Check out this listing on Ebay! I have never seen a chanter quite like this one. I have never seen a key like this either for that matter. is this an ancient set or just made by someone that didn’t care too much for aesthetics? Either way, it’s kinda neat looking.
-E-
http://cgi.ebay.com/Half-set-of-uilleann-or-union-pipes_W0QQitemZ7391263477QQcategoryZ16226QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It is in the Taylor style. Bass Drone has three bores in bottom joint connected in series to make it compact and chanter keys (and those of the regs when fitted) made from folded sheet metal.
For more information see
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=34424&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://web.telia.com/~u46103557/taylor.html
http://www.bagpipeworld.co.uk/Gallery/Brennan.htm
Seller is “robertbagpipes” who has fitted new bag and bellows - he does not appear on NPU list so is this a new pipemaker ?
edited to add image, correct typo’s etc.
It’s certainly an interesting looking set. It looks to me like that chanter could have more ribbon keys added to it. At least it looks like there’s space and blocks for keys on the lower part of the chanter.
The seller could be a maker of SSP, NSP or border pipes. In fact, he recently sold a set of NSP (not of his making).
Wonder how he got that nasty dent in the bass drone bend… 
‘robertbagpipes’ - not Charles Roberts as he appears to be in Spain and this instrument is in West London.
I could do with a decent half set but am wary of buying a ‘pig in the poke’
It looks an interesting instrument but the main stock appears to be tied directly into the bag. Anyone live in or near Isleworth who can look them over and give an independent opinion ?
Dents in bend should not present any problem as wind instrument repairers have tools for dealing with them. I know as a friend dropped his trumpet after one too many beers. Tool is just a long probe with a ball of the right diameter on the end and the repairer had at least a dozen different sizes hanging up.
John
“R A WHITE” is the seller. Old-style set but looks like modern-made.
Not many current makers make the barrel style bass drone. David Quinn and David Boisvert are the only two I’ve seen. Does anyone know of other makers who make the barrel style bass drone? This could narrow down the field.
I’d like to examine or get some information on barrel style bass drones, I’ve never pesonally seen one, but would love to try making one, but I think they have a double bore in one piece of wood and I’m not sure how to achieve that on the lathe.. I’m sure Bill or Mr Quinn could chime in on this he knows about this stuff…
Doesn’t Mark Hillmann make the barrel style as well?
No one makes them as a regular offering. Froment, Angus, Bayley have made pipes with them.
It’s a triple bore that’s connected up for the bass drone.
Malcolm McLaren does only triple bore, unless specifically requested to do otherwise.
I don’t know much
what is a triple bore
is the bass drone having three reeds?
please explane
It’s a single cylinder of wood with three bores drilled through it and then capped at one end to form an internal ‘bend’ rather than an external brass bend as seen on most bass drones. Takes onle the one reed as usual.
DavidG
The barrel drone is a very tidy design. Any pipers with barrel drones have any comments to make on whether they’re better or worse than looped bass drones??
They do not stick out nearly as far as the other “loop” or “H” stylr drones… more session friendly I should think.
Joseph, they stick out just as far as brass looped drones. All the triple bore does is house the loop inside a wooden cylinder so that you don’t have ugly plumbing visible but nice wood-work instead. Also, because you’re not depending on brass bends, the loop is much more compact so that the cylinder only need be about an inch or so ,give or take, in diametre. You may be thinking of the compact designs where the bore is partly housed up in the stock (I think) 
.
Cheers,
DavidG
… actually, I wasn’t thinking at all… 
Doogie, see DMQ’s third article in his series on drones by the Taylor Brothers - in either his CD-ROM, or the Autumn 2001 issue of the Pipers’ Review. As has been posted already, it’s actually a triple bore. You end up turning the piece around four different centers (if you do it this way; see below).
I’ve seen barrel drones from Chris Bayley, Andreas Rogge, and Brian Howard. Not sure any of these makers do them as “standard”. I make them myself, using a modification of David Quinn’s design (my version below, not David’s).
It seems Andreas cut the bores with a router and glued the barrel together; I believe Chris uses something quite similar to David Quinn, and I don’t know what Brian did. My version is somewhat like what O’Mealy used to make, turned from one piece of timber[*], except that O’Mealy, like the Taylors, shaped the result into a triangluar cross-section rather than leaving it round as all the modern makers do.
Bill
[*] except the mounts, of course…
Good stuff, Thanks…
I’ve got a set of barrel drones made by Chris Bayley. There are pictures of them on the “Pictures of Your Pipes” thread. They work very well, and don’t take up much room either on stage or in the case. In fact I just got back from a gig in Spain last night, and there was enough room in the case for two litres of Jameson’s and a litre of Tullamore Dew!
Mike