Have a look. It really is a lovely old thing and needs a good home. Offers welcome. http://www.hunterpipes.co.uk/ForSale.html
What does busking stick design mean?
RORY
It means that an early chanter in this design was given to Ronan by Peter, when both were penniless, with the instruction “Rrrright, I’ve made it. Now you go out with it and busk for food money.”
Or words to that effect. It’s just the nickname for that chanter design (based I think on a Kennedy?) same as the other is nicknamed the “banjo blaster”.
It’s the chanter design that Sean Potts plays on the Donal Lunny live album he’s on.
Hi Sam,
What would be the difference between the “busking stick” and the “banjo blaster”? Is one louder than the other? Is there a difference in tone?
There is a difference, but it’s on a sliding scale depending on the throat size of the chanters in question. The two chanters have a different lattice, and use different reamers. Generally speaking, a “banjo blaster” would be louder, and often have a more in-tune high B. Also it would be more sparkly, what Peter calls “hi-fi”. The 5.1xmm throat “busking stick” design has a marvellous harsh D, and is great fun to play. “A bit like a penny whistle with a reed on the top” The relationship between the on-the-knee E’s is often better on the busking stick design.
If a busking stick chanter is made with a 5.5xmm throat, the problem with the high B goes away, and there is less of a difference between the two designs. I will be recording this chanter so you can hear it for yourselves. It’s a larger throat model, and the intonation is pretty damn good.
Correction - it was seen on South African TV, played by Mick Daly, on a show called “Good Morning South Africa” circa 1985. There is a tape somewhere of this which Peter will try to find. The chanter was among the first 5 made by Peter, about 1981/2. I find this amazing considering how fecking good it is!
Marine Ivory: what type Whale, walrus or other ?
How does this affect travelling with it through customs if they decide to inspect. Early 80’s should thatbe OK here but do some other country require ivory (elephant, whale, walrus) to be a lot older ?
John
I don’t know, I’ll ask Peter. I think walrus. If it was to be a problem I can always blast out a set of imit ivory mounts for when the chanter goes “on tour”.
Yeah, I’ve wondered about the ivory thing, as I have a set of Peter’s drones with some antique ivory on them. That said, I didn’t have any bother with it, but wondered how much of a risk I was taking.
on ‘the drones and the chanters vol 2’ are these busking sticks or banjo-blasters that sean og potts and ronan browne are using? - also, is mine a banjo-blaster? (i ought to know but i didn’t know that peter had two separate models)
Browne is using a banjo blaster. I think that Sean is using one too. On other recordings he’s used a busking stick, on the Baker’s Well album he uses both, which gives a chance to compare the different styles. The easiest way to tell them apart is to measure the length of the chanter. The b.s. is I think 14 1/8" and the b.b. is around 14.5".
I’ve made a few hasty recordings. Up at http://www.hunterpipes.co.uk/ForSale.html or directly at
http://www.hunterpipes.co.uk/Sounds/Rosewood1.mp3 http://www.hunterpipes.co.uk/Sounds/Rosewood2.mp3
Surprised she hasn’t gone yet . . .