Chiff and Fipple Forums

I'm thrilled that it's working out with the new Walsh's.

I don't know your skill level, but Vicky Swan has a good on-line tutor, and don't miss out on all the goodies that are available from the LBPS (Lowland and Border Pipe Society) web store.

Slan'

JD

Well, nearly four months later, I received a beautiful set of Walsh SSP. With the help of my highland piper brother (careful not to overblow!) I tuned up the drones ...

Useful indeed! I might just do that myself! Thanks for the tip!

It might be useful to point out that John Walsh has two methods of switching from mouth blown to bellows blown on his small pipes. The first it the "adapter" which is "L" shaped and fits into the blow stick stock. I had one ...

... chime in, since Madman and I exchanged PMs on this. I have a set of Walsh A2000s, which I flirted with the idea of selling, since they get far ... to change that. Anyway, I'm a fan, though I've only played one other SSP set, (more expensive, harder to play, and much more finnicky). I can ...

pancelticpiper wrote:all my Scottish smallpipes have been mouthblown.

That's pretty unusual.

... wet in the morning (marine layer) and in the 90s with no humidity in the afternoon. Cane highland pipe drone reeds were a bitch, so part of my Walsh choice was due to advantage of plastic reeds. Yes indeed! I'm even further down I-5, in Orange County, and our weather is what you describe: we ...

I'm used to supporting things with my breath. Better eliminate the bag and just blow down the pipes, then? :wink: I used to, but my pulmonologist got angry. Bogman: I do appreciate your advice; if I was going for best possible sound and nothing else I'd likely be looking in that direction. However,...

Fair enough Madman, I've never been to your part of the world so I don't know what you have to deal with.

MadmanWithaWhistle wrote:I'm used to supporting things with my breath.

Better eliminate the bag and just blow down the pipes, then?

People seem to like Walsh's, and given all the trouble a cane reed would cause me in the Minnesota-Seattle commute every three months, I'd just rather not worry about it. It's stressful enough keeping my blackwood flute at the proper humidity.

That would mean using a plastic chanter reed, that will sound significantly inferior to cane...

I certainly wouldn't recommend getting mouth blown - bellows every day of the week for stability and relatively problem-free piping! I'm used to supporting things with my breath. I don't like all the straps and gizmos for the bellows, nor the elbow-flapping chicken dance required to play them. With...

....... I don't have experience with Walsh pipes but the sound sample of the A set suggests they're pretty good. I certainly wouldn't recommend getting mouth blown - bellows every day of the week for stability and relatively problem-free piping!

My little brother plays the GHB, and his teacher was firmly of the opinion that if it was possible, saving for the best possible set was essential. Does this theory carry over as much to the smallpipes? Even more so in my opinion. Maybe look for advice from pipers in your part of the world to make ...