McCallum Folk Pipes - Unboxing & Play Test! Blackwood drones with Mopane/Alloy mounts! 

That is a kicking tune at the end

The whisky tasting was a welcome surprise to go along with my pipe fantasies

From someone that’s been piping for 20 years, but had to take a break to get a few things on track, I wanted to take a moment to say your videos like this have been a pleasure and your intro videos have been excellent refreshers now that I’m getting back into it. I’m also a teacher by profession, I have taught bagpipes in the past (but I mainly teach chemistry). You have a solid method for passing along information. Thank you for your content.

Thanks Matt currently considering my small/folk pipes options this is a great sounding set

Thank you for all your help with learning how to get into and play the pipes.

Watching this video just made the thought of going smallpipes more tempting. I like the more mellow sound and the high A doesn’t make me want to back up 5,000 feet lol. Only been practicing for 6 months so not ready yet. Hmm, playing with a pipe band versus playing indoors for whomever. I like the shoulder style of these as opposed to across the chest as well

Loving that each play test you play hector the hero as i am starting to get my ear in on pipes again and can hear when you start to play. Also that song on small pipes does sound different but amazing.

I am considering at getting a set of folk pipes to use as a practice set to use in my house.

Those drones sound sensational. Great video Matt. Thanks.

I have a set in all poly and I love them, great fun to play and good sound! Love to play fancy stuff on them and Christmas tunes! McCallum is a great company ! I enjoy the tastings too! Thanks Mat

Those McCallum folk pipes almost sound like the set of mouth blown small pipes that I have. I have set of Piper's choice traditional mouth-blown small pipes. They're just as awesome as playing the regular great highland bagpipes. I actually started with the practice chanter and went straight on to highland bagpipes, but I decided to order myself a set of mouth blows small pipes, to still have a bagpipe in between my practice chanter, and playing the big set of bagpipes. I do not own my own set of Big Island bagpipes yet, but that is in the near future. However, I am at least happy that I at least have a bagpipe to play. Yes I do play the great highland bagpipes, but I also have a small pipe to play, that way I don't have to be obnoxiously loud, even in an apartment setting.

Very nice! Thanks! Happy holidays! 🌞🎅🏻🎄🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎄

Wow, maybe I should have started on the "Small" pipes. Enjoy the pairing.

Love the sound of those! Thanks a ton for all the content!

These folk pipes sure look and sound the business! I even had a dram with you when watching the unboxing Matt! I have a set of Gibsons' in A with a Blackwood chanter/synthetic reed that gives a more mellow tone. Also a poly chanter which is not as accurate note-wise, so I use the b/wood which I prefer anyway. Great for home practice, especially running up to an engagement. I too prefer the over the shoulder playability over bellows.

Yet again, another great video. lovely pipes, very tempting Cheers

Excellent as always, your very very talented. Wish i lived near you so i could have lessons to improve.

Thanks! 🙂😎

I really want one now.

Great video , nice wee pipes, loved the tasting part ,Glenlivet single malt lovely 👍

It looks almost like a hybrid between a Great Highland Bagpipe & a Smallpipe

Great video matt

Hi Matt I've just placed an order for the blackwood set I should get them before xmas 😁I use to have a ploy set a few years ago and loved them unfortunately I needed to sell them but I can now afford the blackwood set, love watching your videos your very informative and down to earth.

Love the shirt!

North Texas! Me too. Plano Texas.

I have the poly version of these; I love them! I wish the chanter had counter-sunk holes, but other than that they work pretty well. I'm going to try a Dunfion poly smallpipes chanter in A and see if that will work with these.

Wow. Big box

The tape on the box looked very familiar. Henderson’s.... Yippee!!😁

I love how these sound! Would these make for a good indoor/practice set when the family and neighbors would prefer not to hear the Great Highland set, but I would prefer to practice on more than just a practice chanter?

Woot!

Might have to switch to these from the fireside pipes.

