What is an Interchangeable Stock?

February 1, 2016 by Rob 2 Comments

One of the features available on some sets of Northumbrian pipes is an interchangeable stock – here’s a description of what that means:

Non-interchangeable: Chanter is plugged into a wooden stock that is tied into the neck of the bag. Unplugging the chanter exposes the reed.
Interchangeable: A socket is tied into the bag and the chanter and stock are plugged in. Unplugging the stock protects the reed.

An interchangeable stocks is commonly used to allow a player with one set to switch between two or more chanters (e.g. 7k & 17k chanters or ‘F’ and ‘G’ chanters) whilst protecting the reed.

It is also possible to have an interchangeable dronestock – allowing you to swap sets of drones – but this is far less common and significantly more work to make.

Burleigh Smallpipes – Timeline

December 4, 2015 by Rob 5 Comments

The most prolific maker of Northumbrian Smallpipes, David Burleigh made in excess of 3200 sets over the last 40 years. There is a definite progression in the style of the instruments over time and most of the sets are numbered – which means most can be fairly accurately dated. There are however some contradictions in the dates reported for early instruments (#250 – #500)

~1968 – 1971

Amateur period

7 or 9 key sets stamped “Armstrong-Burleigh” on the low E or D key – these sets are not numbered. Typically blackwood and nickel silver (although some brass sets are known). The keys were all handmade and the drones have turned thick walled sliders rather than rolled tube and the stopper pistons typically have distinct ‘acorn’ ends.

1971-73

Semi-Pro Period

Primarily making on his own and producing more sets but still working as a taxidermist at the Hancock Museum. The ‘Armstrong’ stamp stops appearing in this period (it is unclear whether this was by choice or request). These sets still feature the acorn piston ends, are hand crafted and very much in the pattern of the earlier sets.

~1972

late ‘Armstrong-Burleigh’

7k F set with nickel silver undressed ferrules, catalin drone caps (estimated date)

1979

#0392

11 key F set

1981

#0483

11k Concert D set

1983(?)

Reid Pattern: Ivory & Silver

Based on an early 19thC Robert Reid set – this ivory and silver mounted set of pipes was made as a presentation set for the piper to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle and is still in use today

1983

#1053

11key F set (G#’s & Fnat’s), complex drones (2 beads on G), handmade keys

1985

#1180

7k F set – simple drones

1997

#2395

A 7k concert D set with 4 drones and single tuning bead.

1999

#2580

2005

#2776

7k Concert G Chanter (only)

2008

#2829

11 key F set – cast keys

2012

#3269

Set #3269 is the last known set produced from the Longframlington workshop

April 2012

Retirement

David stop taking new orders and retired from making new sets although he continued to service his own sets. The business was offered as a ‘going concern’ but ultimately the workshop in Longframlington was closed. The Northumbrian Pipers’ Society acquired the remaining stock of parts and have made these available to members interested in making their own sets. Unfortunately the work books with details of all of the instruments made were not kept.

Unnamed Schottische (NPS Book 1)

October 14, 2015 by Rob Leave a comment

In the first edition of the Northumbrian Pipers Society Tunebook published way back in the early days of the NPS there was a tune called simply ‘Schottische’. In the 2nd edition, a number of tunes were dropped from the book including this unnamed Schottische. In the third edition, the tunes were restored and ‘lost’ tunes tunes such as Bellingham Fair have been re-appearing in the wild – but I’ve yet to hear ‘Schottische’.

I was dipping into my library of old books yesterday on a search for something completely unrelated when the tune at the top of the page tripped me up – it took me about 5 minutes to make the connection – and now our unnamed Schottische now has a name. Kerr’s Merry Melodies has this tune as ‘Such Chiming’ a melody from the ‘The Magic Flute’.

The NPS tunebook version is printed a 4th down (key of D) to fit the range of the pipes – but other than that, the tune is practically identical. I’m also not overly familiar with Mr Mozart’s original, and Youtube seems to suggest a different medody line for ‘Such Chiming’ – I’ll have to look it up sometime to see exactly where it can be found.

Dunn/Reid smallpipes: refurbishment part 1

January 3, 2015 by Rob Leave a comment

Here’s a very interesting set of pipes that came to me last year. It’s a hybrid set; a 9 keyed James Reid chanter (~1830’s) coupled with a much earlier set (1780’s) of John Dunn drones that almost certainly started life as part of a simple unkeyed set.

There are some interesting engravings on the drone sliders and also on the original stocks (of which more later). I’ve traced the set back through the 1900’s and back in to the 1800’s; this is the set of pipes illustrated in the painting which is currently on display at the Bagpipe Museum in Morpeth. The set played in the painting includes an early blackwood Reid chanter and Reid bellows. This chanter & drones became separated and formed part of another set in the early 1970’s and the drones were paired at that point with the current chanter. The chanter itself has been heavily played, snapped and long since repaired; unfortunately at some point the silver key pins have been replaced with copper wire which will prove difficult to extract.

I’ve been considering what approach to take to take with them – they’ll never be an everyday instrument but it will be great to bring such a significant set back in to full playing order. I’ll start by fitting everything to a new bag and getting the drones playing with a contemporary chanter – this should be completed shortly. Once this is done I can take a long slow look at the chanter to work out how to effect a repair that will hold the two halves together with minimal interference on the musical qualities.