Chiff and Fipple Forums

My initial reaction was that it is a Pakistani-made set (particularly the bellows). However, on reflection, it looks like some Robbie Hughes sets I've seen.

PJ wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 7:43 am
on reflection, it looks like some Robbie Hughes sets I've seen.

I wouldn't rule out it is actually a Ginzo. And it looks like someone did a hatchet job to shorten the mainstock.

Interesting connection of the chanter...

Best wishes.

Steve

Yes looks like set made by Robbie Hughes or similar maker Brendan O' Hare and maybe bellows by Jackie Boyce.

If you search on uilleann pipes obsession for Robbie Hughes or Brendan O'Hare you see sold pipes with similar looking pipes and bellows.

The Mainstock look like has no drone switch and the brass cup has slipped.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10 ... 2726432774
Uilleann Pipes for sale or swap Facebook cover photo


Ebay photo

Pipes and bellows definitely made by Robbie, the bag doesn't look like one of his though, neither does the positioning of the stocks.
From the turning and ornamentation I would guess late 1980ies.
The outside leather hinge on the bellows as well as the hose connector might be a later addition.
Whatever happened to the main stock, I don't know, this certainly isn't original - to me, the ferrules don't look like his work either.
BTW, does anybody know if Robbie Hughes is still with us?

BTW, does anybody know if Robbie Hughes is still with us?

Yes
Hughes & Mclead LTD
https://www.facebook.com/bagpipereeds

I got Robbie by email few years ago for 2 D reeds for my D Rogge chanter.

"Fred Morrison" (McCallum) uilleann half-set

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204775875574?i ... ion=4%7C10

Have people in the Irish uilleann community tried these and formed an opinion of them?

I've not played one myself, but am skeptical about McCallum-made uilleann pipes.

I actually have a friends Fred Morrison chanter at my house now. He asked me to look at it and see if I can get it playing better for him. In my opinion it Looks well made from the outside. The reed that came with it plays kind of ok but not well enough for my standards. Feels like it’s 70% there and with lots of play in it’ll get 80% there. I may have been ok with it if I didn’t know any better…if you know what I mean. It’s not fair evaluation as I have no clue how well the reed has been taken care of. I can say that I put my COB chanter reed in it and it played very well through-out. I would think a good Reedmaker can make this particular chanter play very well. The chanter cap needs a little more finishing on the interior. It’s really rough ruff and catches reed too easily.

Tou-Che wrote: ↑Mon May 06, 2024 3:01 pm I put my COB chanter reed in it and it played very well throughout. I would think a good Reedmaker can make this particular chanter play very well.

That's good to hear.

McCallum was smart to use their hegemony in the GHB world to sell Uilleann pipes to the vast number of GHB players who are itching to get into uilleann piping but have no knowledge about the uilleann world, have never heard of any Uilleann maker other than McCallum.

They had already done that with Scottish "Border" Pipes. Many GHB players around the world have never heard of Hamish Moore, Nigel Richards, or any of the other people who had been making "border" pipes for decades, and in fact didn't know that such an instrument existed until they saw somebody already prominent in the GHB world, Fred Morrison, demonstrating and hawking the McCallum version.

McCallum, I'm told, makes around 40 sets of GHBs a week. Once they had their CNC machines programmed to make Uilleann pipes, half-sets could be made at a faster rate than any other Uilleann pipe maker. The rate for Uilleann pipes would be lower than GHBs due to chanter keywork and bellows of course.

I feel like I'm seeing more and more McCallum sets popping up so they are definitely tapping into a market share. They look good, seam to play, and the turn around time is relatively short. It would have appealed to me when I was getting into it. I may be wrong but I think there is a connection of these pipes to the Hevia pipes albeit with a Dave Williams'eque facelift.