Chiff and Fipple Forums

Anyone looking for a decent set of pipes? I recently purchased a used (but unplayed) Gibson R-110-A set as an experiment, having fallen in love with the smallpipes, and found that the big (and LOUD) ones are not my "cup of tea". I'm looking for $1050 with shipping included to the CONUS. They come with a case, some pipe hemp, practice chanter, two chanter reeds (one new), and a new set of drone reeds (plus an older tenor reed). Feel free to PM me for pictures or questions.

I might be interested in a trade for a nice flute...

I hope you get a buyer, Gibsons are good pipes.

When I've had the opportunity to clearly hear a large number of good players playing well-set-up pipes, at solo competitions held in indoor settings, Gibson pipes have stood out as being tonally interesting and unique.

The preponderance of good players are playing vintage Hendersons or modern pipes copied from vintage Hendersons (most modern pipes are) and this creates a sort of background wash of tone against which anything different stands in contrast.

A top player here competed with Gibsons for years and his tone was distinct. Also standing out from the crowd were Athertons, Naills, and Sinclairs.

In any case the Highland piping scene is utterly different from the trad Irish session scene. When Highland pipers have taken up the uilleann pipes I warn them that the milieu is even more different than the instrument itself.

The "scene" is going to regular band practice, then hanging out all day (or all weekend) at Highland Games where the bands compete (which the pipers live for) and march about for the public (which the pipers dislike). And you have to wear a rather uncomfortable outfit, one utterly unsuited to the hot and sunny US summers (which is when Highland Games are traditionally held). It's a difficult transition for people used to showing up at an air-conditioned pub on Sunday afternoon wearing whatever you wish and sitting playing whatever tunes you want to play.