I’m thinking of selling my Johnny Bourke chanter.
Well, the thing is, for the last few years my work horse has been a lovely Jim Wenham D chanter and in the last 8 or 9 months I have been playing one of my own creations, which I’m very happy with.
So really the chances of me playing that great Bourke chanter again are slim and I hate to see it just laying about on the shelf.
It’s a fantastic chanter and has done me well for 28 years.
I’ve used it on recording sessions, tours with Riverdance, Teada, Celtic Woman, etc. and every time I’m always complimented for its tuning and tone.
Anyway I am, and want to be, playing my own chanters and so I’m thinking of passing it on to some one who will play it.
I don’t want to be a mercenary either but it’ll have to go for a decent price too.
I was offered a silly amount of money for it a few years ago but I told the chap to calm down. “you’d buy 3 brand new chanters for that money…”
So details.
The chanter was made in 1984 by Johnny Bourke. It’s ebony and has those catalin mounts. Thats the stuff that goes yellow over time.
The top of the chanter is brass.
The only changes to it over the years have been a brass ring was inserted into the B note hole to make it more in tune. I did it myself around 1994 on the advise of Dave Hegarty. That B note always ran sharp but it’s perfect since.
The back D was scalloped out by someone who shall remain nameless (Not a pipe maker) but their work really helped the tone and tuning of that note.
You can hear it in action here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yUlGIIGJms
and with Celtic Woman, just to show it works in A= 440
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNVNQwtS2bU
So I’m not even sure if I should sell it at all but someone should be playing it… It really is a top notch chanter.
Tommy Martin
