Its been in the works for over 3 years but now it looks like the wait is over…McCallum Bagpipes just announced a release date of August 11th at Piping Live, National Piping Center, Glasgow. These pipes are modeled after Fred’s personal Dave Williams set. For more info go to McCallum’s FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/mccallumbagpipes/photos/a.178747422139255.60394.177457198934944/1500672566613394/?type=3&theater
Frank
Thats great ,I’ve had about three heart attacks waiting . so is there any actual photo’s of uilleann pipes ?
RORY
i don’t think i’ve ever seen any other pipes promoted as being specifically associated with a given piper
i wonder if they’re going for scottish pipers who might be tempted to cross over to the uilleanns
it sounds like they’re counting on there being a potentially big untapped market as it looks like they’ve put a lot of time into this project
i look forward to hearing them - i wonder how they’ll be priced? perhaps somewhere between budget pipes and mid-range?
The wait is over, now you can sound like a highland piper playing the uilleann pipes.
Are these the first mass-produced Uilleann Pipes? How is McCallum making them?
I mean there are always pipes from Pakistan, but those aren’t really instruments 
.
Does anyone know if there is a specific maker involved? I don’t know anything about McCallum Bagpipes other than that they are known for Scottish pipes.
I doubt they will be mass produced. They may make a couple of sets ahead of orders, but chances are there will be a wait for them. I know of a couple of UP makers who do the mechanics of making pipes, while someone else does the reeding, tuning and voicing. As GHB makers, they will probably be well built, but the tuning and voicing will be done by Fred, as that requires an experienced piper. The practice sets are made in ABW, which I find too bright for concert pitch. I hope they will offer alternative timbers.
McCallum bagpipes are made using CNC technology. I was told the UP will be the same except the chanter which is not CNC. As far as I know they will come ABW like the practice set. I own one of the prototype practice sets. My instructor has played my set and was really impressed. The reed for that chanter was made by Jimmy ? see link below. Since then Fred said someone else is now making his reeds. My practice set took less then two months to arrive. I have been learning to play for three years now using this chanter. Us knuckle dragging highland pipers take a little longer to learn. I just recently took ownership of a beautiful Michael Hubbert 1/2 set and have now been playing it exclusively. I’ve had some inquiries about buying my practice set but I don’t want to part with it.
McCallum is highly respected with highland pipers but they also make Fred’s reel (border) and Scottish smallpipes which are very fine instruments. Fred would never put his name on anything if it didn’t meet
his high standards so I expect the same with his UP. I’m guessing the price will be mid range and turn around time fairly quick as compared to most makers. McCallum is highly respected for their quality and customer service.
Fred will be doing a workshop I host at Lake Tahoe this October and I’m hoping he will be bringing at least the 1/2 set and let us have a go with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p5JjozyyFw
Frank
What a relief! But will you be able to play jazz?
I was at the launch event today. Fred made the pipes sound good, but they were miked up to play with Ali Hutton on guitar.
The pipes on display definitely showed their Williams DNA. They looked well made (I suppose McCallum can’t afford to show bad workmanship at the launch event).
McCallum said that they were still making up the tooling for the regulators, Fred said they hope to have them available by the end of the year.
The sets on display had stocks that were not drilled and fitted for bass regs, when I asked about this, I was told that they were going to fit a plate to the stocks so that you could add a bass reg.
There were 2 chanter types on display, a plain one and one with C and F natural keys, the keyed chanter was the one Fred used in the demo. He played Lament for Gordon Duncan as a demonstration piece using the keys.
Pricing has not yet been set, but Fred said they would be “affordable”.
McCallum’s target market looks to be the Highland pipe fraternity. Fred said he was writing a tutor for Highland pipers taking up uilleann pipes.
David
Why are these called Fred Morrison pipes if they are copies of Dave Williams pipes ? don’t understand.
Many uilleann pipes are copies of other instruments, antique or modern. Fred does the tuning and voicing, so I feel that naming them after him is not a bad idea. The turning and manufacture is done by a reputable GHB maker who does a good job of that part. Martin Gallen is making reeds but the critical job of tuning and voicing is done by Fred.
Thanks for the review there Davy.
Its a pure marketing tactic. Manufacturer’s have been linking their products to “famous names” for years ,but I have my doubt’s, that in this case it will have the desired effect.First of all just because Fred’s an excellent piper why should we assume that he should also be good at voicing chanters. Secondly the idea that someone is making the reeds and another person doing the voicing/ tuning is not good. The two operations are so interlinked that it really is a job for one person.
Arhpa is another bagpipe making company that delved into Uilleann pipe making but as far as I know have now delved out.
RORY
Fred’s a perfectly competent reedmaker - he has made his own reeds for all his instruments in the past but I think prefers to spend more time playing than mucking about with gouges. His ability to set up instrument is available for anyone to hear on his albums or live performances. I can see why it might be a concern but he’s been doing a similar thing with the reelpipes for years now.
I don’t think MacCallum are expecting to get particularly rich doing this; if you knew how many sets of GHB they manufacture it’s pretty obvious that UP will never be anything but a minor sideline, albeit they can throw automation at it that most makers cannot, meaning they can make more profit out of it than most.
The chanter I saw which Fred had voiced is well done; good tuning and tone. It is a very good chanter, better than many made by some full time makers.
As to two craftsmen making pipes, one need only look at K&Q uilleann pipes. David Quinn does the turning etc. while Benedict Koehler does the reeding, tuning and voicing and their pipes are among the best made today. The two jobs are not so interlinked that it is done by one person. Victor Mullaly’s pipes are turned by him but reeded and voiced by Mick O’Brien. Fred’s name is not just attached to the pipes for marketing. The final sound is due to his skills at tuning and voicing. We need assume nothing, the proof is in the pipes. He’s the one who asked for McCallum to copy his Williams set, so calling them Fred Morrison pipes is in line with others that are making pipes today. From what I have see so far, I feel that they are a welcome addition to the uilleann pipe making community.
I’ll be looking forward to getting one 
I heard he may be delivering a half set when he comes out the first week of October for Pipes & Whistles on Lake Tahoe https://www.facebook.com/PipesWhistlesOnLakeTahoe/ . One of the guys had placed an order last year and said Fred
will be bringing them out. I’m looking forward to having a go on them as well as having him play my new Hubbert half set. It will be nice to hear how I wished my pipes sounded when I play them 
I’ll be sure to take photos and video and will try to upload them.
Fresh off youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqmHxi3i9po
I thought it unfair that Dave Williams wasn’t getting more credit in the new venture ,but on hearing the clip Dave probably wouldn’t want his name linked with them anyway.
RORY
Hi Rory
The tune is Lament for Gordon Duncan. It sounded much better in the hall, the guy recording the llaunch did them no favours it seems.
David