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 are 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.
Scottish smallpipes are 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.
The Great Highland bagpipe is trimmed in stainless steel and imitation ivory, with a choice of projection or button mounts.
Gaitas, the Galician bagpipe, are 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.
Chanters are made in Concert A, Concert Bb and competition pitch. Practice chanters have countersunk finger holes, offered true-size or in a smaller, easier-play layout. The Highland hornpipe is offered in A.
Two quieter instruments round out the range. The Great Highland whistle plays with 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.
