The new Williams chanter on trial.

[redneck]

Now this is how we ( Drumlough Pipe Band ) intend to try out the new Williams ( War-Mac ) chanter.

Steve has kindly sent 4 chanters to try out at our leisure.

The four chanters will be reed-ed with the reeds from the bands current chanters. This IMO will give a truer comparison of pitch & volume.

Four pipers using the current chanters will play a set, then four of the new chanters will be played. Listened to by the PM, P/Sgt and myself.

Stevie, the P/Sgt picked me up for practice last night........before leaving I let him hear the chanter with the reed out of the bands chanter. He was impressed. Clear top hand with good volume.

The main thing I noticed was my drones tuned a bit lower, now, the chanter was not set to an overly high pitch. Just enough to take the flatness out of the high "A"........yet the pitch was sweet 'n had volume without being dull !!!!.

There was a little tape used, and I mean little, on the f & high g. Barely cutting the edge of the hole.

So the initial impact of the new Williams chanter so far is a big thumbs up.

Well done Steve. Will keep y'all posted on the quartet of chanters ie:- ease of setting up and overall sound produced.

BTW, anyone any ideas or other opinions on the way we tend to compare the chanters? opinions most welcome.~~~Iain~~~

[Stormy]

Redneck,
Have you or the PM thought about playing the new chanters TOGETHER with the band set-up as it is at present?
Two chanters with existing band reeds and the other two with "the suggested reeds" for the new chanters.
This should be able to give an instant comparisson with your bands current tone / pitch.

Just a thought.

[redneck]

Cheers m8, this has been done. The new chanter is slightly higher pitch resulting in the tape on the old chanter having to be moved to accommodate the new chanter. Point taken.

The reason for changing chanters are two fold,
1) trying to minimise the use of tape ie:- holes nearly covered,
2) volume retained on top notes.

Taping ( excessively ) of the problem notes ( top hand ) lessens the volume due to the hole being made smaller. This is the main downfall of the old chanter, whilst the bottom hand is bright the top hand just fades away because of so much tape.

Reed positioning in the new chanter is just in the reed seat firmly pushed in. Just in far enough as I said to clear the high A, I thought it would be flat, but no my drones came down a fraction from the old chanter.

Stormy, thanks for yer input mate, BTW, the reeds in both chanters are Williams.

footnote, just had a phone call from young Scott from the band, he is going to play the new chanter in the solo's on Saturday. He tried it tonight and said he loved the brightness 'n clarity of it.

[Piper Mac]

looks like a new chanter is in my future.......
Thanks for the info Redneck

[Werepiper]

Must agree redneck. I have tried my Williams chanter and reed in both my sets of pipes and they both tuned a little lower. No tape at all as I like the volume and clarity on the top hand and as you said it has a 'sweet' pitch.

I am taking it along to band this Wednesday as our PM is after new chanters - has been talking about the new McCallum but I think he just might sway when he hears this, because he will like the higher pitch - similar to our current set up.

[Steve]

a wee update for you all,

Just last nite while workin on this, we tried something that we did not expect to work, and it done exactly what we wanted it to do, We just got another 10-15% more volume out of the chanter, so its now on a power more or less with the McCallum, but still has the sweeter sound than a McCallum.

[Bobby]

Who are you and what have you done with Redneck?!?

[Werepiper]

Sounds very interesting Steve - did you fit it with an amplifier

[redneck]

Originally Posted by Steve

a wee update for you all,

Just last nite while workin on this, we tried something that we did not expect to work, and it done exactly what we wanted it to do, We just got another 10-15% more volume out of the chanter, so its now on a power more or less with the McCallum, but still has the sweeter sound than a McCallum.

Right m8, cancel the four we have fer the updated version....lol. Good job m8, gonna phone ya right this minute.

[redneck]

Originally Posted by Bobby

Who are you and what have you done with Redneck?!?

Lmao.........gid yin m8, it's not what he's done to me..........it's what he's done to the chanter.

This modification is gonna improve an already good chanter. Y'all know me well enough now, only telling it as I see it / hear it.

( My worlds drinks must be well up the noo.....lol. )