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This set of cocuswood pipes mounted in ivory and nickel was made by the Glasgow firm of Peter Henderson in the early 1900s.

There is something in the mystery of the old instruments that captivates and motivates us. Is the old wood really better? Did the old makers know something we don't? Do musical instruments improve with age? Why do most of the great players play vintage pipes? Who was the greatest maker of all time? How did they do it with no electricity??

These questions and others continue to occupy the thoughts of vintage bagpipe afficionados.

I take pride in acquiring great old pipes. I take great care in their refurbishment and in playing them to determine their musical worth.

I also go to great lengths to make sure vintage bagpipe buyers know exactly what they are getting in terms of make, quality and repairs that have been undertaken.

If you're looking for an old instrument, I hope you'll trust me to help you as those who have written testimonials below have trusted me. If you're not looking for an old set, then please take the time to enjoy my photos and descriptions of bagpipe history below. If you have an old set you would like to part with, please email me.

If you would like to read my comprehensive article on the vintage bagpipe trade, published on pipes|drums in 2010, click here. You may need a subscription to view the article, but a pipes|drums subscription is well worth the modest price."

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Working with vintage bagpipes is as much a hobby as a business for me. I enjoy the process of turning up old pipes and making sure they will be played for years to come. I think it is a good thing for piping. As such, I take great care in purchasing, examining and restoring old pipes.

My primary refurbisher is J. Dunbar Bagpipe Maker, and I also use Thomas Doucet of Thomas Pipe Works.  Not only do these pipemakers do masterful restorations, they have eagles eye for examining 150-year-old wood and discovering replacement pieces and flaws that should be addressed before you play the pipes. If a set of pipes has a replacement or repaired piece, you will know about it before you buy.

It is important to note that repairs to cracked pieces are not the bad news one might think. The two greatest woods from which pipes can be made are ebony and cocuswood. Both are tonally superior to blackwood, but they are much less resilient, so it is becoming rare to find pre-1900 pipes in these woods without cracks. An old set that has not been played in years dries out and existing cracks close up and become almost invisible to the average buyer. Thus, when people say they bought a vintage set and a piece cracked when the pipes were played, chances are the crack was there when the pipes were bought. Playing them puts moisture back into the wood, and the crack opens up. By removing the finish from virtually all pipes I acquire, I can uncover and address these problems before you have to! I make sure cracks are found and fixed before the pipes are sold.

"In short, I am delighted with the old pipes. They shall be fine company through the winter, as we prepare for the spring solo season, when I expect they will turn more than a few heads. Thanks again for your help with them, Jim.  Their tone is everything you said it would be."
Eddie Selden, Seabrook, Texas
(circa 1905 silver and ivory cocuswood Hendersons)

While some cracks can be sealed, fixed and rendered nearly invisible by proper  gluing, this is not always a reliable or long-lasting repair technique, particularly with cocuswood and ebony, which don't glue well. I often employ a traditional and very effective technique called invisible whipping to fix cracks. This entails turning down some of the combing groups on a lathe, gluing the crack, then wrapping it with strong, thin cord that binds that crack closed forever. A mixture of blackwood dust and glue is then applied over the whipping. When this dries, the repairs are turned down, re-combed and polished. The crack will not open again, and there is no effect on the tone of the pipes. The repaired combing is only slightly noticeable as different from the original. The technique is virtually foolproof. While I have all sets examined carefully for flaws and integrity, I keep my restorations to a minimum. Mounts are reafixed as required, and the wood is stripped and refinished as required. I do whatever is possible to retain all original pieces. I feel it is far preferable for the tonal and historical integrity of the pipes to repair a piece than to replace it. It is still possible for an otherwise sound vintage pipe to crack once you start playing it. Again, while a disappointment, this is not a tragedy as the pipes can almost always be repaired to their original tone and steadiness. I cannot guarantee vintage pipes against new cracks, but if it happens I will work with you to see it repaired effectively. If you have any questions about these techniques or would like to talk about vintage pipes available or some of the "coming soon" pipes listed above, please email me. For more photos of vintage pipes and more information on them, you can go to Ron 'Ringo' Bowen's Bagpipe Museum site. Ron and I have pipe band connections that go back about 30 years and we consult quite closely about pipes. For even more information on old pipes and pipemakers, consult Jeannie Campbell's superb book, Highland Bagpipe Makers, which I use constantly in my research and descriptions here. Click on the link to purchase it from the shopping cart. One note about old pipes....  Over the years I've acquired and sold vintage pipes, I've noticed buyers gravitating toward the big names: Henderson, Lawrie, MacDougall. While these are great pipes to be sure, I frequently find 100+ year-old vintage sets that I won't put a name to because I'm just not sure. (Other sellers would do well to be less sure!) Many of these sets are absolutely outstanding instruments, yet they will sit on the site for a year because I haven't put a great name beside them. Finally some adventurous soul will snap them up and is blown away by a gem nobody else wanted. If a set looks attractive to you, and the description suggests they are a great set, email me. Tell me what you propose to use them for and I'll let you know if I think they are suitable. Don't let a real find pass you by just because it doesn't have an obvious pedigree!

