Dear Tim,
You clearly show your ignorance in these matters which is not a
criticism but just shows the continuing problem of new folk coming into
piping who have not sought advice from experienced players and
pipemakers like myself. I could have explained all this to you if you
had tried not to be so independant as others with the right level of
experince and skill could have done.
Colin R
-----Original Message-----
From: tim rolls BT <tim.ro...@btconnect.com>
To: Francis Wood <oatenp...@googlemail.com>; NSP group
<nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu>; Richard York <rich...@lizards.force9.co.uk>
Sent: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:55
Subject: [NSP] blowpipe
I think bellows blowpipe length is an are well worth looking at. In
three years playing I haven't actually owned a set of pipes (although I
am now close to a purchase) but have relied on the kindness of others
who have lent me sets. Because they were borrowed I felt unable to
"adjust" the pipes to suit my shape.
As a result I have played regularly on five different sets, and on
three of these I have had problems with the blow pipe separating,
sometimes at the designed point, sometimes at another joint.
I put this down to having learned a particular comfortable position
with my first set, and then failing to adjust to each new set. When I
did make such changes to the position of the bag as were necessary for
me to play without loss of bellows, I found the new position quite
awkward, and as has been said, more effort to play as I could no longer
just use the weight of my arm.
Unfortunately I didn't take measurements of any of the sets. Although I
have observed the necessary shape for a gentleman piper, and I am
working towards it, I would still not yet say that I require a
massively long blowpipe.
What work has been done on blowpipe length, is it purely maker's
preference? How many makers measure up a customer before making the
pipes?
Tim
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard York"
<rich...@lizards.force9.co.uk>
To: "Francis Wood" <oatenp...@googlemail.com>; "NSP group"
<nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:19 AM
Subject: [NSP] Re: bag shape
Thanks greatly to one and all for these - great food for thought
here.
I'm interested that everyone's addressed the matter of how to make
the > existing bag shape comfortable, but no-one has offered experience
of the > tear-drop shape - are they very rare, or just deeply
heretical?
Meanwhile I shall try every position from armpit downwards for my
existing > bag, and seriously examine the matter of neck length.
Its neck, not mine. (Thanks too, Mike S, for the off-list advice on >
position photo's - I'll try that.)
I imagine, Barry, that bellows blowpipe length also came into your
shifts > of bag position?
Interesting too the matter of which way the seam goes. I was
convinced at > first that it was the seam which was getting to me, but
now think it's the > bulge of the square bag shape - as suggested
earlier in this string.
Thanks Francis too for pointing up the pics on my own website... in >
fairness in have to say that while the Jon Swayne huge Flemish set and
> renaissance-type smaller set (both all brown) are comfortable, Jon
does > make the seam the modern way round.
In the case of the massive Flemish set I've had to mend the
protective > strip on the outside of the seam more than once, as it's
stuck rather than > stitched in place.
The Jim Parr medieval gaita-type ones (black bag, light boxwood) and
the > little hummelschen both have the seams on the inside and are very
> comfortable indeed. I've never had problems with the seasoning in
them.
Best wishes,
Richard.
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