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Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe Model P3 by J. Dunbar Ltd. of Canada |
 J. Dunbar Ltd, of Canada Model P3 Great Highland Bagpipe |
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J. Dunbar Ltd. Practice Chanters & Outfits, upgraded "Kitchen Pipes," Clanrye Synthetic Chanter Reeds, Electronic Practice Chanters, Teaching Videos, Tutorials and more: Catalog Index Page. |
| Please read the descriptive material about the Model P1 - much of it applies to the P3, and the following text only addresses differences between the two models. |
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The fundamental difference between the P3, pictured above, and the P1 lies in external appearance. The P1 follows an "antique" or "chalice" design, from a time before the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe incorporated fancy trim and turnings. The antique design is very streamlined and to many eyes most attractive; it is also more simple to manufacture as there is neither a lot of complicated detail turning nor are there extra trim pieces on the drone sections. However, many pipers - especially those playing with (or planning to play with) pipe bands - want what is today considered a more conventional-looking Highland pipe. This means a "modern" external design, incorporating (imitation) ivory trim and considerably more (and different) external decorative turnings. The Model P3 answers this need. The P3 is machined (not molded) from the same incredibly tough material, Delrin, as the P1 and Dunbar's practice chanters. This material looks like Blackwood and accepts very fine detail when turned skillfully; the result is drop-dead gorgeous, especially with the very high-grade (and surprisingly expensive, by the way) material Dunbar uses as imitation ivory, which has a rich creamy color that looks just right. Below are two close-up photographs of detail on the P3.  Dunbar P3, tenor drone end, detail.  Dunbar P3, lower bass and tenor drone area, detail. Internally there is no difference between the P1 and the P3 except for one thing - the P3 uses traditional wrapped yellow hemp thread at the static and sliding joints, rather than the O-rings employed in the P1. This is a concession to tradition - the lower portions of the wrappings on the tuning pins of the drones are often visible when the pipe is being played, and the hemp there "looks right." Personally, I'm a fan of O-rings and was using them on pipes made by myself as early as 1972 (so far, I've not heard of earlier O-rings on bagpipes...). However, in all-synthetic pipes like the Dunbar P-series instruments the danger of hemp wrappings is eliminated - the possibility of too much hemp on a joint swelling and splitting the wood, or jamming so tightly that the amount of force needed to separate the parts invites disaster. Also, the Delrin doesn't expand or contract with moisture changes as does wood, so one need not worry about the fit of the hemp from that standpoint, and of course damp hemp can't cause mildew or rot in the Delrin. Replacing and/or adjusting the fit of the hemp wrappings is easy and can be learned by any piper. Acoustically, there is no difference between the P1 and P3, as the bores are identical. The P3 and the P1 are now being supplied with Dunbar's newly designed chanter. This chanter is the result of extensive collaboration between the pipemakers at Dunbar and a number of world-class pipers. The firm is quite excited about this new chanter, and expects that pipers will be purchasing it separately for use in their pipes, of whatever make. Therefore the new chanter is fitted with hemp, rather than O-rings, so that it can be used on just about any bagpipe, Dunbar or not. The P3 and the P1 are the most popular models of Dunbar's line of synthetic pipes. There are others, as well as Dunbar's Blackwood pipes. We can provide any of these, as well as any combinations of features from differing models. |
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Ordering Information: The Dunbar Model P3 Great Highland Bagpipe Options and Enhancements for Dunbar Bagpipes Setting Up, Playing & Maintaining Dunbar Great Highland Bagpipes The Dunbar Model P1 Great Highland Bagpipe |
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