Hey folks.

Has anyone experienced their border pipes taking excessive air to keep steady? I got a set from Fred Morrison last month that I really have to flap away to keep going. I've checked for leaks and found none. The chanter itself takes a decent amount of air, but when I kick in the drones it's like trying to keep a siv full.

The sound is fantastic so I haven't messed with the reeds much... but is it normal for border pipes to take so much air? On the small pipes I can get through nearly a whole tune with just a couple pumps of the bellows. Border pipes, barely a bar.

Would a larger bellows be helpful? I've heard from some folks that my bellows (also freds, but came with the smallpipes) is a bit on the smaller side.

Any thoughts?

They take more air than smallpipes, but leaking like a sieve? No, that's not normal. Plug everything up (drones, chanter stock), check for leaks.