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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