Just a heads up that Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín O’Raghallaigh play a couple of sets on this weeks Céilí House available on RTE’s Radio 1 website. The piping begins about 40 minutes in:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/weekend/ceilihouse/
And for the ladies, Mick even mentions his delrin head 
Slán,
Patrick.
Thanks for that Patrick. Those guys sound great together. Mick plays B pipes along with a low tuned fiddle played by Caoimhín…Woman of the House and Rolling in the Ryegrass, two good pipe tunes. The concert was recorded at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Center, and Caoimhín says he’s starting to apprentice as a pipe maker, copying a Coyne C# set like the master’s own set.
Mick really wails on that “bakelite/delrin” plastic B whislte too, on the next set of reels.
That set has been completed and has been very favorably received. Great start for hopefully a long pipemaking career!
Word is from piper Morten Holm in Copenhagen that Mick O’Brien and Caoimhín O’Raghallaigh are coming over to do a concert and piping workshop on March the 20-21. Hopefully there’ll be a session too
Check out Caoimhín’s first solo fiddle CD if possible. Peter Laban has written about Caoimhín’s first set. Does Caoimhín play the set himself or has it been sold?
Hi Jim,
Actually this is another set. Caoimhín made his first set with Geoff last year in C. This next project is in C#.
Patrick.
I’ve been listening to that first medley–the Woman of the House Rolling in the Reygrass over and over on my CD player (Kitty Lie Over hasn’t arrived here yet), and I’ve come to really appreciate the fiddle tuned down to B and playing with the pipes and whistle. You can just feel the tension taken out of the fiddle strings.
Anyway, I think I’d set these D pipes aside if I could get a sound like Mick and Caoimhín. They don’t really need any other instruments. The sound is sweet and complete, unaccompanied, and makes the listener appreciate the tune for what it’s worth. I really think they’ve done something special. I’m a good mind to just stop playing these Ds and solicate a good B piper to team up with…I’ll just play fiddle (shrug).
Lorenzo - I love that set on the CD - Woman of the House and Rolling in the Ryegrass. Mick’s regulator work is really tasty, and Caoimhin’s double stops only add to the effect. So warm and musical.
Why not get yourself a good B set and find a cooperative fiddler? That might be easier…
Oh, you know I had one, that 3/4 K/Q B set, but I hadn’t been under the influence yet, or converted enough by listening and letting the low/slow piping of Mick O’ and Brian McNa reach me. And, I thought the Ds were suited more for my band, playing in standard pitch. It never occured to me that a fiddler would be happy playing the instrument tuned down (I know our fiddler wouldn’t).
Yesterday, I took one of my two fiddles and tuned it down to C (one step) to see how it handled. The rolls lose a certain snap because of the lack of tension, and the tone becomes a little hollow becasue of less pressure on the sound post, but really, I found it pleasing, and found a new use for the second fiddle.
I hear you and am listening. I’m all ears now. The more you study and listen…the less you know, or think you know. You warned me before about selling them. One of the reasons why I think even good sets of used D pipes are not snapped up right away, nowdays, is because pipers are sorting this all out, honing in on what most desireable, and the wannabee pipers are listening, looking for the right direction too, before spending, investing thousands.
Looking back, I honestly can say “I was wrong.” 
I wonder if C pipes would have the same effect on me.
No harm in it. You may want to give Brad Angus a holler, he’s a few hours away. Or give poor foxale a buzz, too, he has a family medical emergency and needs to unload an Angus B full set. Damned shame, really, I hope it’s not necessary for him to do it. But you could give it a good home if it comes to that.
Actually the B’s are ideal for playing in a band especially with gee-tar. The G on the B’s is E so the gee-tar players can play along very easily.
Patrick.
just had a listen and mmmm-mmmm that is tasty stuff! I gess I’ll have to pick up their album. I am also a big fan of pipes and fiddle in B. The Whirlwind, by Paddy Glackin and Robbie Hannan is a nice one, and Peter O’Loughlin and Ronan Browne’s album “touch me if you dare” is another great one with a lot of stuff in B.
Anybody selling a chanter in B?
jordan
…and if that doesn’t work, you can tell him about a nifty invention called a capo! 
If you’re into that of course
PD.
Oh God.. I’ve resorted to quoting myself…
When I still had my B pipes, my friend use to capo up one fret on the mandocello. It worked for a couple or three different keys.
Re. foxale’s Angus B pipes, I remember when he bought those on eBay. With todays exchange rates, 4000 GBP = 7300 USD. I want Sturob’s set.
Well Patrick…it was after midnight GMT. So… we’ll forgive you.
Interested parties in the British Isles should go to poor ol’ foxale themselves - he’s already ate the import duties for the set, which were quite horrible. His ultimate selling price doesn’t include these, it looks like.
Give the Bradster a ding, Lorenz. He’ll build you whatever you want, as long as it’s not too ridiculous (those are for me!). Good luck ever prying a Wooff set out from anyone.
Yeah, I fear the only way I will ever own a Wooff set is by prying it out of someone’s cold, dead fingers.
But, Pat, you don’t need one! You own that fabulous Koehler and Quinn B set! What more is there to want?
Of course, most people who drive a Ferrari also want a Lamborghini…right? 
Kevin, can’t make out your newest avatar. Kinda looks like a bird’s eye view of a stuffed ferret, but I could be wrong …
djm
Guilty as charged, I’m afraid. I admire Geoff’s attention to detail, all the little cosmetic touches. And the sound, which is impressive. My narrow B K&Q’s sound compares well to the Wooff B, at least that’s the impression I carried away from playing with PD at the Southern Cal tionol. It’s similar with some subtle differences, mostly the drones; the Woof middle drone was slightly quieter than the K&Q (this is most likely because I am using brass and spruce composite drone reeds - I hate reed drama and will sacrifice a little tone for greater reliability as long as it’s only a minor tradeoff). The chanters have similar tone, the same excellent manners and the same nice tuning. I think mine tends to growl on the bottom hand notes a bit more, but that could be because of the reed (and most likely is). Fine with me, I like that sound, especially the growling low e played off the leg. Neither one is very loud, but they’re loud enough. The regs compared well, I thought. Nice, shimmering sound that mellows and deepens in the lower rows. Keywork looked nice and solid on both sets. Woodworking was outstanding. The mammoth ivory pieces that Geoff likes to use are utterly gorgeous.
I’ll have to make some cane drone reeds for my B sometime, just for giggles.
Edited to include the fact that both the K&Q B and PD’s Wooff B are based on instruments by Maurice Coyne. Whether they’re based on the same Coyne instrument I do not know.
That last tune on Kitty Lie Over is called Mullin’s Fancy. I recall feeling that tune somewhere before. That’s one HELL of a tune. I’ve got to learn that one for St. Patrick’s Day, and teach it to the fiddler.