Hi all, this is a half set by Robbie Hughes. Not exactly sure how old it is. I bought it a few years ago from someone on this board. Need to sell due to injury which no longer allows me to play. The pipes are blackwood/brass/imitation ivory. Bag is leather and in good shape. Bellows are original and in good shape. The only known issues are a broken ring mount on one of the drones, a couple other mounts loose, and the tenons probably need to be re-wrapped. The Fnat key’s spring broke and it was repaired by a regular instrument repair shop, but they used too light of a spring, so the key doesn’t always close tightly if you use it. It will need to be repaired by a pipemaker if you want to use it. I just wrapped a rubber band around it to keep it from leaking since I never used the key. The chanter reed plays relatively well. The drone reeds were playing well the last time I had the pipes, but I lent them to a friend in a different climate for the last year and they told me they had problems with them. I think I could probably adjust them to play in my current climate, but it seems kind of pointless if Im going to sell them to someone in a different part of the country who will have to re-adjust them anyway. In any case, the drone reeds will need either some expert adjustment or will need to be replaced. Actually, this set basically just needs some TLC as far as basic maintenance, and probably some attention from a reedmaker. But otherwise it’s a pretty solid set. The set comes with a hard case, but it’s not originally a pipe case, so you have to do some disassembling to get everything in. I’d like to sell this set relatively quickly, so make me a reasonable offer and it’s yours. Buyer pays shipping. Since I’m not on this site much anymore, please email me at lumbercis at hotmail dot com. If you have any additional questions I’ll do my best to answer them.
Thanks,
James
James,
Am I right from perusing (can I use that word on this board, Joseph?) the photos that this is a D set? Is it a relatively quite setup on the chanter, or can it stand toe-to-toe with a banjo or button box?
Judging from the chanter bottom to chanter top-bottom, owning a Hughes set, and finger spacings between holes I’d bet a 90% chance it is in fact a ‘D’ set.
Its a regular wide bore D halfset. Its only as quiet as you can quiet a reed down normally (by closing off the reed and trying to avoid screwing up the tuning too much).
Do’h! That was a stupid omission. Yeah, it’s a D set. In fact it was DJM’s set from way back if I remember correctly. He may be able to fill you in on the history of where he got it. I found it quite a decent set. It’s no Koehler and Quinn, but what is?
As to the loudness, it’s pretty much a midrange concert set. I didn’t find them to be unusually loud or unusually soft. I think it would match fine with a single accompanying instrument.
James. As of about 4 years ago you were becoming an excellent player. You had (and probably still do) great promise. What sorts of injuries have you selling off the pipes? Sorry to hear the news. Still in the USAF???
Just wanted to let everyone know this set is still for sale. No reasonable (or unreasonable) offer refused.
Glands,
Hows it going? Ive been out of the AF now for about a year and a half. Im currently living in L.A. working on my M.A. My problems with piping are still the same from before; some kind of weird nerve/circulation problem in my neck or shoulders. For a while I toyed with playing flute but couldn’t get into it. For the last couple months, Ive been taking singing lessons from Lillis O’Laoire who lives not too far from me. I attended the last Southern California tionol just to listen, so maybe I’ll see you around at another tionol. Take care and keep piping!
I did some fiddling with the reeds today and can happily report that my earlier misgivings about the reeds were unfounded. As far as the chanter, it was a little reluctant when I first got it out of the box; Back D was sinking and it didn’t want to play up to high C or D. After a little loosening up and maybe some extra humidity (i happened to be cooking pasta at the time) it brightened up considerably. Second octave became easier, no problems up to high D, and the back D was going nicely.
Then came the drones. Maybe they liked the humidity too because 5 minutes of adjusting had them going well. I’m not saying everything will be this easy all the time, maybe they’re just having a good day. I may be able to get a sound sample in the next couple of weeks. I will probably try to bring them by the next So Cal pipers club meeting if anyone in the area wants to check them out.
I personally own a Robbie Hughes set even though the drones I have are not Hughes drones..I think the chanter is very responsive goes well with whatever reed I make for it.
I would very much like to purchase them from you but, I just purchased a home here in Montreal, and finances have taken there toll for the moment. But the indeed look like a great set to play-in. I hope whoever buy’s them, will take good care of them.
My problems with piping are still the same from before; some kind of weird nerve/circulation problem in my neck or shoulders.
You might have an extra muscle in your neck that’s pinching the nerve. It’s not a common problem, but my mum had it and we suspect I might as well. If you do have it, you can get it removed, which should help a lot.
D’OH!!! Goddammit, you already have!