These restored ebony MacDougall drone pieces are from the same set. Distinguishing the invisible-whipped combs from the untouched sections is almost impossible. They are almost perfect.

Moisture-control for vintage pipes
Moisture control is crucial when playing old pipes.
See the shopping cart at the bottom of this page for more information on these items.

Pipe Case Humidifier and Hygrometer		The MP Watertrap

These Robertsons were thought to have been purchased new in 1962. They are in superb condition and come with the original chanter and sole, as well as the original owner's ivory-mounted Robertson practice chanter.

This set was owned by a gentleman whose wife owned a set of Robertsons as well. One of the sets was much, much older. At some point it's possible that a couple of the pieces got switched around. The silver ferrule on one tenor stock is the same pattern, but much older, though the stock appears to be original. The bass stock is a Robertson, but with a tapered bore typical of older Robertsons. However, the silver ferrule on the bass is orignal to the set. Suffice to say that all parts are Robertson and the set suffers no tonal or visual ill effects from the switcharoo!

The pipes have been refinished and the ivory and silver are all in immaculate condition. The pipes play with typically bold Robertson timbre -- rich, steady and with a dominant bass sound.

This is really a gorgeous and exceptional pipe, free of cracks or blemishes, though missing the original engraved mouthpiece and ivory bulb.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only, with original chanter and practice chanter
CAD $6,950 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum blackwood chanter, Kinnaird Evolution drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $7,595  plus shipping
 

This lovely Henderson set is pristine. It would appear to date from the mid-to late 1950s. My friend Ron (Ringo) Bowen tells me Henderson had some questionable years in the '50s after some of the firm's legendary turners left after the war. Some sets from this time of transition are of dubious quality. However, this is not one of them. The set is beautifully made, and the tone is full and seamless in the vintage Henderson tradition.

The engraved silver slides were added in recent years, and the pipes were refinished at that time. My guess is that the work was done by Dunbar Bagpipes, Henderson specialists who undertake all of my refurb work.

Though the pipes were not made during the great Henderson years to prior to WW2, you wouldn't know it from the tone.

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As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,450 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum blackwood chanter, Kinnaird Evolution drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,095  plus shipping
 

These old Glen pipes are tonal classics. Though known for their "mellow" sound, David Glen drones in cocuswood are extremely rich in harmonics, steady as a rock, and very air efficient.

This set was likely made in the 1890s and comes with the original ivory-soled chanter. Unusually, for David Glen sets, there is no stamp on either the drones or the chanter, but the pipes appear to have been lightly sanded and refinished at some point, and this often erases the maker's stamp. (Shame on any refurbisher who lets this happen!) The previous owner thought one tenor top might have been from another set from the same period, but I'm hard-pressed to see evidence of that.

The bass drone tunes quite low. This is not something I have ever considered a problem (my MacPhee bass tunes an inch above the mount), but the previous owner had a matching replica bass bottom made in stained mopane but with a narrower bore so that the bass would tune higher. Both pieces work very well.

