Taking up the bagpipes (Gibson or McCallum Chanter?)

**Kamilavalamp** · 3rd November 15, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by HighlandPark

First practice chanters. I play a Dunbar but Gibson and McCallum are also great. If I was to purchase another, I would choose to Gibson; I think that the sound is a little more musical due to Gibson using a different bore design. The Gibson may be a little heavier, too. BTW, I play McCallum and Gibson pipes.

Re your delrin pipes question, I also play delrin Dunbar pipes. These days I usually use my Dunbars for travelling. But I like them a lot. Delrin (poly) and acetyl (another type of plastic) vs. wood is a cat with a long tail. There is much misinformation on these plastic pipes out there. However, if you look at the facts, poly pipes are great, IMHO. For an in depth comparison of poly vs. wood bagpipes, please see the articles on my webpage, Bagpipe Ecology.

Have fun with it.

Thanks those articles are very helpful.

**Mike S** · 3rd November 15, 01:54 PM

Both are good choices, however I prefer the Gibson long practice chanter, especially in delrin (polypenco) for the budding piper.. Getting used to the spacing on the long chanter is a big help for when you transition to the pipes.

**Kamilavalamp** · 3rd November 15, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Mike S

Both are good choices, however I prefer the Gibson long practice chanter, especially in delrin (polypenco) for the budding piper.. Getting used to the spacing on the long chanter is a big help for when you transition to the pipes.

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the advice, I'm leaning a lot more towards the Gibson after hearing everyone's advice. XMarks really is a great place.

**Kamilavalamp** · 3rd November 15, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Kamilavalamp

Try the 5-String Openback Banjo and play clawhammer style,
That was my first instrument and I didn't have the patience to learn songs note by note so I learned clawhammer, You just learn some chords and then bang out the tunes using your manual dexterity and judgement to make em sound right. You can also play Irish tunes on it as well if you tune the 2nd string to a C.
Here's a video of me playing at a party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLMXRSoL2ug

What does everyone think of my playin? lol

**Mike S** · 3rd November 15, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by Kamilavalamp

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the advice, I'm leaning a lot more towards the Gibson after hearing everyone's advice. XMarks really is a great place.

You are quite welcome. Anyone involved in piping, or who has aspirations to do so, should definitely check out the Bob Dunsire Bagpipe Forum as well:
http://forums.bobdunsire.com

**Profane James** · 3rd November 15, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Mike S

You are quite welcome. Anyone involved in piping, or who has aspirations to do so, should definitely check out the Bob Dunsire Bagpipe Forum as well:
http://forums.bobdunsire.com

I'll second this!

**Dughlas mor** · 3rd November 15, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Kamilavalamp

What does everyone think of my playin? lol

Well, I wouldn`t put you in the same league as Earl Scruggs or Bela Fleck, but I certainly like your style!

**TRWXXA** · 3rd November 15, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Kamilavalamp

What does everyone think of my playin? lol

It's a style I could get into. Kind of "rhythm banjo", isn't it?

**Kamilavalamp** · 3rd November 15, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by TRWXXA

It's a style I could get into. Kind of "rhythm banjo", isn't it?

Yeah clawhammer style with some up-picking.

**OC Richard** · 5th November 15, 06:48 AM

This year makes 40 years piping for me! So I've owned or at least played just about everything out there.

I should point out that the Gibson Long Practice Chanters I have (two of them) are a different animal than traditional PCs.

Traditional PCs, still made by Dunbar, Naill, McCallum, and pretty much every other pipemaker, have a very narrow bore, a long narrow reed, high backpressure/resistance/impedance, and the typical somewhat Kazoo-like tone.

My theory is that the high backpressure (oddly high considering how little volume is produced) of traditional PCs is purposeful, to build up the lip strength of the tyro.

In "the old days" PCs were all the same, pretty much, and had a short bottom, with the note Low G emitting from the open end. Nowadays "long" or "fullsize" PCs are very popular, with an extended end, and side vent-holes from which the note Low G emits. These have the advantage that you can rest the bottom on your leg without stopping the sound.

Gibson Long PCs are different, having a short fat reed, lower backpressure, and a tone more like a Smallpipe chanter. I think they're more musical-sounding.

Note that the same PC can give a wide variety of backpressures, volumes, timbres, pitches, and scales depending on the reed. If your PC has an out-of-tune scale, you can probably remedy it by trying several different brands of reeds. Each chanter, and each reed, is a law unto itself.

I have two McCallum Long PCs and the reeds that came with them are sh!te. I've found that Walsh PC reeds work much better, giving a more in-tune scale etc.

It's really annoying if your PC is playing at a different pitch than your teacher's, or in a band situation if everyone's PCs are at different pitches. This is something to consider.

It's really a Golden Age for learning the pipes now, because you can hear all the world's best solo pipers and pipe bands on YouTube, and can get Sype lessons with any teacher anywhere on Earth.

Good luck!!

PS here's yours truly playing two ordinary Gibson Long PCs with Gibson reeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4lw8-3Jf9w