Pipe Gallery

These bagpipes are for sale to the public.  All funds received beyond the purchase, renovation, and shipping costs of these pipes help support the pipe scholarship and pibroch contest awards.  Because these pipes are intended to support our efforts, we don't normally sell to resellers, entertain lowball offers, or trade pipes.  Send us an email for additional information or more photos at <shastapipingsociety@gmail.com>.  All prices listed are in $USD.   

Returns

All pipes are sold in an "as-is" condition. Whether restored or original, all pipes have been swabbed with almond oil (+vitE) and stored in suitable humidity conditions.  However, all pipes stored need to undergo a "play-in" period to allow the wood to acclimate to its new environment. Pipes should not be played for more than 30 minutes a day for at least the first two weeks, the exterior wood should be kept oiled to limit the effects of temperature changes, the drone bores should be swabbed dry after play to keep moisture from accumulating and expanding wood grain unnecessarily, and pipes should never be kept near heater or air-conditioning vents or left in direct sunshine.  These are just a few of the care considerations needed for vintage and antique pipes, and additional information is available on the web.  Because we cannot control the actions of buyers during the play-in period, buyers must carefully inspect the pipes upon arrival.  If there are immediate issues with the pipe condition, we will only accept returns for full refund after this inspection. If issues arise during the play-in period or after, we can work with the buyer to help guide them through a resolution with one of our refurbishers.

International Sales

Any ebony or cocuswood pipes we send overseas will be fully insured and transaction fees will be additional to the purchase price.  Foreign Duty payments are the responsibility of the buyer.

Age Estimates

Descriptions of these pipes are updated as information is received.  We are thankful to the experts who have graciously given their input to aid our effort to put a maker's name, value, and approximate date of manufacturer on these vintage instruments.  There is a great amount of information on these makers available at the museum page of The Bagpipe Place website: http://www.thebagpipeplace.com

Folk Friendly (*)

I prefer lower pitched pipes all around, but some players only prefer them because they easily pitch well with other instruments.  Bagpipes marked with an asterisk easily tune to Bb pitch (low A = 466 Hz) using unaltered modern synthetic drone reeds at an air efficient setting, and can reach to low A = 440 Hz by using simple drone reed extenders.  This makes the pipes suitable for the concert stage when tuning with other folk or orchestral instruments.  The remaining pipes may need drone reed extenders or longer reeds to attain Bb with an air-efficient pipe.

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                                                                        PIPES

1)*   1930s  Matheson Specials  - $1000

Originally sold to me as Matheson Specials without a stamp or chanter, these drones are also very similar to pipes sold by J.T. Forbes of Dundee and Douglas & Sons before the war.  Those sellers did not manufacture pipes but sold pipes from makers like Robertson and others.  It is not known if Matheson sold pipes through Forbes, so these drones remain as suspected Mathesons.  Blackwood drones, nickel slides, and a unique short nickel ferrule design.  Button mounts, with catalin drone rings.  The bass midsection pin has a very slight warp that does not effect playing, and solo piping judges during lower grade piobaireachd competitions have favorably commented on the "warm" tone produced.  These drones provide intense and stable harmonics that are truly impressive when played at a lower historic pitch (<468 Hz).  Great set of piobaireachd pipes that carry well in the open field and fill a room.   

2)*   1930s  Matheson Specials  - $850

Like set #1, these drones were also originally identified as Matheson Specials, and the bead, comb, and profile comparisons suggests that is accurate although the drones are not stamped with the maker's name.   These pipes are dark blackwood or Indian ebony said to be used by Matheson while in India producing repair parts for military pipe bands between the world wars.  Unique short nickel ferrules, button mounts, and new GPM Resin Ivory drone bushes and rings installed by Burley Bagpipe Co.  They are well-crafted, with large bores, and provide a simple profile and elegant tone that plays up to the mid-470s Hz range with short drone reeds.