Just wondering if it is possible to convert my D half set to a C, B or Bb set perhaps using the same bag, bellows and drone stock. Any ideas or suggestions?
Would a capo do it?
I’ve not seen it but I’ve heard other pipers talk about it. In fact, I know one piper who has recently turned his own B tenor drone to go with his B chanter. I don’t think he’s reeded or installed it in the stock of his concert set, but that’s his plan. I think he’s also planning to do a B baritone also. If you’re interested, PM me and I’ll put you in contact with him.
Bellows - same. All of the others get into unique sizes and lengths, so it would not be a great path to explore.
Can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work, although I’d think it easier to have a new mainstock too and have it made to fit into the same stock “cup” on the bag for easier conversion. I guess you’d save yourself about $4-500 this way.
The guy I know has a BC concert 3/4 set. He removes the D chanter and adds a B chanter. I understand that he intends using the same bag. He mentioned to me a while back that he wanted to be able to remove the stock and add his B stock with B drones (not yet made, except for the tenor which has yet to be reeded). Then he would have a B 1/2 set. This would obviously require the B stock fitting into the same stock “cup” as the D stock.
The overall result would be same bellows, same bag, different drones and chanter.
I think there a certain someone in this forum that has a Kirk Lynch set and he used extenders on his drones to make a C set..I wont mention names but maybe this person will step forward and give you some help Lundblad.
Well, that would be me about two years ago while I was waiting for my C drones and regs from David Quinn…
I made some little extender tubes out of brass and heat shrink tubing that I could stuff in the ends of my tenor and bass drones on my Lynch set that would bring them down to C. Worked pretty well, the composite reeds were stable all the way down to C. Kept me happy while I was waiting for the real C set.
Cheers,
Michael
I have a bass G drone on my CR set that is the straight design. It has 2 slides in it and has always been the easiest to make a reed stable. I have tuned it from the D of my baritone drone to the D of my bass D drone with it being very stable at all the chanter notes in between. I personally like it at A.
John
On the same topic, could one make c nat. drones play at concert pitch?
thanks,
Jack Devereux
I asked this question a few weeks back and the general response was that you could probably get C# and at a stretch Cnat, but the latter would probably not sound great.
I have D-drones for drones for my Swedish bagpipe on which I have holes and boxwood plugs to retune them to E. It works but the sound with E-tuning is not as pleasant as the the sound playing D.
This is not solving the problem with tuning down, but I’m just thinking if anyone have produced something like this for UPs in C, perhaps with a more neat solution than the one on my pipes, perhaps like the design on NSP?
A pic of my pipes along with a discussion on the same matter can be seen on,
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=19410&highlight=
Anders
Hey folks. While I can certainly see the value in using one bellows for multiple sets, I wouldn’t see any other use – other than short-term – for messing around with different stocks or drones/regs for the same “original” configuration.
Let’s take the bellows out of this. How much money are you actually saving off a, say, $8500 instrument by trying to keep a stock/cup/bag? Maybe about $300? While you’re already paying 8 grand for the rest of the set, I don’t see where it’s worth it. Imagine the hassle of trying to get different stocks in and out of the cup or, if using the same stock, trying to get drones and regs in and out – with all those reeds? No thank you! I have enough of the worry/frustration with my reeds without having to worry about taking them in and out all the time. Whenever I feel the urge to do that, I’ll just look to my bass regulator – every time I put the instrument away, I have to take the reed out. If I were to do that with other reeds in the instrument? I’d go crazy.
Best,
Jonathan
I’d agree if I had $8000 to spend on a set. For myself, I’m trying to create a frankenset a piece at a time, as funding allows. I’d love to have a C set as well, but I don’t think I’ll EVER have enough dosh for that, so, for me, that $300-$400 saved is worth a good chunk of a second chanter. With a half or 3/4 set, I don’t see changing out a mainstock as a big hassle. I’m sure any maker could accommodate any given stock cup. Plus, it’s one less bag and bellows to maintain.