Forgive an ignorant whistler. But I’ve always wondered at the round, ivory-looking thing on the lowest drone, I think after the pipe curves back up…
Thanks.
The long pipe to which you are referring is the bass drone. The round ivory-looking thing is a sound box that adds some resonance, although some would debate its usefulness. It does make tuning the bass drone a bit easier for pipers with short arms.
Bloomfield… it’s a hockey puck!
Sometimes the resonators are all metal with ‘U’ tube:
http://www.bcpipes.com/1set12.jpg
Metal and natural materials:
http://www.bagpipeworks.com/DSCN1723.JPG
‘U’ tube with trumpet end:
http://www.bagpipeworks.com/DSCN1504.JPG
‘H’ bottom with resonator
http://www.concentric.net/~pdarcy/photos/wcss2000_9.jpg
And… the straight end:
http://www.users.bigpond.com/cjhardiman/Simack%20.JPG
So let’s have the discussion then on the resonator, the various types, and why or why not the more experienced pipers feel they are useful.
My preferences would run to a stronger sound out on mine, and it is the one weakness in the Sloan set I am currently using. I was thinking of adding some kind of resonator. In’s and Out’s?
Those of you with much trial and error experience, would you mind sharing with those of us without?
Mick,
Before you consider physical changes, have someone play your pipes and stand 7-10 feet away… are the drones balanced with the chanter?
Often, the base drone pointing away seems too quiet to the piper, but it’s not to the audience.
Try taking a single layer of construction paper (cardboard) and making a curved baffle or funnel shape to direct the sound elsewhere… just for a test, tape it to the drone. Keep it far enough from the opening so it only deflects sound and doesn’t affect the pitch.
Thanks for the info, all! I enjoyed the pictures, and I like the little trumpet-shaped ones. 
The oldest form is just a slice of ivory with a hole drilled through, they became big metal reonating boxes [they often have so much turbulence inside them it is very hard to fit a donereed with some stabitlity in the bass,big is not necessatily better. Some of the Rowsomes have fierce big oxes on them and some pipers have been know to stuff contraband of the smokable variety in it when travelling abroad buyt I digress here, suffice to say I have a straight ended bass drone without any box so it wasn’t me]
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I think the drone design has a lot more effect on the characteristic sound of the drone.
I have a shuttle-style drone made by David Quinn ca 1980 with a metal soundbox; has a nice “croak” to it for a concert set. I think the resonator produces a slightly less buzzy sound, but the effect is subtle at best.
Some of the Rowsomes have fierce big oxes on them and some pipers have been know to stuff contraband of the smokable variety in it when travelling abroad …
– Peter Laban
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Hee hee hee… good one Peter! I’m reminded of the skit from years ago Saturday night live, where a shopkeeper, trying to sell ANYTHING to prospective customers, would describe various and sundry articles but always ended with, “And you keep your weed in here.”