’s well made as well. The chanter is easy to handle. With the original reeds in it, it wasn’t playing very good however…so Arie de Keyzer made me a new chanter reed and adjusted the dronereeds…
Plays completely in tune now, drones are getting more and more stable, I’m starting to love the set more and more.
greetz
I have to say that I am quite happy with my 1/2 set. The drones are very stable even with my newbie skills and the chanter vibrates nicely with the drones. The bass G and the baritone A drones really add to the overall tone of the set. I have not purchased a set directly from CR yet, but I certainly like his work.
John
I play a full set in D made for me by Charles in 1998. It is made of African blackwood, imitiation ivory, and German nickel silver. You can see pics of my set at http://katzwerk.com/piper/photopage2.htm
I went to Sligo to take delivery and spent two days with him. I learned alot about him in those two days.
I have been playing the same chanter reed since 1998 and it has always played flawlessly. I had Benedict Koehler make up brass body/cane tonque drone reeds for me and they also have been flawless. The original drone reeds couldn’t hold up to California very well for some reason.
My set has never let me down and it is beautifully made in a very traditional uilleann pipe style.
Charles is a fantastic pipemaker and a very poor businessman. He just doesn’t have a grip on his business dealings.
He was very acceptable to all my special requests when making my pipes and I absolutely love them!
He is one of the finest pipe makers out there, but he is definitely difficult to deal with or get in touch with. No excuses are being made here!
I am glad to here that he is back to making pipes in Spain and I wish him all the best!
Richard
anyone got a valid e-mail adress to Charles?
He’s got a chanter of mine for re-reeding. Sent it to him last autumn and haven’t heard from him since…
Maybe some Spanish conquistadors stole it.
Take a bow 
, Emer, for “goodmouthing” someone. It’s easy to work up a head of steam to complain about someone, but we’re conditioned to believe that good news is no news, so tend not to report it.
I’ve no direct experience of dealing with Charles, but I have a friend who has. My interpretation of what he tells me is that Charles probably went a bit native while living in Ireland, and tends to be almost as disorganised and unreliable as a genuine Irishman, but that he is not dishonest or a poor craftsman. As I understand it the move to Spain was associated with some difficulties in his private life, but he now seems to have settled into the work again.
I am actually complaining, and since I’ve paid him in advance to correct a chanter he made I am quite interested in hearing from him one way or the other. I like that chanter very much but being without it for more than a year would make anyone wonder and turn elsewhere in the future…wouldn’t it?
I am actually complaining, and since I’ve paid him in advance to correct a chanter he made I am quite interested in hearing from him one way or the other. I like that chanter very much but being without it for more than a year would make anyone wonder and turn elsewhere in the future…wouldn’t it?
I am actually complaining, and since I’ve paid him in advance to correct a chanter he made I am quite interested in hearing from him one way or the other. I like that chanter very much but being without it for more than a year would make anyone wonder and turn elsewhere in the future…wouldn’t it?
Does he went to live in Spain??? 
So what’s his new address? e-mail?
Say Richard, in the pics of your Roberts pipes, I noticed the bends on the bass appear to be brass. Is this a trick of the camera or ??
Hi Davey,
Yes, the bass bends on my set are brass. This was one thing that I wasn’t too pleased about at first, but Charles said he makes all of his pipes this way. Don’t know if I believed him, but it is a small item of no real importance to me. The pipes are glorious sounding, and that is what matters!
Richard
My CR 1/2 set has brass bends for the bass. I have only seen brass in person. Is this unusual? What sort of metal other than stainless or nickle silver is used? Just curious.
JOhn