This just arrived yesterday...





...a bellows from the workshop of C. J. Dixon. Its design is simple and basic, yet I find it very pleasing to the eye. More importantly, it is comfortable, sturdy, and airtight, while its operation does not hinder my playing.

Chris was very compliant with my requests per its construction, ie. leaving the straps off that I might attach my existing belt (including the pirate belt buckle with the bottle opener on the back!...an important part to my piping experience ), in addition to leaving the hose assembly off that I can utilize my existing blowpipe and hose from my current pipe set up.

It came with a leather hinge (the style I am most used to), but I have asked Chris to send me out a brass hinge. When it arrives and I have installed it, I will note my impression of it here.

All in all, it is a very functional bellows of high quality and dealing with Chris was a pleasant and professional experience. Basically, to put it in a nut shell..... Me like....a lot.

Excellent bellowses there joseph. It's nice to hear a positive experience that you had with the purveyor.

Heh,

you call the skull and bones "simple & basic"..?
I'd call it "pretty darn cool", but...
Rock on!

The belt and buckle are my own, the bellows came with 'quick release' nylon belt and strap.

Hi Joseph

Nice set of bellows from Chris Dixon - as you say he is very easy to deal with. I must admit I like the quick release arm strap on my bellows it is easier to work with than a leather strap. They are very easy to use and deliver a good volume of air to the bag.

Get one of his chanters as well if you can, the narrow bore chanter I got from him is very easy to play (it needs to be for me to play it) and delivers a surprising amount of volume for a narrow bore chanter with a plastic reed.

David

All of my remaining funds have gone into the production of a new set of drones and matching regulators... although you have stirred my curiosity a bit..... plastic reed?

Hi Joseph

The reeds he supplied me with look to be the same as supplied with the Pakistani chanters i.e using plastic instead of cane on a brass staple.

I bought a keyed Pakistani chanter from Other Worlds (in your neck of the world I beleive) and it was supplied with similar reeds but they were asbolute rubbish. The funny thing was that when I used one of the spare reeds that I got from Chris, it went from unplayable to being in tune all the way up to high D, the only problem being a warble on the bottom D if I was too heavy on the bag (using this chanter is improving my bag and bellows technique no end).

If the reeds Chris supplied me with were of Pakistani origin, he must be getting a better quality of reed (or getting wholesale amounts and selecting the best by trial and error).

David

...or he did what I did with the plastic reed that came with my P. chanter, took it apart and rebuilt it. That reed still works, and I can get that chanter up to 3oct F# in tune and happy to be there.

Do you not use the plastic reed then, Joseph? Is there some other issue with it other than tuning?

Thx,

djm

Mine's stirred too, Joseph, so I've started a new thread:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=301429#301429

If you want to get in touch, feel free to do so!

j.i.

No issues whatsoever.
The reed plays excellent, in tune and is very stable in most weather...between 35f and 98f (these are the extremes I have played it in). It did need to be totally overhauled, and put back together, but it works great and is still in the Pakistani chanter.

I haven't tried it in the Greenwood chanter yet, and I am not certain I will. I am happy with the reed that came with it.

"Lonely Uilleann Piper seeks young, healthy female for lasting relationship. Must play Pipes. Please send picture of Pipes"



Well, I thought it was quite funny!

Mike

Here are my new pipes! I received them today at 1.14:37PM They are perfectly in tune straight out of the box... everything is rock solid! I have to say that I am completely blown away by this set.

They are a concert pitched Koehler & Quinn set in ebony, mammoth and nickle silver.

I would like to thank David and Benedict publicly here. This is a masterpiece, I've never seen or heard anything like them before. I am completely humbled - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND YOU PUT THEM ON THE FLOOR!?!!


YOU BEAST!

YOUR PUNISHMENT MUST BE SWIFT AND SEVERE!

SEND THOSE PIPES TO ME RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY'LL BE PROPERLY CARED FOR.

AND THEN GO KNEEL IN THE CORNER FOR 30 MINUTES AND SAY 3 NOVENAS!



Sweet looking pipes, Patrick.

By the way, as a jackeen yourself, you might enjoy this website:

http://www.beerandloathing.com/

It's a riot - the writer(s) are very witty in their reviews of Dublin pubs.

Wow! I like the style! Congratulations. May the magic never wear off.