Mastering Bagpipe Moisture Control Systems 

Hello Jim, thank you very much for your useful videos, I always can't wait for the next one. What do you think about using the Bannatyne canister system (without the chanter tube) plus a tube and bottle watertrap? Do you think they would be compatible?

Jim... a zipper bag, a tube water trap & Bounty paper towels in the back of the bag have always worked for me. I've been using a Gannaway for the last 15'ish years or so...& I've always thought the bag (& Gannaway seasoning..) helped to control moisture a bit.

What's your opinion on the Drone Dry stocks? I've played them since 2020 and while they are super effective, the stock bore / length is different than most stocks so it will actually change the tuning of the drones because of the stocks' different dimensions - even though they follow old Henderson specs. Most modern stocks seem to be either narrower and/or shorter than the Drone Dry stocks, which causes the stock-based resonance on the C-harmonic on the bass, and ideally but rarely, the E-harmonic on the tenors. Each one is a three-piece stock and the dessicant is contained in the middle portion of the stocks. Because these stocks' dimensions are slightly different, the resonance produced by these stocks is less noticeable because it doesn't quite hit the C-note for the bass nor the E-note for the tenors. Rather they tend to be acoustically tuned to B and D respectively. I did this experiment by closing off the bridles and popping my finger out of the bag-end of the stocks to hear those frequencies. Because B is mathematically between the Low A and C harmonics, both harmonics are equally present on the bass stock, and for the tenors, they're less likely to sympathetically vibrate. John Snow had made adjustable drone stocks so that the lengths produce a perfectly tuned E-harmonic to allow the drones to instantly lock in tune with minimal effort. Wish I had those!

What are your experiences with the Trap-Dri used in a tube trap?