I’m sure everybody is aware of the air of “mystery” surounding Davie Spillane’s pipes, but maybe we will be able to get to the bottom of it. If anybody bids on or buys these pipes, please let us know, because I know alot of people are curious about Davie’s pipes http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16226&item=7307663369&rd=1
ebay item # 7307663369
There’s another post about this item.
Bump
This eBay auction ended with the sale of a DS practice set for US$550.
Given the debate about DS’s low whistles on the whistle forum, I’d be curious to read a review of DS’s pipes, perhaps the buyer of this practice set, if he’s a member of the forum.
Nothing personal guys but I’m getting just a little annoyed about the constant speculation about DS and his instruments. I bear him no ill will, I think he’s a fine piper and gifted musician, and I don’t begrudge him making a living from piping, God knows I wish I could.
The gist of my annoyance is that there’s no mystery about Davey’s pipes, all right? He made his own pipes under the guidance of the late Johnny Bourke of Bray, Co. Wicklow, an excellent pipemaker gone before his time. When they’re going well, Bourke’s pipes can be terrific with the right operator at the controls.
The sound you hear on DS recordings is a combination of Davey’s lifelong accumulation of skill as a piper, Bourke’s pipemaking knowledge, Davey’s reedmaking expertise, Davey’s microphone setup at the time of the recording, and, most of the time, a dose of compression and reverb (aka “studio magic”).
No set of pipes sounds like that in person, not even Davey’s own personal set with DS himself at the controls.
You’re going to be playing acoustically 99.999999999999999% of the time, so make your decisions about buying instruments based on what you hear in person with your own ears, and not because of some fancy studio recording, or on the strength of an endorsement posted on an internet forum by someone who may know nothing about pipes.
Edited several times before posting to remove all of the cussing.
Pat,
DS’s playing is one of the main reasons I took up playing the instrument. I’m aware he made his own set but until recently I didn’t realise he made pipes for anyone else (granted, only the chanter of the set mentioned above seems to be made by DS).
I’m considering ordering a chanter from his workshop. However, before I do, I’d like to hear some points of view.
One person’s perception of a chanter may not gel with your own reaction when you actually hear someone play the stick in question.
edited to include: why not take some time to visit his shop, perhaps in the offseason when things are less expensive?
Of no consequence to the quality of his pipes, but thought I’d just mention that back in 1989 when I was beginning my search for pipes, I noticed the note on the back of the sleeve of ‘Shadow Hunter’ stating that “Davey plays Concert D 100 pipes of his own manufacture. Enquires about the purchase of Concert D 100 pipes can be made by writing to (record company name)…” or something to that effect.
I posted off a letter of enquiry and was over the moon when not more than three weeks later I received a typed letter (done on a real type writer 
)signed by Davey himself providing me with comprehensive information regarding his pipes.
On top of that, he stated that he’d be happy to make me a set, although I might like to look for a more local maker. I corresponded with him on two more occassions and only the third reply was delayed which he appologised for on account of him being away on tour. That was the note stating that he was pleased that I had found a maker in my own town from whom I could get a set and he wished me all the best in my new piping adventure.
So all in all a top bloke.
Cheers,
DavidG
Why?
Probably for to play music on.
I’m also hopelessly nostalgic. DS’s piping got me interested in the instrument.
I’ll throw in some input here.
I knew a professional musician in the UK befor I migrated to Australia (Dirk Campbell) who plays a Spillane chanter. He has managed to get that Spillane sound in the studio (beautiful haunting stuff), but I have a tape that he recorded for a friend in 1993 to allow for learning tunes by ear where the chanter has a very different sound (that acoustic sound referred to by Pat). It didn’t have that haunting sound, but still sounded bloody good!
You only have to listen to someone playing your own chanter as you sit in front of it as opposed to behind it as you do when playing it yourself to realise just how different a chanter can sound even live in the same room, let alone after studios have had their way with the sound.
Here´s an example of Spillane´s work. The chanter is a Rogge
Those drones look identical to my Eugene Lambe drones. Almost.
They’re nice looking drones.
ojvoj,
Nice looking set. How does it sound? Any chance of hearing a clip of you playing this set?
Also, did you just order the drones, bag and bellows or do you/did you have a Spillane chanter?
Hello PJ,
It was made as a half set with chanter in 1997.
I sold the chanter because I dident like the sound.
The drones work fine and the Rogge-chanter is a beauty.
A sound-clip will come up soon
Pär