If you had the chance to ask a pipemaker any question, what would it be? Maybe about their vision of the future of piping, or new technologies/designs, comments about the benefits of other makers’ innovations, and maybe views on the importance of former makers and players?.
Let me know. Your questions may very well be used for interviews and dialogue with the major pipe makers. If there is a specific maker you could forward a question to that’d be good too. You can post here or send me a private email.
Good one Uilliam…
I’m more concerned with “Can you guys actually make a living selling pipes at these prices?”
To answer Paul’s question…
I have no problem picking up the phone and calling a pipemaker if I have any specific questions. ALL of them have been more than helpful and answer questions to my satisfacion. Over the years I’ve e-mailed many pipemakers with questions. I’m sure it doesn’t come close to visiting a makers workshop or seeing them in person at a Tionol, that’s where the real information exchange lies, unfortunately I’m so married in my business that I’m forced to rely on UPS, internet and telephone as my links to the world.
Two weeks ago I was on the phone with Ian Mackenzie in Australia for 30+ minutes, mostly talking about reeds and how much more work he’s got on my full set. In our previous conversations we’ve talked about bore sizes, growing your own cane, wood stability, synthetic reeds, the high price of quality leather hide… the list goes on.
Earlier this week I talked to Davy Stephenson well over an hour. We covered the success of his student chanters, bore and chanter designs, websites, weather… you name it! I found he’s a very pleasant person to talk to.
Friday, I spoke to Bruce Childress about that awesome plumwood flat set he’s got for sale and he answered a few questions about the blackwood halfset he made for me. Not only is he a musicial instrument engineering wiz, he’s a very talented piper. I consider Bruce to be one of the most approachable pipemakers.
So, I guess I’m out of questions right now and I’m not looking to my next phone bill.
On second thought… my next round of questions might be on the line of: What’s your preffered metal to work with?
Brass, nickel, sterling silver, stainless steel… and what exactly is German silver?
Tony…the keys on my vintage set has what have always been referred to as “German silver,” or “white brass.” Your question caused me to look it up:
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001. German silver
-name for various alloys of copper, zinc, and nickel, sometimes also containing lead and tin. They were originally named for their silver-white color, but use of the term silver is now prohibited for alloys not containing that metal. German silver varies in composition, the percentage of the three elements ranging approximately as follows: copper, from 50% to 61.6%; zinc, from 19% to 17.2%; nickel, from 30% to 21.1%. The proportions are always specified in commercial alloys. German silver is extensively used because of its hardness, toughness, and resistance to corrosion for articles such as tableware (commonly silver plated), marine fittings, and plumbing fixtures. Because of its high electrical resistance it is used also in heating coils. It was discovered (early 19th cent.) by a German industrial chemist, E. A. Geitner
Question: Does the size and dimension of the chanter’s fingerholes need to be critically proportionate to the size and dimension of the bore or can you raise the pitch and/or volume by enlargening either seperately? How does this coordintate with the dimensions of the baritone regulator? And what about the reed…does it have to coordinate perfectly in size to the bore?
In 2001, I was lucky enough to pay a visit to Bruce at his home/shop in Mass. He is indeed a lovely man, though now that I’m more understanding of what goes into a set I’d choose to ask different questions.
He played for me for about 15-20 minutes on his own full set, and then as if I wasn’t sitting there with a stupid expression on my face, and drool on my chin, he puts ME in his chair, and straps me in!
Well, I sounded horrid then (much like now!) but to be allowed to play a makers very own and very personal set was amazing.
Bruce still makes sets that I feel are a bit loud for my own tastes, but as far as tone, and quality of workmanship, they are still VERY nice - some of the best the US has to offer I would think.
If any of you EVER have a chance to meet a maker and see their shop I would heartily recommend doing so!
That was a good one Uilliam - thanks I will be meeting many players and makers over the next decade for a fairly specific body of work. I will be interviewing them and photographing them in their environments, and I would like to get a general set of questions for them so we can compare characteristics and methodology between them. Also, specific questions - ones you’d love to ask but you may never, so I’ll ask for you. It will be a significant artistic endeavour that will probably never make me any money (oh well), but will stand as a testament to the new renaissance of uilleann piping through the eyes of important makers and players.
The goal is to take large format (4x5") black and white environmental portraits of a lengthy list of people, the end result being a gallery with very large prints and multimedia touch screens. As you can see, it’s a very ambitious project that I’ve given myself, and I’m certain it will take many years to complete.
Tomorrow I start the journey. I’m driving 9 hours to see Seth Gallagher, who has very graciously allowed me to use him as my test. So, there you are. Wish me luck.