These old cocuswood pipes have a visual appeal all their own, and David Glen's attention to the details of craftsmanship and the nuances of tone make them classics

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As shown, sticks only and original chanter
CAD $3,350 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum poly chanter, Kinnaird Evolution drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $3,995  plus shipping
 

This is the first older Dunbar set we've had on the site. This set was almost certainly made by Jack Dunbar himself, who served his apprenticeship in the Peter Henderson shop in the 1930s when the firm was at the peak of its pipemaking powers. He brought that expertise to Canada when he founded Dunbar Bagpipe Makers in the 1960s.

Jack's pipes were all made in the Henderson tradition. He was the first pipemaker to create instruments out of polypenco plastic. Perhaps as a result of this, his blackwood pipes were for many years underrated. But they are superbly made instruments with a bold and steady Henderson sound. Their manufacturing standards are very high, which is why I've chosen the company for all my vintage refurb work.

This set was originally mounted in the engraved silver pictured here as well as catalin. The previous owner had the orange catalin replaced with holly, giving a great set of pipes new visual life. Only the original catalin bushes remain.

The finish is original, and this 40-year-old set plays with a bold and steady tone that displays a rich, dominating bass.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,450 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum poly chanter, Kinnaird Evolution drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $4,995  plus shipping
 

SOLD - We've had a run of Atherton MD's in the past month. This is the third set to come up, and coincidentally, all three were made in 2009. The photos here are of the first set. The only differences with the current set is that the blowpipe is brass lined blackwood and the chanter stock is blackwood as well. The blowstick stock is poly, as was Dave Atherton's usual practice. The current set also comes with the original Rocket reeds and a nickel-sleeved mouthpiece

Dave Atherton is regarded by many to be the best pipemaker of modern times. His attention to detail, quality materials and perfect workmanship are legendary. He recently quit making pipes to pursue other ventures, leaving a legacy of around 170 sets, mostly reproductions of a Duncan MacDougall cocuswood bagpipe previously owned by the late Roddy MacDonald of Wilmington, Delaware, and now owned by his son Calum.

The tone is bold and steady with Canning tenors and a Kinnaird bass and the pipes are as steady as any set you will find.

This a collector's item that plays beautifully, by a modern maker who will be remembered long after many others are forgotten.

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As shown, sticks only, with Rocket reeds
CAD $4,350 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum poly chanter, Rocket reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $4,895  plus shipping
 

NOW IN PRODUCTION:  This is a reproduction of a bagpipe made by the MacDougall family in the 1850s and owned by Andreas Hartmann-Virnich in Provence, France. The bagpipe is stamped "McDougall, Perth."

We are unsure whether it was made by Duncan, who began making pipes around 1858, or his father John. These sets are been made exclusively for McGillivray Piping in partnership with David Naill and Company in Someset, England and are part of the expanding "Victorian Line" of vintage reproductions offered by McGillivray Piping.

The sets are made in African blackwood with aged imitation ivory mounts. The blowstick is blackwood with a brass lining.

Bores, profiles and combing were made to the same specifications as the original set. However, after testing, I felt the drones lacked a bit of presence. This could be due to bore shrinkage over 160 years, or different tonal standards in the MacDougall family at this time. In any case, my discussions with Martin Cowell at Naill led us to open up the bore of the bass mid-joint, and to flare the bores of the tenor bells slightly. These seemingly minor changes brought the drones to life. They were very steady with the first set of reeds I put into them. They are robust though not overpowering, with a cradling bass and a fantastic blend with the drones.

These replica sets come with a one-year guarantee against cracking and are priced to make them more accessible than some of the rare vintage sets.


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As shown, sticks only
CAD $2,450, plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, McCalllum MCC2 poly chanter, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $2,995 plus shipping

Note that neither McGillivray Piping Inc nor this instrument are associated with Mr. David Atherton or his company Atherton Bagpipes.
 

NOW IN PRODUCTION:  "The Breadalbane," is a reproduction of a bagpipe made by Duncan MacDougall around 1880.  The name comes from the stamp Duncan MacDougall used on his pipes during the time he lived on the Breadalbane Estate at Taymouth Castle during the 1870s and early 1880s when he was piper to Lord Breadalbane. Pipes he made at this time were stamped "D McDougall, Breadalbane."

