Back around 2008 I acquired a circa 1870s J&R Glen bagpipe in cocuswood with ivory mounts. It was one of the most stunning tonal instruments I’ve owned, and I played it for about three years.

In 2010, I began working with Thomas Doucet in Niagara Falls to create a reproduction. I was thrilled with the result. Most were made out of cocobola, similar in appearance to cocuswood.

We called the instrument, “The Edinburgh,” after the home town of the Glen families.

Only a couple of sets were made out of African blackwood, and this is one of them. The mounts are holly. The pipes were made in 2010 and appearances would suggest they have hardly been played. They look new.

Thomas and I moved on to other projects within a couple of years and production ceased, so only a limited number of The Edinburgh were made.

The robust J&R Glen tone of the 1800s was quite different from the more subdued David Glen pipe.  This a bold and vibrant sound more reminiscent of Duncan MacDougall, and very steady. The style also makes them a very lightweight instrument on the shoulder.

I have three of these sets in my high school band and am always pleased with how good they sound and how steady they are. This bagpipe is an affordable little gem.