Hey, I'm going to buy a set of these. Definitely better than my current set of smallpipes. Personally, I'm starting to dislike the sound of a hunk of plastic in my chanter, so all the more reason. I have a video of the ones I currently have on my channel.

very beautiful video. I find it fascinating that whiskey is included. Very great sound. Do you have any advice on how I can start again after my broken arm? I hope I don't have to start all over again. keep on going

As good as they sound they kinda remind me of the music from the old Robin hood game on the original Nintendo

If needed, you can send the blow stick back directly to McCallum's, they will shorten it for you (At least they did for me on my folk pipes.) so the appearance of the blowstick won't be altered and will still look lovely). (I emailed them first.)

How is the playing pressure compared to the GHB? Curious I had surgery on my sinus cavity and it's a bit painful to play my pipes even 4 months later.

from bagpipe channel to alcohol channel back to a bagpipe channel, very unique.

Could a twist trap work with these pipes, to continue my practicing or do I need to purchase a new chanter and blow pipe? Thank you… Love your segments. 👍🏽

Your channel make me want to empty my bank account completely, man... but I can't look away...

Awesome vid, was going to ask you to do one on this set. May God bless me with a set somehow I can leave to !y local Fireman's pipers to help out some kid that wants to learn.

Amazing, your timing is perfect I have been looking into buying a set just like that one, but thought may be changing the bag for a hybrid and even may be a smaller one, to match the smaller pipes, what do you think? Again thank you, your timing is perfect!!!!

Does anyone know how to increase the chanter volume? Mine are super low volume. I tried 2 Shaw reeds. Thank You!

Great show lad…… I’m just learning how to play the pipes and your show has been a great influence on that but what I really want to know is where do you get the tartin wallpaper… L O L… It does look pretty ,cool anyway…. keep on roc-kin……

Great vid! How does the volume compare to twisttrap pipes and the full highland pipes? Am struggling to find a spot to play the latter in London!

Hi, maybe an alternative to the McCallum 'small pipes'. Price is the same, but what is the difference? Is it just the drone size? I'm still in the process to look for a set and don't know Hardie Twist, McCullum Small or McCallum Folk. Today i use the McCallum goose with a lot of fun.

Hi Matt....I am enjoying watching your unboxing...Could you tell me what is the tune that you play at time 13:45?

Believe it or not mccallums is like 15 minutes from my house, it's weird watching you playing them lol.

Hi Matt. I started my piping journey after being given an old set of David Glen Parlour Pipes (miniature pipes). I had a local pipe maker here in Australia restore them and they are beautiful but I’ve never had great results from the chanter which has been reeded with a practice chanter reed. Can you tell me, is the reed in your set a standard size, or custom made for the set?

T+ op of the Day!, I have a Folck Pipe of McCallum, I placed a plastic small pipe chanter Reed in the chanter, and when i play the lover notes, it makes whistely an creeky sound while i play... not allways, but very frequently.... I cheked for little air running in different parts of the pipe, and they are not, but the lower notes of the chanter still sound so improvvisably bad while playing, I placed the chanter in very deep, but the problem remains..... What I must do , to obtain a clean sound?

Please feature these in more videos. Did you ever get around to making mini cords for them? You mentioned making some in the video of the new bag cover you got for them.

Do these use the same chanter reed as other (i.e. lap or bellows-blown) small pipes?

Good on you Matt. you have confirmed my choice to sell my bellows blown smallpipes and get some McCallum Folk Pipes. They sound and look lovely and i would much rather over the shoulder drones. and how good do those drones sound? again great video and thanks.

Have you found the need to tape the chanter at any point or does movement of the reed correct most tuning issues you've had? Also I haven't gotten mine to "strike" in as the highland pipe does, seems to be too much for the cane reed I have. Thanks

Even better, on the shoulder. Still like the twist trap for seated indoor use maybe. Are these 440 as well? “This almost makes me look normal-sized people!” Nearly sprayed my beer! Bonus whisky tasting! Slainte!

