hi guys the new mp chanter that i got plays like a dream, i was really surprised at the reduced air pressure i need to make it play its a real dream, spoke to martin the other night, looks like he is putting down the pipe making for a while - needs a break & is moving, shame really.
albert
Thats bad news for sure !!! .Have you any more on the situation ,like how long a break or where he,s moving to ,etc .
RORY
hi rory,
to be honest he sounded a bit flat & tired & i think he is takinga long break, his own words where " i just want to get a away from pipe making for a while, he has just bought a smallholding & i think he wants to work on that & have a quality of life upgrade most of the things he enjoys appear to need more - correction he wants more time, his bike his dogs etc, i know where he is coming from on that one
for what its worth, he was going to give up pipemaking after he made my chanter delivered 17 months ago as a bd present from my wife. like you say, it is an ideal chanter. he sounded tired of it all then. i think that he is feeling the real frustration of doing what he does in a fairly competitive and not very kind environemnt. he really does not get the credit he deserves. i think he will be available for a long time for those who want his work, since he is fairly young and its in his bones.
meir
I had heard that he was sick of working in the shop by himself all the time. The new smallhold should keep him busy. Fair play to him. I have never heard anything bad about his stuff, and as he is young, he can always come back to it later if he chooses.
djm
I just got a note from Martin saying that while he has just bought a small farm in Fermanagh the he is definitely NOT quitting. He told me that he is slowing down and intends to stop taking orders at the end of the new year but only because he has a mountain of pipework to get through and wants to clear his order books. Seems to be a different point of view than what is being presented here in this forum…?
Rob
Oh sure, Rob. Go ahead and spoil the rumour mill.
You’re no fun any more. 
djm
Since everyone else was doing it, and I was feeling a bit left out, I went out and got myself a Preshaw chanter, in plumwood, quick turnaround. This is beginning to sound a bit like a revivalist meeting with everyone lining up to give glowing testimony, but it’s all true.
It is a truly beautiful piece of craftmanship, but the sound is just special. I’m not much of a piper, I’ve struggled on a dodgy set for years, but inside a fortnight my playing has just leapt ahead. This is a whole new ball game. So there you go folks…highly recommended. And a thoroughly nice guy to deal with…
It,s amazing the amount of one off poster come on this forum to sing the praise,s of preshaw chanters and are never heard of again !!
They must be too busy playing their preshaw chanters
RORY
You’re just bitchin’ because you have to pick up the ‘fun’ slack. 