SOLD – Robert Gillanders began making pipes in Dundee in 1930, having amassed an impressive pedigree by apprenticing with John Center, the Thows and Gavin MacDougall. This set was made by Robert Jr. in Forfar around 1970, just before Pipe Major Iain McLeod bought into the company in 1972 and it became Gillanders & McLeod. Each cord guide in this set is stamped “R. Gillanders.”

This set is completely original and blemish-free, the finish original. Pipes made by the original Gillanders company have a loyal underground following, and after hearing this set played and recorded for an upcoming pipesdrums.com article on the Gillanders firm I understand why. The tone startled me: bold and rich, with a sound-surround bass and superb steadiness. It would hold its own at any level: a sleeper if I ever heard one.

The chanter pictured with the set is a Grainger and Campbell that came with the pipes: quite a superb chanter in its day, from a time with Donald MacLeod and John MacFadyen were kingpins in the Grainger shop on Argyle Street in Glasgow. It will still play well with the right reed, though the lower pitch would be out of place on today’s competition boards.