Gibson Bagpipes compare Blackwood vs Mopani

Blackwood is getting scarce and mopani is a second choice that has a good sound but keeps the cost reasonable and lower than blackwood while still giving the warmth of a wod tone

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Premiere_Elements_7

[davidgunnells]

Have you considered using blackwood that is sustainably harvested? Look up Sound & Fair (@ sustainableblackwood [dot] org)

[GibsonBagpipes]

We posted this video to show that alternate woods make an excellent bagpipe are available for bagpipes and give an excellent sound. Blackwood is expensive and Alterrnate woods can offer a cost saving to the beginner by at least $100-150 dollars.

[PuYanHui]

Wow the bass drone is incredibly different. The tenor drones not so much so. You can hear a kind of hard, buzzing stridency. It's a very insistent and in your face kind of sound.

While I'm a VERY big fan. I mean VERY big fan of your pipes my strong hope is that you find a way to compete with the chinese!

I would be interested in hearing a side by side comparison of the cocobolo vs AB

I cant say I usually support American companies but YOU I support. The sound is the best I've heard Tony

[GibsonBagpipes]

Hello Tony thanks for the comment.. Coca Bola is fine for practice chanters and small pipes but I am not happy with the claruty of the harmonics to the chanter with Coca Bola drones.. Mopani has almost the same resonance as Blackwood. I look for the drones to have a depth and breadth of sound as well as having the clarity of harmonics between drones and chanter, remember the drones can enhance your sound or distract from it depending on what you have and the way you set them up

Jerry

[NCPiper]

Jerry - perhaps talk to Murray Huggins regarding his source for the new composite material he is using.

[GibsonBagpipes]

Many thanks for your information . The chap that makes this material contacted me awhile ago.. I'm more into wood tones, bweing an old timer. I do use Delrin and Celcon for some products and as a pipe maker we are looking for blackwood substitutes but are concentrating on maintaining the wood. Again many thanks for your imput

Jerry Gibson

[piper102206]

*purpleheart



[piper102206]

Have you looked at purple hart wood? What is your thought on it?

[theherpman94]

I have a set of cocobolo pipes made by Roddy Maclellan. I also have a cocobolo concert pitch chanter. I think the harmonics are very clear and clean, and the pipes have a warm, rich, mellow, loud, but not thunderous tone. I've never played a Gibson, but I've heard nothing but great things about them.

[piperbob2]

I can recommend pipes made out of Acetyl / Polypenco. They look like Blackwood, sound as good as Blackwood, won't crack or warp, so ideal for all climates. My first set came from Dunbar in Canada, and my second set of Acetyl pipes were made by McCallums of Kilmarnock, Scotland. With engraved nickel mounts, it looks just like a fully silver-mounted set worth £4,000, but cost less than a quarter of that !

[Offtofott]

Very interesting. 5*

[sacredsong]

the mopani has a much more richer and deeper sound than the blackwoods and a much more open harmonic series it sounds like.

[resto776]

dammit, china!

[PuYanHui]

Personally, if it were me... I'd consider super hard acrylic plastics as opposed to rubbery delrin. If its the hardness of the wood that is desired then acrylic is even harder, even in texture and incredibly easy to fabricate.

I'm a HUUUUGE fan of Gibson B-Pipes but, IMHO, mopani is just not the sound. When I get another set it will be a set of Gibsons. I had a set a number of years ago but sold it. HUGE mistake. :-)