OK guys i am not afraid to say I was wrong, and i was wrong about seery pipes, just got tunnel vision and a little ahead of myself.
BUT THATS OK, because nobody can argue with what i have decided on.
Bruce Childress not only told me could do everything i was asking, but he was the nicest guy, conversational, and professional. And to boot he is an american maker who has pipe crudentials comming out the…pipes.
(not saying that seery pipes are bad, its just that nobody seems to actually know anything about them)
I have decided to order a custom chanter form Mr. childress, and practice on one of daye’s penny chanters while i wait.
Sounds like a wise decision
And now you don’t just have a set of pipes coming your way, you also got a nice pipemaker to get some advice, tips and tricks from.
That alone is worth as much as the set itself when you are a beginner.
You are not the only one with tunnel vision, it can happen when you least expect it. When I was shopping for a new half set, I was set on a maker very far away, whos pipes I hadn’t played and just seen once IRL. I had heard good things about them, liked the looks and for some strange reason I had focused in on them. There were some people here on the board that set my mind straight again and I ended up spending six months looking at makers website’s, listening to CD’s or sound clips and asking lots of questions to both experienced pipers and well known makers.
In the end I got a set from Haneman Union and Uilleann Pipes. Best decision I ever made! And I’m very thankfull that people here got me thinking and to spend some time and really consider what to buy before I placed an order. UP’s are a heavy investment both economically and in the regards of dedication or devotion.
I have to say that Bruce is an absolute sweetheart… a really nice guy… his big and burly-man exterior hides a kind heart (it’s early i guess, sorry for the Air Supplyesque account of the man himself). The US (not exclusively of course) is blessed with some of the nicest pipemakers… BC, Benedict K., David Q., Pat S., even Kirk L. can be a sweetie when hot brandishing a shotgun to shoot buggered up chanters.
I bought two full sets from Bruce… the first in 1999… and his customer service was so friendly and fast, that back then I decided to get another set from him (in B) in 2001. He did things to those pipes per my ridiculous requests that were very artful, and experimental even. He had yet to do a tayloresque bass reg, which i needed based upon my wierd anatomy… made the B set with one… then decided that he did not like the design, and replaced it with a better one… and did the same for the first set (D)… the turnings and ornamentation he put on the pipes per my requests (i am an architect - everything is a design opportunity… (translate - obsessive compulsive)) were beautiful… truly one of a kind.
Anyway, good choice. I have played his pipes constantly since 97… almost daily… they take a licking and keep on buzzing… really solid work.
When you get the pipes, avoid the temptation at first to futz with the reeds… this is the way beginners (myself included) ruing perfectly functioning reeds.
Good luck, and please tell BC that I said hello! I haven’t talked with him in a couple of years as the pipes have needed no help… but maybe I should call anyway.
Did you see the rolled silver ferrules option?
By the way, there is a gentleman down in Tucson who is coming along at pipemaking… a dentist by trade, but has been making sticks for years, and now drones and some reg experimentation. For you desert folks, me may be someone to try to track down through the Arizona Piping Club as his stuff works in outlandish weather conditions (he gave me a stick many years ago to play around with - back then I had to change some of the hole sizes with tape, but a nice looking and sounding stick).
sorry, but had to heap my praise for Bruce in there as well..
I just took possession of my long awaited half set a few weeks ago & am having a great time with em.
He’s surely a nice fellow & does indeed offer great customer service.
jk