Technical Information

Pipe Drones

Most sets in use are R.G.Hardie set # 2, bought during 1990-2000, but there is another range of sets in use that date back to the 1940s. We also have a set of pipes that we believe was used during the Boer War, but we avoid using this set due to its historical value.

Pipe Chanters

The pipe chanters in use until 1991 were a mixture of 1960's-1990 mostly Hardie chanters. The quality of the tuning was obviously very limited. Today, we use a set of 1990 matched Warnock chanters, that were bought from the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band in 1991. We have since added 5 more of the same chanters for trainees.

The Band only uses the Hardie Chanters (post 1990) when the pipes must tune in with universal instruments (for example church organs), given that the Low A is closer to 440 Hz with these chanters than with the Warnocks.

Chanter Reeds

Until about 1994, the Band preferred Hardie reeds, regardless of the chanters in use. Since then, the Band has used sets of chanter reeds from many other suppliers and makers (always one brand at a time) such as: Michael MacHarg, Warnock, McRostie, Chris Apps, and others. At present, we are using R.T.Shepherd, and testing MacAllisters on the sidelines.
 

Drone Reeds

The band used to supply the pipers with cane drone reeds on a regular basis (as still is the case of the chanter reeds). Nevertheless, since the invention of synthetic drone reeds, the Band has gradually transferred the responsibility of drone reed supply to each piper. 

This is due to the differences of usage, opinions and prices involved with synthetic drone reeds. Today, the Band does not normally supply drone reeds, nor has a policy of which reeds should be used. Therefore pipers are free to use whichever drone reeds work best for them. 
The only restriction is that the drone reeds must be highly reliable, stable and tune in correctly with no hassle. Drone reed brands in use today include Champion, Wygent Synthedrone, Shepherd (1st and 2nd generation), and EZ Drone. 

 
 
Pipe Bags

Again, Hardie used to be the Band's only supplier of the pipe bags and their world famous airtight seasoning. The bags, in general would either come tied to new sets of pipes or in the bottom of some volunteer's suit case travelling from the U.K. to Argentina. As far as the seasoning is concerned, the Band always had trouble getting it to Argentina. 

For many years pipers experimented with homemade blends of seasonings. As from the moment that the Canmore pipe bags entered the market, synthetic bags have been widely accepted within the Band. Lasting between 5 and 10 years of intensive use, and the need of almost no maintenance, have been the main attractions to this kind of pipe bag. At present, most pipers in the Band use Canmore bags, and we are testing Shepherd's Hide/Regulator pipe bag.

 

Pipe Covers, Cords, & Ribbons

Since the early 1970s, the Band used Royal Stewart bag covers (matching the uniforms). Given that the bag covers were mostly home-made by each piper (and this happened for many years); the Band ended up having so many different Royal Stewart covers that no two were alike! 

In the early 1990s, the Band changed to black corduroy covers with white fringes, and has used this design since. The cords and tassels, all wool, are still Royal Stewart colours. The ribbons were perhaps the first items that the Band started not having enough for all pipers.

Many years of no reliability for the supply of goods through the mail (no local supplier of -small- tartan for ribbons) also limited the use of ribbons on the pipes. Again, in the early 1990s, the usage of the ribbons was finally dropped in strive for a more uniform image of the Band.
 
 
Drums

The drums have changed many times since the 1950s. The first drums were donated by the Royal British Legion during the 1960s, and some of them were still in use until the early 1980s.

The first bass drum was cord-tensioned. The Band replaced this one for a more recent model in the late 1970s. 
The snare drums used during the 1980s were the Premier RS-41 (with Kevlar drumheads). During 1989, the Band manufactured two new tenor drums out of locally available components, in order to replace an assorted group of tenors in use until then. In 1991, the Band bought four Premier HTS-200, two matching tenor drums and a 22" Bass drum (white set).

One of the new tenor drums got stolen in 1996, and a new matching set was bought in 1998. The remaining white tenor drum (one of the two bought in 1991) and the ones made in the late 1980s are kept for pupils during Band practices.

 

Uniforms

During the 1950s the band members played with their own kilts. As the first few members had kilts with green background tartans (mostly Mackenzie), the following members accordingly borrowed or bought similar kilts. The uniforms tops were at first a white shirt, and later this changed to a shirt-tie-jacket arrangement. The first jackets used were khaki, and later these were changed for white ones.

In 1969, the Band bought 16 new uniforms (made by Thomas Gordon & Sons) and changed the green and white image for red Royal Stewart kilts & plaids together with black military doublets. Most of these uniforms are still in use. The doublets are reserved for VIP occasions. The most used uniform-top at present is a white shirt. For cold weather, in the early 1990s, we incorporated green woolly-pulleys to our regalia .

The headgear has also varied since the 1950s. The Band started using bonnets and glengarries, according to availability. Since mid 1960s, the Band has used glengarries with black and white cock feathers. In 1990, the Band bought a set of feather bonnets, but uses them on a sporadic basis.

As a consequence of the January 1999 trip to Scotland (see Band in Brief), we ordered 8 new kilts, doublets and plaids, and these were delivered ending year 2000.