Precise Measurements of our Pakistani Uilleann Pipes

Uilleann Pipes
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Thanks to all for the many comments we recieved on this forum and in private mail to help us sort out the difficult issues in getting the Paksitani pipes into working order. Hopefully down the road, we will get more enjoyment than just looking at them hang on a wall as decoration by correcting some of the inherent problems.

Now for the interesting news! Here’s a gang of pictures with all the precise measurements of a full set of Pakistani Uilleann Pipes. Used a ruler and a micrometer to the thousands of an inch on various components, bore diameters, reed size, etc.

Go to: http://homepage.mac.com/burtchaell/PhotoAlbum10.html

Hope it provides for your enjoyment!

Special thanks to all that have offered materials and tips as to reed sizing and making. Tim Britten has been a great source of encouragement and we appreciate his time in assisting us sort out options that may result in a playing instrument. There have been many helpful/enlightning comments and we are grateful to all that replied.

Mugs Burtchaell

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Very informative set of images.

Why don’t you follow David Daye’s technique, and measure the bore taper profiles of the chanter and regulators, and post that data too?

http://polarmet.mps.ohio-state.edu/~bdaye/makepipe/chntcopy.html

An acronym comes to mind to describe the set you have there: UPSO (for Uilleann Pipes-Shaped Object). :slight_smile:

I hope you’re able to get your pipes working well eventually!

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How much on adverage would you pay for a full set of Pakistani pipes

RORY

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Full sets from OtherWorlds are generally offered for sale on eBay from between US$1,200 and US$1,600.

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Is there anything useful and/or ‘salvageable’ from one of these sets maybe that could be used on another part set?

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I’ve heard tell that the drones work fine, once the reeds have been replaced and some of the joins have been tightened up.

On the Clips and Snips tune archive, there are a few pieces recorded by Joseph E Smith using Pakistani Drones. Sounds fine to me.

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The drones seem to be OK and produce a steady solid tone… but when you think about it, what are drones but tubes? They do not have a conical bore to worry about, although, if the bore of the drones are of the wrong size, they may not be in tune with any given chanter…FWIW..

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The joints just need proper hemping like any other drones and a set of reeds. The ones that come with are pretty crappy but, hey, drone reeds are easy, right?

The bag and bellows, from what I hear, can vary. I seasoned both once, and 2 1/2 years later, they’re still going strong. Mainstock is just fine, but depending on the set, the drone switch can be pretty ugly (but replaced easily).

I have no experience with the regs, but hear that they’re by far the weakest part (leaky pads, weak springs, uneven keys, not to mention bores and hole placement)

I can only speak for my own chanter. Given my limited abilities, I can say that I have gotten my money’s worth from it. It was worked on by Mr. Britton (re-bored, scalloped, reeded, tuned). Before this work, I can’t say too much, as it came with those ridiculous plastic reeds and was entirely unplayable. I don’t have any idea how it would’ve behaved with a proper reed. With Tim’s reeds (and a reed made, chanter sight-unseen by our esteemed moderator) it plays well in both octaves. It needs a bit of tape on the back D hole and no rushing. I have yet to hear a pro play it, but Tim thought it to be a decent stick when he got through with it. What I do know is that in my hands it performed similarly as 2 other “real” chanters I have been able to try.

After Tim’s costs, the chanter still came out about $200 less than most of the “cheaper” makers chanters (although there are some newer low-cost alternatives now that bring that margin down.)

In conclusion, I’d say that a real maker’s set will always be more desirable, but in a pinch, these sets (at least most parts) can be made to work reasonably well at a low cost.

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If a chanter is that far out that you can’t adjust the drone reeds to compensate, I think one has bigger problems. :boggle:

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I also have a full set but a “real” chanter. The drones are fine and the regs are close but need some reedwork and a bit more tuning. I have them close but not quite. The keywork on the regs is pretty lousy. The person I got the set from had done a lot of work getting things airtight so that helped.

And for all those Pakistani set owners, feel free to use my Lucky Ganesh logo on your set.

-Patrick