who's pipes?

Uilleann Pipes
1

Hi All

Can anyone identify the maker of this set of pipes? A poster suggests a Williams set. Also, can someone describe how the double bass regulator is attached/air fed/reeded? It looks like it’s attached to the bass reg via a couple of pipes. Really nice looking set.

Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n9VVZS6TLY

2

It’s a Froment C set. Mick plays Froment sets in B and Bb now. I’ll leave it to someone else to explain the mechanics of the reg setup…Kevin, where are you?

3

alain froment

4

It’s an early Alain Froment set.

Tommy

5

That’s a very young looking Mick O’Brien

6

7

It is a C nat set made by Alain Froment. It was made in 1985 and was originally his own personal set, so noone elses name is inscribed as would be typical of his sets. It was made with the double base reg, but it can be easily played without it as there is an original cap to plug the double base if the reg is removed. The set is quite heavy, and has some finer work on the reg and chanter keys than is typical, and celtic scroll wood inlay on the bellows. The low key on the double base is interesting as it has a reverse spring sction, clearly Alain’s engineering skill was at work in creating it. Alain lent the set out regularly for periods of 6 months or more at a time. Clearly Mick was one beneficiary as the television program and through my own chats with him I have learned. But others have confirmed with me as well, such as Paddy Keenan. The set is also pictured on Pat’s uilleann obsession site, where Tom Kearny is playing it. It was also the set that was in a blue background along the left side of the former Dublin Na Piobairi Uilleann webb site (the new site has a picture of a Coyne set I think).

Neil

8

The double bass uses a Taylor-style wrap around, which, just like the bass reg, is connected to the stock which is where the air supply is fed. The bass and double bass are attached to the stock via the same stock plate-it just curves further around and has two wholes rather than just one of course. The base and double base have two connections, viewable from the front, but they are just for strength and stability of both. The bass and DB run parallel, with the bass extending straight out as is typical and the DB wrapping around about 2/3s the way up and behind the base and DB underneath out of sight.