Taking up the bagpipes (Gibson or McCallum Chanter?)

**Kamilavalamp** · 1st November 15, 07:01 AM

I've decided upon taking up the bagpipes. I see two Long Practice Chanter bundles with extra reeds and the green book and everything. One is made by Gibson. The other is made by McCallum. Both are world renown for making good instruments.
Which one do I get?
Piper's Opinions Very Appreciated.

**SayBurr** · 1st November 15, 10:57 AM

Great question. I too would like the opinion of the rabble on this question. Thanks first asking and thanks in advance for the responses.

**Profane James** · 1st November 15, 11:39 AM

I'm a baby piper, if at all, but I will offer my only suggestion. Make sure the PC is the long type, with counter sunk holes. This makes the transition to the actual chanter easier. I'm sure the official pipers of the forum will chime in directly.

FWIW, I purchased my Dunbar chanter package (No.2 Practice Chanter Outfit) from this guy:

http://www.hotpipes.com/pract3.html

**Kamilavalamp** · 1st November 15, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Profane James

I'm a baby piper, if at all, but I will offer my only suggestion. Make sure the PC is the long type, with counter sunk holes. This makes the transition to the actual chanter easier. I'm sure the official pipers of the forum will chime in directly.

FWIW, I purchased my Dunbar chanter package (No.2 Practice Chanter Outfit) from this guy:

http://www.hotpipes.com/pract3.html

Yeah both of the sets I'm looking at are the long type. I'm heard it's easier to transition that way so they seem like the way to go. After I get good with the Chanter will I be able to transition straight to the Great Highland Bagpipes or will I have to get a set of small pipes in between?

**Profane James** · 1st November 15, 11:57 AM

I'll have to default to those who have made the transition already. I've only been on the PC for about a year, and sporadic at that. I'll say this, from all the reading and research I've done, it seems that the general consensus is the sooner the better. Also, do yourself a favor and invest in African Blackwood. Again, my opinion is only from research, not from experience - I'll let the professionals give it a go from here, which btw, I'm also interested to read!

**416 Rigby** · 1st November 15, 01:46 PM

They're both good. My PC is a Gibson standard length, and I like it. All Gibson PC'S have countersunk holes. I really think Blackwood should be reserved for later, when you're certain you're going to stick with it, since they're 4 times the cost of poly.

My pipes are McCallums, which I love.

The usual progression (at least for the students my teacher has) is PC, then on to the practice goose, then to GHB. The smallpipes are not part of the progression, they're a great instrument in and of themselves. The fingering is the same as GHB.

The goose is simply a bag with no drones (or just stocks corked off) on which you play your practice chanter, learning to manage blowing and squeezing. I went from my first lesson on the PC to the goose in 6 months, then after a few months of that on to the pipes with corks plugging 2 drones. After you start getting a handle on that, another drone is uncorked, and so on, until you've built up to running it all. Quite a workout in the beginning, hence the stepped plan.

It takes commitment, it's not an instrument one can just dabble in.

Listen to your teacher, and practice daily, even if it's only 15 minutes.

Cheers,

**Profane James** · 1st November 15, 02:08 PM

Right on...
To clarify, my ABW reference was regarding the pipes - my PC is also poly.

**KD Burke** · 1st November 15, 03:23 PM

Basically, it's a Ford vs. Chevy question. Either will serve your needs well.
A PC is not a performance instrument, so the emphasis is a good scale and a good "feel."

I've played both, either is good.

**Kamilavalamp** · 1st November 15, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by 416 Rigby

They're both good. My PC is a Gibson standard length, and I like it. All Gibson PC'S have countersunk holes. I really think Blackwood should be reserved for later, when you're certain you're going to stick with it, since they're 4 times the cost of poly.

My pipes are McCallums, which I love.

The usual progression (at least for the students my teacher has) is PC, then on to the practice goose, then to GHB. The smallpipes are not part of the progression, they're a great instrument in and of themselves. The fingering is the same as GHB.

The goose is simply a bag with no drones (or just stocks corked off) on which you play your practice chanter, learning to manage blowing and squeezing. I went from my first lesson on the PC to the goose in 6 months, then after a few months of that on to the pipes with corks plugging 2 drones. After you start getting a handle on that, another drone is uncorked, and so on, until you've built up to running it all. Quite a workout in the beginning, hence the stepped plan.

It takes commitment, it's not an instrument one can just dabble in.

Listen to your teacher, and practice daily, even if it's only 15 minutes.

Cheers,

Thanks for the advice. What do you think of delrin pipes? They seem to be popular, less prone to aging, and require less maintenance. How do they sound compared to Blackwood?

**pbutts** · 1st November 15, 05:23 PM

You will use your practice chanter practically everyday of your life so expect it to get banged up and the delrin poly can take it. I have a Dunbar but our band pipe chanters are MCCallums.

Everyone's experience on this instrument is different, so don't feel like you have to progress at a certain pace. It took me 20 some years to go from the practice chanter to really beginning to play the pipes.