Matt, What tune are you playing at 9:40? Thank you. ;)

Hey, Matt, where'd you get the T-shirt? It's great!

I have a plastic set of McCallum folk pipes. Having trouble getting an affordable chanter Reed.. I ordered a reed but it showed up cracked. Frustrating paying $65 for a cracked reed. Mine does have zipper bag.

Hey Matt, I'm having a hard time getting my set tuned up and I can't find any literature on the scale or the frequency it is to be tuned. I ended up tuning the drones to high A and it seems acceptable. From what I've read the low A is supposed to be 440, but I'm reading in the 200s. Am I missing something here?

How loud are these? I'm trying to get a feel for where they can be played? If played with other instruments will the pipes be heard? Will they overpower other instruments? How do they compare to GHB and to a practice chanter?

How do these compare to the Piper's Choice Small Pipes?

Hi Matt. I have a set of drone reeds that have adjustable screws on the bottom...what exactly are these for. I'm from the old cane reed school. Thank you.

what is the tune at 9:42? It sounded like some type of slow air. What is the tune name?

I LOVE THE BAGPIPES AND I LOVE THE SOUND THEY MAKE THEY TAKE ME BACK TO WHEN MY CLASSMATES IRISH LEVEL LOST HIS LIFE TO A SMOKER THAT MADE ME ANGRY I JUST LOST IT THERE'S A LAW NAMED AFTER HIM CALLED ROBERT EVAN MAKENZIE LAW SMOKERS NOW HAVE TO SMOKE OUTSIDE THEY DON'T LIKE IT

are they louder than hardie twist traps?

Matt, the scale is different on this set, how dose one play any tune, can you explain, do they send a explanation with the set?

Hey Matt love your videos. Question.. I bought a set of these and I love them. My issue is I can only play with the cane reed for about 20-30 minutes... then it goes way sharp. I'm assuming it's moisture that's causing it. My set has the same setup as yours with moisture control system. I've checked all the connections with the moisture system and moved the bridle on the reed up and down, no change. Just wondering if you've encountered this at all?

What is the tune at the end called?

Hello.. Can i know what song that u play at time 11.45? Its sound familiar😁 thankz

Almost sold on this set due to being mostly indoors but wonder how they would stand up to cold or hot temps outside? Also wonder if the drones are standard length, just smaller on diameter? I do worry they may be very fragile . After hearing how poly pipes go out of tune more frequently I'm seriously looking at this set and these are my last questions. You've been great at replies, thanks so much.

Any problems with moisture?

Matt, would fill pipes be good for an 11 year old? Seems like a smaller version of regular pipes. Thanks

Are they harder to blow than smallpipes or require more air like the highland bagpipe?

Hey Matt compared to the RG Hardie Twist Trap?

Can you tell us how a Braw Tuner would be used with these

What is the tune played at 9:30?

If you're still playing this set, how is the cane reed working in a mouth-blown set? That's the thing that would scare me about these.

Hi, watching your video made me want to play a legit bagpipe once again :D. I'm an Asian and I have pretty much only been using practice chanter I bought a long time ago which was made in Pakistan.... I'm finally trying to get a formal set of highland bagpipes, but the customs tax for foreign instruments is pretty bad in here... which is pretty sad. So could you recommend me a bagpipe for beginners? I don't care if it has synthetic/ plastic drones, since no one here pretty much doesn't know the difference. I'm looking at $500 range, but will be thinking about affording some more... Do you think it's impossible to meet my expectation..? ; Are the bagpipes that are $500 just made in Pakistan and pretty much unplayable? Thank you!

I really with all bagpipe covers have zippers

Are you originally Canadian, because you don't sound Texan, no offence just curious.

F sounds a bit wonky, no?

Nice pipes but just jumped $200.00 in price.

Matt, your videos are extremely beneficial so thank you! Ive been playing Gibson fireside pipes and curious as to what amount of breath/pressure is needed for the folk pipes? Are they quite similar to small pipes or in between SSP and GHP? Thanks for your input.. I'm seriously considering buying a set.