The Ross Returns!!
(For a general commentary on electronic practice chanters and pipes see this page.)
We are pleased to again recommend and offer the Ross electronic bagpipe/practice chanter. We supplied quite a few of the original Ross e-pipes and heard nothing but good reports from satisfied customers. The original model was eventually replaced by one with new circuitry that included several interesting "bells & whistles" (including emulations of some non-bagpipe instruments). Unfortunately, that new model also suffered from problems with sound quality - some sort of internal interference that was especially noticeable when using the instrument with good earphones and with the drones shut down. We hoped for a time that there would be an easy fix, but that didn't happen and so we reluctantly withdrew the Ross from our catalog.
After quite some time, late in 2003, we were told by our Canadian associates that the maker had decided to abandon the new design and to again issue the original, with several carefully applied enhancements. After evaluating a prototype we have now returned the Ross, in this new incarnation, to our line and are happy to report that it is again a solid performer.
The new model Ross has a more powerful speaker than the original, which is nice when needed. It has the capability of playing in various keys, and of course can be played with or without the drones. Finger spacing remains at standard Great Highland Bagpipe intervals and finger pad sensitivity is very high. A nice effect is available by switching on a "harmony feature," which makes the instrument sound like a pair of pipes playing in unison. There is of course a standard earphone jack. The Ross remembers its last volume setting when it's switched on, which is a handy time-saver. The mute button of the original is retained. The toggle switches of the original, which were prone to snagging on things, are replaced by button switches.
With its drones, speaker, key-changing capability and "harmony feature" the Ross is a lot of fun, both for the player and (hopefully) listeners. With the drones switched off and earphones employed, it serves as a serious and silent (to the world) practice chanter. It's also a great tool to hand back and forth between teacher and student, or between piping friends working out a tune or setting. If you don't need the ultra-portability (or the professional level sound quality) of either of the Fagerstroms, and if cost is a concern, then the Ross is a good choice.
Update, Late Summer, 2005: It's been well over a year since the above described revamped model Ross has been available and we have supplied many of them to pipers and students all over the world. We are happy to report that they are holding up to our expectations. We have had nothing but good reports from our customers and there have been no warranty issues or other problems at all.
A Report From A Beginning Piper
I think I have been using the chanter long enough to give you a report.... Succinctly, it is a great tool. The headphones let me practice in circumstances that were impossible before. Another benefit is that it allows me to work on new fingering and movements
repeatedly without gasping for breath. The fingering is very responsive
with any cross over noises being easily detectable ... I was like a kid on Christmas day and had the chanter on
most of the day. Obviously it won't replace a regular practice chanter because it is a little
too forgiving on finger placement and you will never develop any wind on
this machine, but it is definitely worth the money for anyone who wants to
seriously increase their practice time. (Jim F., Kansas)
(Note: We include these comments in the descriptions of both of the e-chanters we offer - they apply equally to both, and to all other e-chanters as well.)
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Another Letter: An Experience With An Amplified Ross
I wanted the full effect so I purchased a set of mini Bose speakers to hook into the [Ross Electronic Bagpipe]. I was serious about taking charge of my neighbourhood!!! My anticipation turned to frustration and disappointment on the first day with the electronic pipes and speakers. I couldn't get this thumping interference out of the system. I connected, disconnected, connected again, cursed, vowed to go and live in a non-tech Amish colony, and put them away for supper. I decided after supper to methodically try to work through the problem, initially by playing very slowly. Well, I became a very humbled "piper" that evening because I came to the realization that the "interference" on the electronic pipes was my crossovers and slurring on finger movements. The effect was there on the electronic pipes alone but it was lost on me at first because I thought it was just the product of (the built-in) small monaural speaker. I now know better.
As soon as I started to clean up my playing the notes sounded as clear as a bell. So, I would say that anyone who is serious about his or her piping, and is into quality control and ongoing self-evaluation, get access to these pipes and presumably any speaker system. The pipes are great for more than just practising. I now go back to them on a regular basis just to check how "clean" my piping is. It is easy in the heat of playing a tune to miss the quality of our piping at the micro level. The pipes and speakers don't lie. If there is a "thump" it means I didn't play cleanly. My fingering and quality of play has improved in just the short time I have had these Ross pipes and Bose speakers. (Norm L., Calgary)
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Price: Ross Technologies Electronic Bagpipe: US $255.00
Shipping Costs: $10.00 via Insured Priority Mail (Domestic U.S.)
Stock Status:
The Ross E-pipe is in stock, available for immediate shipment.
GENERAL ORDERING INFORMATION
Contact & Queries:
Please feel free to contact us by email at bagpipes@hotpipes.com or by telephone at (707) 937-1626 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Pacific Coast time (GMT minus 7- 8 hours), seven days per week. We suggest you do so if you have any questions and especially if you have any doubt about the suitability for you of your intended purchase. We're anxious that you get what you need, and we're not interested in selling you something you don't need!
