Chiff and Fipple Forums

I have watched the video of the 5 pipers playing Séamus Ennis’s Coyne pipes, an there are a few modern photos of it and of course many photos with Séamus playing them.


I can’t help but notice something, the bass drone U-bend looks quite different.

In the photos with Ennis the U- bend is shorter and of course pushed in further into the bass tube probably. In modern photos and in that video the U-bend is extended. This would make sense but, one thing I can’t help but notice, is how much longer it looks on the side that has the puck resonator.

The bass drone u-bend Iooks longer on both the side that goes into the bass tube and the side that holds the resonator, I wondered if the resonator could have been moved? But it looks quite a bit longer than it did before, I don’t think the puck would be able to move that much no?


Is it possible that the U-bend was replaced at one point, or “flipped around”, is my mind playing tricks on me, or is it the fae?

IIRC when Ennis had the pipes I also noticed his G tenor reg key was a teardrop key, not the standard 8 shape, that seems to have been replaced at some point, wonder if it’s still around…


Cheers

I can’t help but notice something, the bass drone U-bend looks quite different. ennischanter

Yes, you are right. Here's a photo of a young Seamus with the Coyne which has a short bass drone slide U bend
https://irishphotoarchive.photoshelter. ... oEkpj5cZgY

A photo of the Coyne bass drone slide and puck when O'Flynn had the set.
https://pipers.ie/source/media/?gallery ... 8492[quote][/quote]

The Ennis Coyne set seems to have been tampered with/modified/enhanced ever since it was discovered in pieces inside a paper bag in a London pawn shop in 1908 by James Ennis. There's interesting information regarding the set in these C&F threads:

Liam playing the Ennis pipes thread from 2005: viewtopic.php?t=34269&start=0

The infamous Ennis chanter thread from 2008:
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/viewt ... =6&t=57015

Not crazy.
A number of alterations made during LOFs custodianship - at least one rather more controversial than anything else done...
M

Here are two blow ups showing keys. The first one LOF playing the set on the night Alain Froment returned it in 1991 after measuring and whatever work he did on the set. The current owner of the Coyne set played the first Froment copy on the night. The second image taken two years ago. Spot the difference.

Below pic of Ennis I took in 1982, a few months before he died. The key the same as the 1991 image (more clearly seen at the high(er) resolution I checked).

The lopwest key on the middle reg is supposed to be non original too, if I recall correctly (but then, I may not).

Fascinating stuff, wonder who replaced that key.


IIRC I recall reading how Séamus had his back D hole very aggressively carved in the early 70s by an anonymous fixer upper.


Seems even in Ennis’s time they were tinkered with often, not to mention Brogan’s work too.