Uilleann pipes case question

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Aldwyn
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Tell us something.: I am haunted by Uilleann Pipes. Been so for years. I have an Irish background and have played Trad on guitar in a duet long ago. Just started on the UPs in Feb of 2017!

Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Aldwyn »

Well, poop! Just over the weekend, I ordered one of Kinnaird's "bagpiper" bags at twice the price.

And this fishing bag seems even better with the adjustable Velcro spacers! :(

Ah, well... bad timing on my part.
Paul Patrick wrote:(A quick follow-up to add to the collective body of potential case information)

I've ended up with a fly rod case for now:

https://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Reel-Com ... +Combo+Bag

I wanted something quickly that didn't require deconstruction, and for the foreseeable future I only need it for home use and driving to my lessons, so I decided to wait on the rifle and viola cases described above.

It's 33" x10" X 5", padded, with short cross-dividers that are removable, and a long central "spine" divider is attached at the base but the sides are velcroed, so it can be folded down but not removed. This holds a half set comfortably (with the removal of the base drone slider). The central spine helps keep things from jostling around too much. The mesh pockets in the lid are just big enough to hold a standard D whistle. Cost was $50 from amazon (I'm in the US).

It's quite light to carry, which is handy. I wouldn't want to use it for heavy travel, but it's stiffly padded enough to provide a measure of basic protection (although note that several rod cases I looked at were just nylon covers with no padding, so be sure to check the description details if you're considering such cases). Having only had it a couple of weeks, I can't say yet whether it's well-made enough to last for a while, but I'm pleased with it for now.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by rorybbellows »

I once bought a violin case thinking it was a viola case. It was a case of mistaken identity.

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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by malanstevenson »

For flight-proofing my pipes from wayward gate agents, I settled on the "Arrow" Fibreglass Mandolin Case from Bobelock:

http://jazzmando.com/new/archives/001574.shtml

Image

32" long
12 1/2 " at widest end
6" deep

I tried to find a case with a profile that looked as slim, tapered, and fiddle-like as possible, and the Jedi mind trick seems to work ("there's nothing to see here, just a little 'ol fiddle, this is not the oversized carry on you're looking for..."). Ripped out the guts, but left the foam blocks affixed to the lid to keep stuff in place when closed. Concert pitch set with wraparound bass reg fits nicely, just remove the bass and baritone drone slides, fits the bellows and sundry whistles as well. There's a nifty little compartment at the narrow end for sundries. Can be fitted with 'back pack' straps, also comes with a zip-on vinyl cover with external pocket.

I've seen it list for $240-ish, but ordered it through a local music store chain and paid much less than that.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by pancelticpiper »

For many years I carried my full set (with straight bass bar) in an electric guitar case that looked like this

Image

It was old and a bit beat-up when I got it, I think I paid $15 for it.

It was long enough that I didn't have to disassemble the drones or regs.

I had to remove a cross-wise internal strut (a piece of wood covered with furry stuff) which left the interior completely open. I put in three new internal struts which created a compartment for the bellows and another compartment for whistles and accessories.

It was ideal because I could just pull the pipes out, put them on, and play.

When I was going to do a tour of Japan I went to a gun shop and bought an aluminium gun case which was more compact, yet I only had to take off the bass drone bottom section.

Neither case is the size of a carry-on.

For my Highland pipes I use a Pelican case, wheels and telescoping handle, of the official carry-on size. You have to take the pipes apart. I don't know if uilleann pipes could be disassembled to fit into a carry-on size case.

Here's the Pelican 1510, official carry-on size. You just get one without the "guts" for pipes. I use that exact mesh storage thing in the lid, it's great for pipe maintenance stuff.

Image

These cases are very sturdy. You can throw them off buildings or run them over with trucks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rFGN0Pus3c
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Flutulator »

I just received a protec bass clarinet case for an anticipated 1/2 set. Since my drones are still in utero, I've not had the chance to test it yet completely.

http://www.wwbw.com/Protec-Bass-Clarine ... oCUyjw_wcB

There is a divider in the "accessories" compartment that I removed in order to accommodate the chanter. So much for the warranty! It's a messy mod- one of the partitions was stapled in. Rather than remove the staples, I curled back the sharp ends using some pliers, and will hot-glue in some leftover padding to cover them completely. With a smallish towel or foam tube for insurance padding, the chanter fits snugly.

