Carbony Bagpipes
Pipe Makers Union of Corvallis, Oregon builds the Carbony Celtic Winds range, working exclusively in carbon fiber. Their composite, Carbony, holds traditional pipe designs in a material that does not crack or warp, which counts for a good deal in an instrument that spends its life on the road.
Finding the right Carbony pipes
Uilleann pipes
Offered three ways: the chanter on its own, reeded and ready to play; the practice set, or goose, which adds the bellows and bag; and the half set, which adds the drones, a tenor, a baritone, and a tri-bore bass in the style of a 19th century Taylor set.
The Great Highland bagpipe
Trimmed in stainless steel and imitation ivory, with a choice of projection or button mounts. Its chanters are made in Concert A, Concert B♭ and competition pitch, with a sole in stainless steel, brass or sterling silver. Matching practice chanters have countersunk finger holes, offered true-size or in a smaller, easier-play layout.
Scottish smallpipes
Built entirely in carbon fiber, with a canister drone, shut-off valves and brass drone reeds.
Northumbrian smallpipes
Come with three drones and shut-off valves, bellows, and a keyless chanter.
Gaitas
The Galician bagpipe, made in C and D with one or two drones, drawn from plans out of Santiago de Compostela in the tradition of Oli Xiráldez Río.
A few instruments round out the range.
The Great Highland whistle
Takes true chanter fingering over two octaves at A440, a performance-quality stand-in for a practice chanter.
The gaita whistle
In C or D, sets its holes to puntero spacing and allows cross-fingered accidentals, so gaita tunes can be played indoors without the volume of the pipes.
The Highland hornpipe
A mouth-blown reed pipe played without bag or bellows, offered in A.
