I grew up in a Scots household and attended various Highland Games each Summer as a child. As you would expect this planted the seed to one day learn to play the bagpipes. In the late 1990s I started practicing on a small chanter and soon began looking for a full set of pipes to buy. Delrin or polypenco pipes were a good entry level set and affordable but I wanted a traditional set of pipes in real wood. Unfortunately at $1200+ the African blackwood versions were out of my budget. Cheaper rosewood versions were available from overseas but I had heard their quality was very poor. I then thought: why not construct my own set by buying the chanter, bag, reeds, and drones separately. It seemed like a great idea but I soon found that of all the parts available no one sold drones outright. Then I stumbled across the website of Peter Crisler of Middletown, Kentucky.

Not only did he fabricate drones in his own workshop but he sold them in kit form. Along with African blackwood versions he also made sets in Bois De Rosewood. Not to be confused with the rosewood used for cheap bagpipes, Bois De Rosewood is from the same family as African blackwood but is lighter in weight. Its also less expensive. This meant I was able to get a set of new drones for $475 which was his price in 1999. I decided on a full mount set and a few weeks later I received an exciting package in the mail. Inside were drones and stocks covered in bubble-wrap. Freshly machined the wood had an exotic peppercorn-like smell and a deep, reddish brown color. The wood was very hard and tapping on it produced a clinking sound similar to ceramic.I had decided on imitation ivory mounts which Crisler machined himself. Originally pure white they have aged to a cream color. His design uses a larger "chalice" style for the top of each drone. I think he said his wife handmade the blue bag I selected.

BELOW: The pipes are patterned after MacDougalls. From online: "For four generations from 1792 to 1910, MacDougall bagpipes established standards in sound and performance that have been the benchmark for players and makers during their time and thereafter. To this day, the many MacDougall instruments that have survived attract great attention and acclaim".