This reproduction is made by Dunbar Bagpipes in St. Catharines, Ontario, a superb maker founded by Jack Dunbar in the 1960s. Jack learned his trade at the Henderson shop in the 1940s. Dunbar workmanship, wood and attention to detail are first class.

These sets are made from a limited supply of high-quality blackwood seasoned for 10 years. The projecting mounts are holly, the metal mounts are aluminum, hand-engraved by David Davidse of Truehand Engraving. Both craftsmen have captured 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 a David Glen's. The classic, enveloping Duncan MacDougall bass drone has been captured beautifully.

This bagpipe is also available with closed, beaded aluminum ferrules, beaded ring caps, and plain aluminum slides. ("Beaded" indicates the metal ring encircling one end of the ferrule or the bottom of the ring cap.)

These replica sets come with a one-year guarantee against cracking and are priced to make them more accessible than some of the rare vintage sets.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $2,450 plus shipping
For closed, beaded ferrules and beaded ring caps, and plain aluminum slides (see photos below), add CAD $180

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum poly chanter, Canning tenor drone reeds, Kinnaird bass, bag cover, cords.
CAD $2,995  plus shipping
For closed, beaded ferrules and beaded ring caps, and plain aluminum slides (see photos below), add CAD $180

Note that neither McGillivray Piping Inc nor this instrument are associated with Mr. David Atherton or his company Atherton Bagpipes.

NOW IN PRODUCTION:  This is a reproduction of a tonally spectacular J & R Glen set in cocuswood and ivory, made likely in the 1880s. These sets are been made by pipemaker and restorer Thomas Doucet of Niagara Falls, Ontario (Thomas PIpe Works) and part of the expanding "Victorian Line" of vintage reproductions to be offered by McGillivray Piping.

The sets are made in African blackwood with matching button mounts, and holly ferrules and rings.

Bores, profiles and combing have been made to the same specifications as the original set.

The set is rich and more robust than the more 'mellow' David Glen sets.

Besides being elegant in appearance and engaging in sound, these pipes are as lightweight as any set of pipes you will hold, with the pieces shown in the photo at left weighing in at 3 1/4 lbs.

These replica sets come with a one-year guarantee against cracking and are priced to make them more accessible than some of the rare vintage sets.


Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $2,050, plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, McCalllum MCC2 poly chanter, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $2,595 plus shipping

"Hi Jim - The Edinburgh Glen reproductions have arrived. Cracker jack sound. Light as a feather. What a pleasure to play!"
John Whidden
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
 

SOLD - We've had a bit of a run on Sinclair pipes on the site recently, and I'm always pleased to have them. William Sinclair & Sons have been the most long-standing and consistent modern pipemaker on record, dating from the early 1930s and still making superb pipes in Edinburgh today. Their pipes have won major prizes at all levels.

This set is silver and ivory, hallmarked 1956. When I struck this set up and played it, it reminded me very much of the circa 1950 Sinclair set I played all through the 1980s and with which I won a Gold Medal and the Clasp at Inverness -- same silver pattern, same steady, rich, bright sound.

The pipes are original and complete except for the blowpipe stock, which is a new poly-lined, blackwood reproduction with the original silver mount, and the blowpipe bulb, which is an imitation ivory reproduction with the original silver sleeve.

Aside from this, there are no repairs to the drones; even the original finish was in excellent shape and has been left as is. There is some chipping to the wood at the bottoms of the bells, and to the thin ivory ridge below the beads on some projecting mounts, but I would class all of these as normal wear rather than damage.

While the matching silver sole is no longer present, I do have a stock of engraved silver soles and might be able to find one with a pattern close enough to suit.

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $5,850, plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, MCC2 McCallum solo blackwood chanter, Canning tenor reeds, Kinnaird bass, bag cover, cords.
CAD $6,450 plus shipping

This silver and ivory Hardie bagpipe is hallmarked 1964. Except for some minor chipping on the bottom of one tenor drone bell, the set looks like it was played very little. The original finish is almost perfect. All original ivory hempstops and intact.

