After many years of dealing in vintage bagpipes, I discovered that there are many pipers out there who love the look and sound of classic instruments, but can’t afford the price tag.
Thus was born this line of reproduction Highland Bagpipes. They have been made as true as possible to the original instruments that I acquired and played.
An important thing I want you to know: I am not a pipemaker or bagpipe refurbisher. I have worked for many years now with Rick Pettigrew at Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario, about two hours from me. Rick is the son-in-law of the late Jack Dunbar, who learned his pipemaking trade in the Henderson shop in the 1940s before emigrating to Ontario.
The quality of the work this company does for me on vintage refurbishments, and in making the reproductions of which I demand such a high standard, continues to amaze me. I’m quite sure this line of bagpipes would not have happened without them.
Jim
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REPRODUCTION: “The Breadalbane” by Dunbar Bagpipes and Jim McGillivray
This is the original 1880s Breadalbane MacDougall bagpipe used in this reproduction.
“The Breadalbane” is a reproduction of a bagpipe made by Duncan MacDougall around 1880. The name comes from the stamp he used on his pipes during the time he lived on the Breadalbane estate at Taymouth Castle during the 1870s and early 1880s. Pipes he made at this time were stamped “D McDougall, Breadalbane.”
I purchased the original bagpipe, pictured at right, from a well known Scottish piping figure, the late Allan Beaton. He acquired it from the Taymouth Castle estate where it had resided for as long as anyone can remember.
This reproduction is made by Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario, a superb pipemaking firm founded by Jack Dunbar in the 1960s. Jack learned his trade at the Henderson shop in the 1940s. This company undertakes all of my refurbishment work and in my opinion is a vastly underrated pipemaker.
These reproductions are available in African Blackwood. The projecting mounts are of imitation ivory, and the metal mounts are aluminum alloy, hand-engraved by David Davidse of Truehand Engraving. David matches the engraving on the original nearly perfectly. Both craftsmen have captured superbly the lines and shapes of the original pipes.
Like the original, the tone is rich and subtle — neither booming like a Henderson pipe nor subdued like David Glen’s. The classic, enveloping Duncan MacDougall bass drone sound has been captured beautifully.
Click the arrow below to hear Matt MacIsaac play John McLellan of Dunoon’s classic World War 1 retreat march, “The Bloody Fields of Flanders” on a set of Breadalbane reproduction pipes:
This bagpipe is offered in several styles:
1) The closest match to the original has with open, un-beaded ferrules and caps, (“Beaded” refers to the metal ring encircling one end of the ferrule or the bottom of the ring cap.)
2) It is also offered with closed, beaded ferrules, beaded ring caps and plain aluminum alloy slides.
3) Either of these models can be offered with no engraving for a more affordable price.
4) The bagpipe is also available with full imitation ivory mounts. For these sets, we also have a limited number of hallmarked plain Sterling silver slides that can be installed on the sets for an additional CAD $485.
Note that the blowpipe and blowpipe stock are made in polypenco, both pieces can be upgraded to polypenco-lined wood. These replica sets come with a two-year guarantee against cracking.
Email me about this reproduction.
Sticks only:
1 -Full imitation ivory mounts, sticks only:
African Blackwood: CAD $2,350
(For poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock instead of polypenco add CAD $165.)2 – Open-ended, un-beaded ferrules, engraved, imitation ivory and no metal slides (closest to the original), sticks only:
African Blackwood: Engraved – CAD $2,795 …. No engraving – CAD $2,450
(For poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock instead of polypenco add CAD $165.)
3 – Closed, beaded ferrules and caps, engraved, plain aluminum alloy slides, sticks only:
African Blackwood: Engraved – CAD $2,885 …. No engraving – CAD $2,535
(For poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock instead of polypenco add CAD $165.) -
REPRODUCTION: “The Robbie” by Dunbar Bagpipes and Jim McGillivrayThis line of pipes is a reproduction set of Robertson pipes made in the 1940s. The original was made of African blackwood and mounted in elephant ivory. It was acquired from former Toronto Police Pipe Major and double Gold Medallist Ian K. MacDonald.
I well remember well Ian playing these pipes when he was coming to me for lessons as a young teenager. He got them from his father John, long-time Pipe Major of the Toronto Police Pipe Band well before Ian.
This is the original 1940s Robertson bagpipe owned by double Gold Medallist Ian K. MacDonald and used for this reproduction.
