Sorbus torminalis (image, another image) is a timber quite popular for all sorts of bagpipes, especially french ones. It looks like it could be a nice substitute for aged boxwood.
Does anybody know if it has been used for uilleann pipes so far? If yes, how’s it like?
Best,
Gabriel
Steffen, Mick, Thies or anybody,
do you by chance know the German name for this wood? Might this be Elsbeere?
Yep, it’s Elsbeere. Was also known as Schweizer Birnbaum (Swiss Pear) for some time even though there’s nothing peary at it. 
Guten Tag Mein Herren !
Thanks for the German names for this wood !
The “wiki” article ALMOST says it all !
Here’s some more names for you:
Bois de Cormier, Sorb-Apple, and just “Service” Wood.
There’s a lot of these “non-native” trees growing in West Virgina,
according to my “Irish” Flute making friend, John Gallagher.
(John lives in Elkins, WV).
Were these trees planted in North America,by English colonists ?
(I think so, and it probably had to do with Beer making, HuH?)
In the past, I was told that it is a member of the Apple family,
and that the very small fruit is in-editable,
(well now I know the truth about all that).
These trees do grow in marginal soils and / or in areas that are wild,
or have not been cultivated, for many years, so how does the
“Service” part of the name apply ?
Is it the tree’s use in hedgerows ?
Is it now considered a “cull” (non-commercial) wood, in these
retrograde “modern” times ?
As it grows in nearby England, does it grow in Ireland, and if so,
are there historic examples of Irish Pipes made from it?
I do think it is a good Pipe making Wood, and in 1994, I requested a
Grand Bourbonais Chanter made with this wood, (by Bernard Blanc).
I was worried that the extremes of weather in the USA, would WARP
a Chanter made from Boxwood (which was the other choice)
into the shape of a BANANA.
Now 13 years later, I can’t detect any change in the chanter,
no checks, & no warping (a knock on wood, for luck, HERE).
Sorb Apple is harder than Pear, but less brittle than other types of
Apple Wood, in my opinion.
I’d love to read more info about this wood, from all you “Pipe-Sages”
on this forum.
Thanks again Gabriel and Hans-Joerg !
Sean “woody” Folsom
Sean,
I see your are still alive. Hope you are well and the bagpipe disease is under control.
So am I retired and living in the Mountains of North Carolina. I finally have my workshop up and going. If you know anyone that wants a practice set, one of my famous budget sets or fly out to do a workshop, please give me a plug.
Drop me a line at .. plsky@intrex.net
All the best,
Pat Sky
“Service” looks like a corruption of “Sorbus”, to me. There’s also the seviceberry, but that’s Amelanchier spp.
…but you probably already had that figured out, and I’m just short on humor today. Sigh. 
At least that tree once got me 20 bottles of beer! It was during a field trip to the nature reserve “Hörselberge” in the federal state of Thüringen in Germany, when my professor of geobottany promised to pay for a round for the first student who finds one of the very rare natural hybrids of Sorbus torminalis and Sorbus aria…
Cheers,
Philipp
Rowan, a native of Ireland, is sorbus aucuparia. It was a very important wood in ancient Irish myth and tradition.
I am currently looking to source some Rowan for pipemaking experiments. It has lovely red berries too!
If anyone in Ireland has access to suitable Rowan, please PM me. Thanks!
best regards,
Bill
Hello again… Fellow Pipers !
That’s great information Bill !
I had no idea that “Service” wood had any relationship to Rowan Wood !
As for it’s place in the mythology of Ireland…Boy and HOW !
Mythic… as all get out !
I also have to add that my Bernard Blanc Chanter (in Bois de Cormier),
is in a 20 “POUCE” ** length… or, 21 and 1/4 inches, in Ye Olde English
measure. Which is slightly longer than needed, for even
the Low Bb kind of Irish Chanters (at 17 1/2" length).
My French Chanter has been stable, out to this larger dimension,
larger than most Irish Sizes…(except the Hunter LOW “G” Chanters ?),
for these last 13 (going on 14) YEARS.