The original mouthpiece is missing, but aside from that, all other pieces are original. The only flaw is a crack in the ivory projecting mount on the blowstick, which has been filled. The blowstick has been rebored, since blowsticks of this era tended to be narrow and restrictive.

While the original chanter (not pictured) comes with the set, the silver sole was installed on a 1990s poly Dunbar chanter. This was and is an excellent chanter -- a little lower pitched than today's -- and I saw no reason to change it.

Bob Hardie kept a large cache of well aged wood, and the quality of this wood is reflected in the tuning chambers of these drones, which are perfectly even and required no reaming.

In classic Hardie fashion, the set is steady and easy to reed. The drone sound is mellow, with a nice bass/tenor balance. Though the more subdued drone sound keeps Hardies from being played at the highest solo levels, I find these pipes perfect for a middle-age hobbyist looking for a reliable drone sound that won't overpower the chanter, particularly if the piper's tuning skills are not  yet at a high level.

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As shown, sticks only with 1990s Dunbar chanter (and original Hardie chanter)
CAD $5,150, plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, Canning tenor reeds, Kinnaird bass, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,650 plus shipping

This full ivory set by the Edinburgh firm of William Sinclair and Son was purchased new by the previous owner around 1960.

William Sinclair started business in 1931 and still operates today. They have gained a well-earned reputation as the best and most consistent modern pipemaker. The Sinclair sound is full -- not quite as full as Henderson -- but very rich and bright. I played a Sinclair set throughout the 1980s and won most of my major prizes in Scotland with them.

This set was stripped and refinished, including the chanter. There were no cracks or replacement pieces. The ivory ferrule on the chanter stock has a crack that has been filled. Though quite visible, it is stable and will not cause problems. If you look at the photo of the very typical Sinclair ivory drone caps, you'll see that someone has lightly etched a serial number into each. While visible up close, these do not detract from the overall appearance of ivory.

The set comes with its original Sinclair chanter. Unlike Hardie chanters of the same vintage, which age badly, the majority of good Sinclair chanters made from the 1950s to today still play very well with modern reeds, though at a flatter pitch than today's chanters. 

The lines, mount shapes, ivory and tone are all exemplary on this set:  lots of character here from one of the greatest modern pipemakers in their prime!

Email me about this set.

As shown, sticks only
CAD $4,650 plus shipping

Set up to play - Ross Bag, Canning drone reeds, bag cover, cords.
CAD $5,100  plus shipping

This is one of the most remarkable sets to be exhibited on this site and may well remain part of the permanent collection.

Donald MacPhee lived a brief but significant piping life from 1841 to 1880. He was a seminal piping figure in the 1860s and 1870s as one of the first great non-Gaelic speaking players. Robert Meldrum thought him one of the best players in Scotland, and his playing inspired a teenage John MacColl to save up enough money for a year to move from Oban to Glasgow for lessons from him. He published four important collections of music and ran a very successful bagpipe making business during the 1870s, though examples of his pipes are rare today. When he died at age 38 in 1880, Peter Henderson took over his shop. 

The drones, chanter and blowstick are ebony and appear to be orignal. The combing and beading on the stocks match the pipes, but the stocks themselves don't all match. The silver pattern on the stocks and mouthpiece bulb roughly match the pipes, but is a deeper cut and is hallmarked Peter Henderson 1951. It appears likely the stock ferrules and bulb and perhaps some of the stocks were made by Henderson as replacements to match the pipes at the time of the hallmark. The chanter is almost certainly the original with its barely visible "D McPHEE" stamped across the top. It is low-pitched but remarkably true.

The pipes were owned for many years by Hector MacLean, a pupil of Willie MacLean and John MacDonald of Inverness, and a prominent member of the Scottish Pipers' Association during the 1940s and 1950s.

The tone is full, but smooth and refined, and the overall visual effect of this set is elegant and distinctive. Ongoing research is being conducted on this set.

THIS SET NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED FOR SALE.