McCallum Bagpipes

McCallum Bagpipes is a company that manufactures Great Highland bagpipes. Founded in 1998, it is based in Kilmarnock, Scotland. The company has worked with bagpiper Willie McCallum to design several products.[1]

McCallum Bagpipes Ltd
TypePrivate
IndustryBagpiping
Founded1998 (1998) in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Founders
  • Stuart McCallum
  • Kenny MacLeod
Key people
OwnerStuart McCallum
Number of employees
34
Websitewww.mccallumbagpipes.com

History

McCallum Bagpipes was founded by Stuart McCallum and Kenny MacLeod in 1998.[2] McCallum began manufacturing bagpipes after MacLeod suggested he create a practice chanter, and eventually, a set of bagpipes. After creating that first set, McCallum and MacLeod founded McCallum Bagpipes Ltd and began manufacturing further sets of bagpipes.

McCallum previously worked for McCrindles Tooling for many years. He used his knowledge of CNC machining to create his own process of manufacturing bagpipes, and strays away from the traditional methods in many ways.[3] Using CNC processes allows McCallum Bagpipes to manufacture bagpipes quickly and consistently. This has also allowed the company to become the highest-volume bagpipe manufacturer in the world, producing 40 sets of bagpipes per week.[3][4]

Bagpipes
McCallum P2

McCallum Bagpipes manufactures bagpipes in African Blackwood and Black Acetyl. The entire manufacturing process is done at the company's factory. Because every part is manufactured on a programmable CNC machine, changes can be made easily to individual sets of bagpipes based on customer requests or design changes.[3] The company also produces practice chanters, bagpipe chanters, bags, and bag hardware.[4]

In 2015, NASA astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren played a set of McCallum bagpipes on the International Space Station. The company made a set of plastic bagpipes specifically for him so they could be easily sanitised and transported to the ISS.[5]

Red Hot Chilli Pipers founder Stuart Cassells uses a special chanter manufactured by McCallum Bagpipes, which uses flute keys instead of the normal holes. This allows him to play the bagpipes having focal dystonia in his right hand.[6]

The MacLeod Ale Brewing Company had McCallum Bagpipes manufacture custom plastic drones to serve as tap handles in their brewery located in Van Nuys, California.[7]

Reeds

McCallum Bagpipes also works with Rory Grossart to make chanter reeds and drone reeds. These instruments are both made of cane, but the company also offer drone reeds made of other synthetic materials.[8]

References
  1. "Willie McCallum leaves accounting for full-time piping". Pipesdrums Magazine. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "U.S. Silver Medal Piobaireachd". Winter Storm. 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  3. "Bagpipe making melds tradition with technology (press release)". Simon Fraser University. 7 August 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. "Way up the Highlands" (PDF). Konecranes. January 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  5. "Astronaut plays bagpipes in space". BBC News. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  6. Coventry, Laura (9 August 2010). "Medical condition almost cost me my career, says Red Hot Chilli Piper founder Stuart Cassells". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  7. Bennett, Sarah (19 June 2014). "Van Nuys' MacLeod Ale Brewing Brings 'Real' Ales to the SFV". LA Weekly. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  8. "Grossart joins Glasgow Police as co-pipe-sergeant". Pipesdrums Magazine. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
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