Payment:
We can accept payment in many different ways from just about anywhere in the world:
Credit Cards: We accept Visa, MasterCard, AmEx and Discover credit cards by three methods:
- 1. By telephone: This is the least complicated method and provides you the immediate opportunity to review the details of your order with us;
- 2. By email: We suggest splitting the information between two messages for security (not that we've ever had any problems). We will need:
- the card number & expiration date;
- the name and billing address associated with the card;
- the shipping address if that's different than the above.
- 3. On Line: We have a secure shopping-cart system on line through which you may use your credit card directly for purchases of most (but not all) items. Please pay attention to the instructions within this system regarding payment for shipping costs. Click on the credit card logos near the the bottom of this page to access this system.
Note: This secure system is administered by PayPal. You do not need to have (or need to establish) a PayPal account to use it. While free for you, the fees at our end are rather high, so we prefer, if it's not inconvenient for you, either of the first two methods above (both of which also provide direct contact with us, which can be helpful in making sure you are getting what you want and need.) International customers, please contact us for special instructions regarding shipping costs before using this system.
PayPal: We accept payments from the US and internationally directly through PayPal , which we have been using for years with zero problems. Our PayPal account is under bagpipes@hotpipes.com. Expect an email acknowledgement from us in addition to the automatic one from PayPal. If you prefer (or if you aren't so familiar with PayPal) we can send you a "request for payment" through the PayPal system.
Other Payment Methods: We cheerfully accept personal checks, money orders, wire transfers, bank drafts, cash and so on. Let us know your preferences (or problems) and we'll work with you.
Prices:
The prices on this site are in U.S. dollars and are current. We never issue surprises in this regard. There is no fine print about fluctuating currency exchange rates or such. You may find some lower posted prices elsewhere, but you will also find dealers who don't update their sites, and/or who add qualifiers to their stated prices, and/or who do not actually stock what they sell, and/or who provide little if any real customer service. Not here.
We can offer modest discounts on quantity purchases of some items - feel free to inquire.
Inventory:
We stock what we sell. Occasionally there are unpredictable runs on items, and/or short re-supply delays. If an item is going to be out of stock for more than a few days you will find a notice to that effect at the top of this box. Fine bagpipes and bagpipe accessories are made in small lots by meticulous craftspeople, not mass-produced & warehoused, and buying them should not be viewed like zipping down to the 7-Eleven for a six-pack. Feel free to ask us to reserve items for you, even if you're not quite ready to order - it will help us, and avoid a possible delay for you.
Shipping:
Domestic (US) Shipping: We usually ship the next business day after an order is received. We normally ship by U.S. Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation, except for small items such as reeds and CDs which are normally shipped First Class. Standard shipping costs are listed with each item's price. We do not attempt to profit on shipping and charge no "handling" fees or such. Our packages are insured by a private company (DSI Insurance) so no signature is required on delivery of most packages. (This also means packages can be left if no one is home - a good thing for most people, but if that might be a problem please let us know.) Priority Mail has been very reliable and fast, taking three days or less to cross the country. If faster shipping is required we can provide Express Mail (two days from here to most US locations) or Federal Express - but be aware that these services are pricey. If you are ordering more than one item, please contact us for shipping costs, which will be less than the total of the respective amounts. We guarantee delivery and in the very rare event of a lost or damaged shipment, we send a replacement first and worry about the insurance etc. later. We ship to APO and other military addresses at no extra charge.
International Shipping: If you're not in the US or at a US military address, please email us for shipping options and costs. We ship something overseas just about every day, so we can offer advice based on experience. We send most medium-size packages (practice chanter outfits, electronic pipes, Kitchen Pipes, etc.) by postal Global Priority Mail, which costs only very slightly more than ordinary airmail and is safe and fast.
Warranties:
We stand by everything we offer, as do the manufacturers and our suppliers. We sell only properly made, high-quality items in the first place, so problems are altogether rare. In the unlikely event of any difficulties, you will be dealing with us on an immediate and personal level. If necessary, we will deal with the maker or distributor of the item on your behalf - we are a major customer of most of them, and have a bit of clout. We (and the makers of the items we sell) are keenly interested in maintaining our hard-won reputations for quality and excellent service, and we do whatever it takes to keep our customers happy!
To Order by Telephone:
(707) 937-1626
From 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Coast time (GMT minus 7 - 8 hours), seven days per week.
To Order by Email:
bagpipes@hotpipes.com
We try to answer all email within a few hours - rarely, a day at most. If you don't hear from us, something's wrong - try giving us a phone call.
To Order by Mail:
please send your payment to:
Oliver Seeler
Universe of Bagpipes
P.O. Box 447
Albion, California 95410
Please make your check or money order payable to Oliver Seeler.
To Order On Line by Credit Card:
Click on the above logo
To Order Using:
Go to your PayPal account and initiate payment to bagpipes@hotpipes.com
Always feel free to ask questions and thanks for your interest!
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See the Fagerstrom Technochanter electronic practice chanter
See the new Fagerstrom Technopipe , a full e-pipe
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Copyright 2002-2007, Oliver Seeler, Universe of Bagpipes
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