does anyone know anything about Killberry Bagpipes?

[john ruthe Convener for Alaska]

i am thinking about buying a set of bagpipes and i think that i found a good deal on a set of Killberry Bagpipes, but i do not know anything about them. if anyone has any information it would be greatly appricated. john ruthe convenor of the Clan Muir for Alaska

[John L. Moore Sr ESQ]

All I know was what I read at the web site www.kilberry.com ......

[john ruthe Convener for Alaska]

me too, i was just trying to see if anybody had a set or had heard of someone that did. john

[Victor G. Muir Leeman]

John,
Please don't be offended by this question but, do you play and are these for playing or for ornamental purposes? The reason I ask is that someone on this site recently enquired with the intention of purchasing for the latter purpose.

If they are for playing: How old is the instrument (They can’t be that old as the site states that they only started manufacturing in 1990) and has it been played regularly?

I’ll ask some of my fellow pipers at the band if they know what Kilberry are like!

The best thing to do is, to ask if you can borrow them. If you can, then take them to your nearest and highest available grade pipe band and ask the P/M to give you his opinion. Don’t tell him where you got them or someone else might sneak over and buy them before you do, if they are confirmed to be a good set.


Regards,
Victor

[john ruthe Convener for Alaska]

victor they would be to play, no i don't play yet but am thinking about learning. the pipes will be new from killberry which is why i was asking about them before i buy. John Ruthe Convenor of the Clan Muir for Alaska

[Victor G. Muir Leeman]

John,
I spoke to our Pipe Corporal who has lived in Scotland and played in higher level bands there. He doesn't know anyone who plays Kilberry. However he believes that if they are new then they should be good.

Do you intend to learn with a band or privately? If with a band, then again I would recommend asking the Pipe Major. They may have a band set that you can borrow once you get onto pipes. You can use those until you make a more thorough investigation or canvas more people’s opinions.

There are many different opinions on which make to go for. Some people recon you can’t beat an Old set of Henderson’s and so on. I had a beautiful set of Fully Silver Mounted Grainger and Campbell’s but sold them about 15 years ago when I had given up playing and wanted to buy a boat. Now I will never find a set as good again.

Regards,
Victor

[david sutherland muir]

Hi John,hello to you,In part reply to your question I recommend a book called "Piobaireachd and its interpretation" which is a study done by Seumas Macneil and Frank Richardson,books by roderick d Cannon are also helpful.Killberry of course is familiar to me as I am an Argyll man by birth and breeding and many of the tunes that led highlanders into battle are from the Killberry book.hope this helps.aye yours david