Hello,
I’m new in uilleann piping, and I would like to know how is it possible to recognise good drones.
And I would be please to know your feeling with your own drones, that will probably help me to make a choice !
Cheers,
Birl
What chanter make are you playing…??
I’ve got Whitmer drones. Very happy with them. They’re solidly built. They sound very well. The bass drone ‘loop’ is extra-large so that the bass drone is 6 inches (15cm) shorter than most other bass drones. See:
i play an Arhpa practice set. It 's a “Rowsome” style of making, and as PJ said in a previous discussion, it seems to be a loud chanter.
I had a look on Whitmer web site, and his drones have a nice looking, and they are affordable.
Just want to hear them now ! 
I don’t know where you could hear Nick’s drones. I’ve checked on the Clips & Snips. You can hear his chanters and regulators but no his drones (Dan Bentley has Lambe drones).
I can record using my PC and a cheap mic but I can only save in WAV, not MP3, which means I can’t post to Clips & Snips. If you like, I could record a few tunes onto a CD and post it to you. If so, PM me your address.
One thing, though. Most people will tell you to get in touch with a pipemaker near where you live.
Unless there is some reason why you don’t want to, I would go with Arpha drones. They are a maker with good reputation, probably a short wait list and at least you’ll know your getting drones made to match your chanter. Plus you get a choice of two styles - Classic Rowsome and something else.
Otherwise, drone volume, like chanter volume, is somewhat, though not totally, dependent on the reeds.
Cheers,
DavidG
Its not just the drones. You will also need to purchase the stock to mount the drones into the bag. If you already have a stock tied into your bag, you should be aware that not all drones are the same size at the mounts. If you do not have a stock, you would probably want to purchase this with the drones, and then get some help tying this into your bag.
djm
Thank you all,
I will see and listen to some drones in saint Chartier festival, how can i recognise good drones ? do they sound “bheu” or “bzzz” 
?
And what about the drones reeds ?
lots of questions, sorry, but I’m ignorant a lot too !
Birl,
I will see you at St Chartier, and show you how drones work, are balanced and tuned and adjusted against the chanter. You will need to know this anyway when you get your drones.
Mike
Greenwood pipes (www.greenwoodpipes.com)* makes very nice drones. And the Euro-dollar rate is in your favor.
T
*tommykleen, his heirs, or pets, does not benefit directly via the endorsement of this product.
Use your ears and your own personal tastes. For me, good drones do not buzz, they hummmm. Some drones sound to me like a harsh, nasty, nasal buzz. This is in the reeds, more than the drones themselves. Once you learn to make your own drone reeds you can get some control over their sound.
djm
All drones have idiomatic tonal qualities per their design, just like chanters. Some buzz, some are more like harley davidson exhaust pipes. I myself drive a souped up cobra so I like concert pitch drones that have a even but distinctive growl to them.. like my exhaust… flat set drones are completely different or should be at least.
I currently play Childress concert drones, and at this point are perfectly balanced with regs and chanter (koehler)… the drones really shape a tonal topography when they kick in… VERY resonant, very even, like a good 32 valve V8 monster. Williams drones I believe are or can be set up like this as well per their design.
I personally like everything Nick Whitmer does… no fuss… no nonesense.. Jerry O’Sullivan has a C set of his drones so you can hear them if you can find the recording…
heya…I’ve got a few sets of mainstock/drones that are currently ownerless and waiting for new homes…
I am a big fan of Tayloresque style pipes, and these drones by Davey feature a Tayloresque bass drone. Davey does great work and his prices are reasonable. Can’t go wrong with him IMHO. I’ll soon have a set of his drones and regs,and I can’t wait… but I guess I’ll have to. 
Patience is a virtue Joseph… and when you get them regs, you can look at this:
http://www.nvup.nl/sound/mikie.AVI (might take a while to download)
and think of this: 
aaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!
nice !
this piper must be bored with ten fingers, so he play with eleven 
Well done !
Interesting camera angle 
Maw, is there more of this video?
No but there are some great sound files:
Go to the sound files page to download
I made several small video’s using a canon photocamera during the Belgium tional last year.
This year Mickie will be the guest of the Dutch tionol.
I will bring my videocam and make some more “angle-work”
Carel