SO, as it is good wood for the Pipes of France…
it would be Good… for those Wooden Pipes of Ireland !
Woodward-ly Yours,
Long Chanter-ed… Sean Folsom
(** 1 Pouce is 1 and 1/16th inches, which is
supposed to be the ordinary WIDTH of a “Pouce d’homme”…
a Man’s Thumb…which I found out, is exactly the width of
my Thumb… when measured on a ruler !).
I seem to have hit the submit key twice,
so I came back and erased the repeated text !
I’m gratified that so many members
followed up on this subject !
Sean Folsom
Regarding Service wood, if it’s the same tree as we have here in England, it’s the wild service tree. Regarding the name, apocryphal tales suggest that it was grown in church yards as a charitable act, the fruit being very sweet and being harvested by the poor in lieu of expensive sugar. In terms of use in musical instruments, it is the preferred material for harpsichord bridges.
I probably will have Mr. Rogge make a B chanter from that wood. And let you know then. In two years.
Or plumwood? Still to be decided…
Cormier, a favourite wood for french bagpipes, is Sorbus domestica, a closely related species. Both domestica and torminalis are called service wood in English. The German name is Speierling. It is not related to the apple tree, but the fruit has been (and still is) used (in very small quantities) to preserve apple wine (not to be confused with cider) and has lent its name to it. Due to this fact, this tree is being cultured in the area of Frankfurt, whereas it has nearly vanished in the rest of Germany.
Elsbeere (S. torminalis), although being called Swiss pear tree, is not related to pear tree, either, only the wood looks very much the same. I will be making a renaissance bagpipe from this wood very shortly, so far I can only say that it turns very nicely.
I know that rowan has been used for Uilleann pipes in the past, but I’ve never seen or heard an instrument made from it.
Tach Gabriel,
don’t know about Elsbeer- Uilleanns, but i have played a Dudey and
a Hummelchen (smal Renaissance Pipes) for Years. Very nice looking
Wood and extreme, hmm, “stimmstabil” (don’t know the english Word.)
Played it outdors in the Summer at 42° and on Christkindlmarkt at -4°
without any Problem.
And for some Years i played a Cornemuse Du Berry with Elbeer Drones.
Nice Sound and very stable too.
Last week i receifed the Elsbeer Wood for a new Halfset, but this will take
some time to be finisht (some Years)
Gruß
Thomas
Dear Thomas (von Paderborn),
It’s easy to translate…
“Stimmstabil” would be "Stable Voiced"in English.
I think this phrase could imply that the wood grain
in the Bore didn’t open-up after boring and reaming.
The “FUZZ” that “rises up” in other, "light"woods,
can DROP the Pitch of the “Experimental Chanter”
by a half-step…say D to C#, A to Ab, etc.
This is something that I have experienced, many times
over the years, and merely “Oiling the Bore”
would only improve the Chanter Bore for 24 hours or less !
Regards
Sean Folsom
Hello all,
You can supply wild service wood squares on below link.
www.octopus.com.tr/store
Thanks.
Muzaffer
Not to contradict anyone, but could it be that Thomas meant “stable tuning,” and not “stable voice?” The verb stimmen in German means to tune…as in, “Vood you please stimm your guitar, you are zerstoring our Musiks!”
Rob
Ich stimmt ! (I agree / I voice it… with you)
Herr Sharer !
How-some-ever, besides the VERB :
“STIMME” = VOICE (the noun) in English,
BUT HEY ! I don’t …Deutch… gesprachen !
I just “Hung-Out” in Heilbronn am Neckar, and Stuttgart,
in Swaben, with a good side trip all the way to Wein (Vienna)
along time ago. (I loved that youth hostel at Puckersdorff !).
Deine Freund,
JoHann der Dudelsackpfeifer !
PS. Great site there, Muzaffer Effenden !
Why for …did you call it …“OCTOPUS” ?
S.F.
Dear Sean Folsom,
You asked us that why octopus?
I can say you why?
Octopus = octo + pus
octo = 8
pus = arm
We are 8 family person. That is all.
Thanks your inquiry.