The bagpipe comes in African blackwood, with non-chip imitation ivory mounts.
These reproductions are made by Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario. A superb maker, the company undertakes all of my vintage refurbishments and I value their work and professionalism immensely — a vastly underrated pipemaker.
James Robertson made pipes in Edinburgh from 1908 until his death in 1948, though the company continued until the mid-1960s. His pipes are easily identified by their distinctive ‘mushroom’ projecting mounts. He is one of the most consistent pipemakers I have encountered in many years of dealing in hundreds of sets of vintage pipes. Pipemakers today speak highly of his superb workmanship, and players speak highly of his tone.
Robertson pipes are full, rich and extremely steady, very much in the Henderson tradition. This reproduction uses the exact tonal measurements from the original Robertson set. These replica sets come with a two-year guarantee against cracking.
Click the arrow below to hear Matt MacIsaac play the air “The Fair Swan” on a set of Robertson reproduction pipes:
The blowpipe and blowpipe stock on these pipes is polypenco. (Add CAD $165 for poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock.)
It should be noted that the Peter Henderson/R. G, Hardie pipemaking company owns the rights to the Robertson name. The name is used here with permission, and the pipes have no connection to any pipes made by the Glasgow firm.
Email me about this reproduction.
Sticks and stocks only:
African Blackwood: CAD $2,350 sticks and stocks only, plus shipping -
REPRODUCTION: “The Edinburgh” by Dunbar Bagpipes and Jim McGillivray
This is the original 1890s David Glen cocuswood bagpipe used for this reproduction.
This line of pipes is a reproduction of an exceptional David Glen bagpipe mmanufactured in the 1890s. The original was made in Caribbean cocuswood (David Glen’s favoured wood) and mounted in elephant ivory. The reproduction pictured is made in cocobola.
Unfortunately, since this set was made, cocobola has become unavailable. The bagpipe will now be available in African blackwood.
The artificial ivory is non-chip delrin (polypenco). The blowpipe and blowpipe stock are polypenco. (Add CAD $165 for poly-lined wood blowpipe and blowpipe stock.)
The reproduction is made by Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario. A superb maker, the company undertakes all of my vintage refurbishments and I value their work and professionalism immensely — a vastly underrated pipemaker.
David Glen (1853-1916) came from a family of pipemakers that included his father Alexander (1801-1873) as well as uncles and cousins who formed the J&R Glen pipemaking firm. David’s meticulous manufacturing standards, tonal excellence, and his prolific work as a compiler of pipe music have earned him status as a monumental piping figure.
His pipes are rich and steady. They are slightly more subdued than the Henderson and Lawrie sets from the turn-of-the-century. This reproduction uses the exact measurements from the original 1890s Glen set. I’m particularly pleased with how steady and easy to reed it is. These replica sets come with a two-year guarantee against cracking.
We also have a limited number of hallmarked plain Sterling silver slides that can be installed on the sets for an additional CAD $485.
Click on the arrow to hear Matt MacIsaac play the traditional “The Shamrock Shore” on a set of Edinburgh David Glen reproduction pipes:
Email me about this reproduction.
Sticks and stocks only:
African Blackwood: CAD $2,350, plus shipping -
REPRODUCTION: “The Duncan MacRae” SL4 Model by McCallum Bagpipes and Stuart Liddell
Duncan McRae made bagpipes in Glasgow from 1897 until 1930, though his son James continued the company until 1952. Not a pipemaker himself, Duncan enlisted advice from knowledgeable pipers, particulary Pipe Major Willie Gray of the World Champion Glasgow Police, a man also at the top of the solo piping tree in the 1920s. Gray was a man of ideas and MacRae was willing to be convinced. Hempless slides and extendable bass drone bells were two of their most memorable and mostly successful innovations.The bagpipes MacRae made are historic tonally as well. The German silver and ivory set played by Stuart Liddell is legendary. MacCallum Bagpipes has measured and reproduced Stuart’s bagpipe as it is, right down to slight differences discovered between the two tenor drones. The MacRae sound is full, resonant and steady.
McGillivray Piping is pleased to stock the SL4 model of the Liddell-MacRae reproduction. It is mounted in thistle engraved aluminum alloy and imitation ivory, and includes a matching mouthpiece bulb and engraved sleeve. The pipes are beautifully made, particularly affordable, and produce a superb, steady sound.Email me about this reproduction.
As shown, sticks only.
CAD $2,010