The bellows fit(s?) in the end of the case, lying flat. It's a bit tight in terms of lid clearance - the connector tube is a bit compressed and I hope it doesn't wear too much over time. [Standard Kelleher bellows with the screw-in rubber tube.]

I suspect this will be a good solution in the long run.

Question: How much supportive padding do people use for drones and regs? GHB drones are robust enough to go into a case without much padding beyond the bag, but GHB drones are also not as dainty and intricate as our drones.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by An Draighean »

Flutulator wrote:Question: How much supportive padding do people use for drones and regs? GHB drones are robust enough to go into a case without much padding beyond the bag, but GHB drones are also not as dainty and intricate as our drones.
I use some kind of foam in all my cases for support. In the rifle cases, they came with firm foam that I cut out to fit all the bits. In the viola case I use most of the time now, I pulled out all the padding that was in there (in the shape of a viola) and put my own pieces of foam in the top and bottom. It took me several tries with different densities (firmness/softness) and different thicknesses before I was happy. What I ended up with is quite soft, but it holds the drones and regs and my chanters from rattling around in there. You can buy many different kinds of foam at an upholstery supply shop; many times their scraps are big enough and can be had on the cheap.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by TheSilverSpear »

I wrap them up in old clothes that my mountaineering club inherited from an ex-member, who was donating gear and clothing. Some of it was weirdly sized and didn't fit anyone, so.... pipes padding. Seems to work well enough.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Ketil »

I am now returning from Dublin with a very nice Hiscox case. They stock them at Na Píobairí Uilleann.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Hooleh »

An Draighean wrote:
Hooleh wrote:
An Draighean wrote:No; I leave the blow pipe on mine and put the bellows in sideways in one corner. The case is deep enough for them to fit.
Do you think there's any significant downside in carrying the bellows in a tighter bag so that they're pressed "closed" for a long period of time?
No.
I know I got this answer here already, but still thought I'd better make sure about this thing once more.

So my current case is not very deep, and the bellows barely fit in it. I put decent padding foam in it - thickness of about 3-4 centimetres on both the case and the lid - but in order to get the case shut, I must really push the lid of the case and the bellows are pressed 'shut' very hard. Should I worry about damaging them? The bellows excluded, other stuff fits in the case quite well along with some extra whistles.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by tommykleen »

This is my current case. The bellows fits in the rounded part side-by-side with the bag and mainstock.

Image
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by TheSilverSpear »

FYI, you can fit a full set of concert pitch pipes in the fly fishing case.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by An Draighean »

tommykleen wrote:This is my current case. The bellows fits in the rounded part side-by-side with the bag and mainstock.

Image
Tommy, is that their viola case?
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Flutulator »

Flutulator wrote:I just received a protec bass clarinet case for an anticipated 1/2 set. Since my drones are still in utero, I've not had the chance to test it yet completely.

http://www.wwbw.com/Protec-Bass-Clarine ... oCUyjw_wcB

Image

And here it is. The bass slide and chanter are in the accessories compartment, which is the long black box in the front right. The mainstock is not actually tied in yet, but I suspect this will work fine. Not sure if it will accommodate a bass reg, but a 3/4 set should work too.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by shakyhands »

Flutulator wrote:
Flutulator wrote:I just received a protec bass clarinet case for an anticipated 1/2 set. Since my drones are still in utero, I've not had the chance to test it yet completely.

http://www.wwbw.com/Protec-Bass-Clarine ... oCUyjw_wcB

Image

And here it is. The bass slide and chanter are in the accessories compartment, which is the long black box in the front right. The mainstock is not actually tied in yet, but I suspect this will work fine. Not sure if it will accommodate a bass reg, but a 3/4 set should work too.
That's a cherry set-up, especially with the chanter getting a separate compartment. At our tionol in Orlando this weekend, Joey Abarta was using the protec soprano sax case with some guts removed (about half the width of the bass clarinet case) to carry his full set with Taylor-style curved bass bar, and bellows tucked in the external zipper pouch of the case. Probably the most glove-like case conceivable.
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Re: Uilleann pipes case question

Post by Steve Bliven »

pancelticpiper wrote: These cases are very sturdy. You can throw them off buildings or run them over with trucks
You realize that some people might take that as a hint.... :P

Best wishes.

Steve
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