I’ve just taken delivery of a lovely new concert pitch chanter made by Jim Carroll of Mansfield, UK. I met Jim at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival at the end of August where he was taking classes and sessions. The chanter’s made from ebony, with boxwood and nickel silver mounts. It has a very understated, but classy, look about it - reminiscent of the old Coyne chanters. I am using it with my Alain Froment full set and I have to say it’s the nicest chanter (of quite a few over the years) I have played. The reed plays very ‘light’ but still has a great hard, and back, D. The notes sound crisp but at the same time very sweet. It’s also perfectly in tune in both octaves. Delivery was very quick (only a few weeks) although Jim tantalisingly kept me waiting for a few extra days at the end just so he could be sure the reed performed well. Jim’s prices are also very reasonable. Just in case anybody out there’s interested, I know he has a half, and a three-quarter, set almost finished, which I don’t think are ‘spoken for’ yet.
What!!! I ordered a chanter from him over two years ago and put down nearly $1000 deposit and still have nothing. Now I’m pissed. I think it’s time for a refund.
What!!! I ordered a chanter from him over two years ago and put down nearly $1000 deposit and still have nothing. Now I’m pissed. I think it’s time for a refund
1000US equates to £625UK so a chase is certainly in order - what is he charging for a chanter if he requires this amount of deposit ?
Jims, concert chanter is a take off of the P.Hunter banjo blaster chanter if I’m correct, its a 14.5 inch stick, I.d much prefer to have the real thing from Sam & Peter for probably less. all the best.
Yeah…it’s a pretty big buzz kill…but I didn’t mean to redirect Martin’s post sharing his enjoyment of a new instrument into a rant, so I’d like to maybe not go far down that road and I’ll see if I can reach Jim Carroll and sort it out.
That statement is soooooooo true. Certain pipe makers, seem to have the opinion that if they rip off someone outside thier country, the customer wont come after them either through legal means, or with the boys. A certain pipemaker from north yorks certainly holds this view; Shade Vents Pony
Whit happened to the rule ye gave.. no ifs no buts etc aboot ref to he who cannot be mentioned?Either ye have a rule which ye obviously felt strongly aboot or ye don’t.
Uilliam
No! No! Don’t delete! Uilliam, wee like ya!! - O’ and thanks ferris for getting the North Yorkshire bit right as I’m in the West side of Yorkshire, N. Yorkshire can be a scary place at some times of the year! you can hear the cries and screaming coming from a certain small medieval town when all is not well. beware of the mad woodman, Halloween may of past, but beware he will return. cheers.
What you on aboot uillium, the unmentional has not been named on this thread, i was talking aboot Shade Vents Pony, a mythical figure that made cloggs, saw benches and the occasional uilleann pipe. He dosnt actually exist, just a figment of peoples imaginations.
I really shouldn’t have reacted when I saw the first post. Jim Carroll reached out to me immediately to sort it out. I had changed my order a couple of times (from CP to C and discussed different woods), and he’s apparently tried to contact me about it, but I’ve been so buried with work over the past year that I didn’t get the messages. The blame really rests with me, not Jim. (I hate it when that happens)
It’s probably one of the hardest ways to make a living… making pipes and trying to deal with people spread all over the globe. I’m sure he didn’t need me slamming him on public forum, or for that matter having his name compared to persons who might be persona non grata. I’m sorry I caused this.
I’ve just taken delivery of a lovely new concert pitch chanter made by Jim Carroll of Mansfield, UK. I met Jim at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival at the end of August where he was taking classes and sessions. The chanter’s made from ebony, with boxwood and nickel silver mounts. It has a very understated, but classy, look about it - reminiscent of the old Coyne chanters. I am using it with my Alain Froment full set and I have to say it’s the nicest chanter (of quite a few over the years) I have played. The reed plays very ‘light’ but still has a great hard, and back, D. The notes sound crisp but at the same time very sweet. It’s also perfectly in tune in both octaves. Delivery was very quick (only a few weeks) although Jim tantalisingly kept me waiting for a few extra days at the end just so he could be sure the reed performed well. Jim’s prices are also very reasonable. Just in case anybody out there’s interested, I know he has a half, and a three-quarter, set almost finished, which I don’t think are ‘spoken for’ yet.
Now I’m pissed. I think it’s time for a refund.
all the best.
- O’ and thanks ferris for getting the North Yorkshire bit right as I’m in the West side of Yorkshire, N. Yorkshire can be a scary place at some times of the year! you can hear the cries and screaming coming from a certain small medieval town when all is not well. beware of the mad woodman, Halloween may of past, but beware he will return. 
cheers.