I wrote
Regarding low cost alternatives, I have played one of A. Rogge’s practice chanters and can say that they are infinitely better in character and tone than the PC but no where near the quality of a reasonable wooden chanter. One of my students has a Bruce Childress chanter that I reeded and it is quite nice. Patrick d’Arcy gets a great sound from his M. Preshaw chanter reeded by an up and coming reed guru in LA. I’m not endorsing any of these particular chanters here as I know there are variations in tone and quality from instrument to instrument and I have had some less than desirable experiences with similar instruments by these makers. Yet, I believe them to be preferable to the PC.
I have been asked to clarify the above quote from one of my posts on the thread about chanter where I expressed my negative opinion on the PC.
First and foremost, I hope that those of you who read this forum plainly see that no malice or disreputation was intended towards the makers listed above. I was attempting to provide some guidance for alternatives to the PC to those who wish for a relatively low cost instrument that one can obtain with a modest wait on a list. I made some nice comments about each of the particular instruments. Keep in mind that I was talking about my experiences with the INSTRUMENTS. I then indicated I had had some “less than desirable” experiences. I hope to clear that notion up for those of you who are interested.
The comment about variation in tone and quality from instrument to instrument from the same maker is a given regardless of the maker. I’d say the same regarding Misters Koehler and Quinn…and even Mr. Woof. This is an undisputable fact of the nature of the instrument. Listen to Brian McNamaras K&Q D chanter and also Paddy Keenans of their make…differences there to my ear yet both are intended copies of the same Rowsome chanter. I do not know if there were different modifications to these two instruments in the final stages of construction. A close friend of mine was recently in possession of two Woof C chanters…both were quite distinct and much different also from a Woof C owned by a well-know piper based in Ireland who is a friend of ours. It is still clear to all which is the superior instrument. Fact.
Lets look at what else was written and implied and I’ll clarify those less than desirable experiences.
Andreas Rogge makes a practice chanter infinitely better than the PC but, in my opinion, and I suppose he probably holds this opinion too, it is not as nice in tone or responsiveness as the wooden chanters. Who would argue with me on this point? Kudos to Andreas for attempting to make an instrument that works, is inexpensive, and possible to obtain in short order. The less than desirable experience relates to my general dissatisfaction with a 3/4 set in C#, that works mind you, that was delivered to me, yet was not of the same quality in workmanship or tone of my C# chanter. I (thats a 42 pt font I to emphasize it is my opinion only) did not believe the chanter and set worked well together. It is just my opinion. I stand behind it. The experience of waiting over two years and then being dissatisfied was “less than desirable.” Both chanter and the set are now in the hands of one of you who seems to be satisfied with the instrument. I really miss that chanter as I truly enjoy playing in C#! I also had a nice B chanter from Andreas that I sold to a friend a year ago when I took delivery of my K&Q B chanter. Lovely. One of you fecks out there stole it from the friend of mine and, if I see it in public, we’ll have it back!
Bruce Childress made a lovely chanter that is in possession by one of my students. Some players of good sets have said it is better in tone than anything that they have heard in a while. I love to play it when it comes over to visit. I am very attached to the reed as it is my best effort ever. Bruce is a nice guy with an excellent record of customer service. My “less than desirable” experience relates to a Childress chanter that I used to own that I could not obtain a satisfactory reed for prior to my acquisition of the basic or rudimentary skills necessary to craft functional reeds. I sold it for less that I paid since it was not reeded.
I remarked and implied that Patrick d’Arcy has a nice chanter crafted by Martin Preshaw. I heard Patrick play the instrument twice in session this past weekend in Nashville. He played it brilliantly and it was in tune. The reed in the instrument was made by Michael O’Donovan so that the instrument would play in the climate of LA where the humidity can be dangerously low for pipes at times. I heard a Preshaw D chanter in Ireland in February and it sounded nice in sesssion. I know of another D chanter in the US wild wild West that I am not particularly enamored with, however. I have reasonably successfully reeded one Preshaw chanter that has never made its way back to me so I presume it is going fine. My “less than desirable” experiences relate to attempts to reed a Preshaw D chanter that I could not get in tune at a comfortable playing pressure and also a C chanter that led to much grief over the period of a week in attempt to reed the instrument. I had heard a recording of the latter instrument played in the Preshaw shop in Co. Down and it sounded fine. Mr. Preshaw was very helpful via e-mail in atempt to help me work out the problems with the reed. The adverse experiences may have indeed been related to my misunderstandings and other shortcomings with regards to the specifics of the reeds best suited to these two instruments. Nonetheless, these experiences were, as I’m sure most would agree, less than desirable.
With all that said, I must admit that I’m not sure that I could even reed my own K&Q D chanter! I haven’t had to do so in the 5 years I’ve owned the instrument. Sez a lot… doesn’t it? I did get close once, however… verrry close…and yet was so far away! I’ll endorse anything that K&Q hand craft and decide let out of the shop. But, who the hell am I to endorse anything???
My apologies to Misters Rogge, Childress, and Preshaw, and others, if my intent was not clear and thus interpreted to be adverse in any way. I certainly meant my post to reflect the fact that these makers instruments might be considered low cost alternatives to the PC.
Finally, I am now somewhat tired of my comments, based on my very own experiences and opinions, being misconstrued and misinterpreted by reactionary folks on this list who have no knowledge of me as a person and much less as a so-called intermediate level or experienced beginner level piper. I’ve had enough of the personal insults that have come my way, both direct and implied, in public and in private. I’ve had enough of the babble, much of which I’m guilty of propagating, and sometimes initiating, and now I leave it to the rest of you. After measuring the acceptance to this clarification post, I am going to bail from C&F, and take up my lovely pipes and play them instead of hanging with the rest of you on this list. May you all do well with regards to each and every aspect of your piping and your lives. See ya at tionols and the like.
