I am honored to share a review from Paul Greinke, a piper with over five decades of experience. Paul’s story is a special one, after undergoing spinal surgery, his heavy MacCallum pipes became too difficult to shoulder. He turned to Hakam Din looking for a lighter, high-quality alternative that wouldn't break the bank.
Paul purchased "just sticks and stocks" which included the Chanter, Drones, Mouthpiece and Stocks. He was thoroughly impressed by what he received, so much that he shared his honest review on both Facebook and Google.
This is my third purchase from Hakam Din, the factory and its representatives have communicated nicely with me, they will do whatever it takes to customize an order!
I took a chance and sent for their new Henderson copy pipes. Most professional pipers scoff at Pakastani pipes. My MacCallums became too heavy to play after 2 spinal fusions and I wasn’t going to pay $1000+++ for a new set of name brand pipes!
I ordered sticks and stocks only, wanting to set them up as needed. They came and are really pretty and very light! I put them in a Bannatyne medium zipper bag and installed Ezeedrones. I needed to shorten the blowstick just over an inch so I turned it down on the lathe.
The supplied flap valve was a bit stiff so I replaced it with a softer one. The supplied chanter tunes at an absolutely perfect B flat 466Hz and is extremely linear, I was shocked! I also have a MacCallum concert A chanter and this chanter will be perfect for playing with rock bands!
Knowing this and that our band tunes in the 474-482 range, I turned the adjusting screws in on the Ezeedrones all the way. I put the matched MacCallum chanter in, it is exactly the same size as the factory sized stock! I put them up and tuned them, they sound awesome! The drones won’t run out to the hemp line but aren’t far off. I may remedy that by drilling a bit deeper into the base of the drones but I’d rather keep them the same so the screws can be turned out to play in B flat with their chanter.
You can put a set of these together for around $600! They could be a perfect way for a beginner to get a good set but honestly, I’ve been playing for 54 years and I enjoy them as much as my old military Hardies or my expensive AB4s!
The factory on my recommendation is working on producing sets that tune higher at standard pitch, just shortening the reed seat or drone length by a tiny bit.
To the naysayers, let’s face it, tubes are tubes when it comes to drones, as long as their bore is close they will work fine!
I want to thank Paul for his patience and his willingness to give us a chance. His expert advice which has been directly implemented and has helped with producing our Band Pitched sets. You can check out his original review on google here.
How We've Improved Since Paul's Review
The Chanter and Drones: From Concert Bb to Band Pitch (480Hz)
As Paul noted in his review , the original chanter played at a perfect Concert Bb (466.16Hz), perfect for orchestral blending. But as Paul advised us, modern bands require a higher pitch.
We are pleased to announce that our sets now also offer our new Band Pitch Chanter (480Hz). This new chanter is crafted from a high-density polymer, ensuring it holds its pitch in any climate and matches the volume and tone you expect from a great chanter. When purchasing, if the Band Pitch Chanter is selected, the drones we include are shorter in length to match the pitch of the Chanter.
The Scent
Paul mentioned a smell from the oil used to condition the wood. That was true and we've since switched to an oil with a more neutral aroma and updated our oiling process to minimize the smell.
The Blowstick
Since Paul's review, we've updated the Blowstick valve to a better one and we've started offering different lengths for the Blowstick so you can get one based on your preference.
Drone Reeds: The Optimal Setup
While we include a set of standard practice drone reeds, for the most optimal, harmonic performance, I recommend pairing our pipes with Pipe Dreams Ezee Drone Reeds. These drone reeds have been tested with our pipes and I've assured that they go together perfectly. These are the same set of reeds Paul recommends in his review.
Unmatched value
As Paul pointed out in his review, you can put a full, professional-sounding set together using our "Sticks and Stocks" for around $600, now even lower with our new Band Pitched Chanter. For a beginner or a veteran looking for a lighter set, that is excellent value and we're proud of that.
"I’ve been playing for 54 years and I enjoy them as much as my old military Hardies or my expensive AB4s!"
The Bagpipes Model Purchased By Paul
The specific set that Paul bought and talks about in his review is a model from our Vintage Series, the V-1, crafted from Indian Cocobolo Wood with Cocus Wood Mounts and Stainless Steel Ferrules.
The Set is modeled after a set we rediscovered in Hakam Din's storage room, made by Hakam Din in the 1930s-1940s, we decided to reproduce it to honor this old but magnificent design.
My Goal as a Maker
I, Hakam Din Jr., don’t just want to sell you a set of bagpipes; I want to build a brand you can trust. My mission is to provide beginner and intermediate players with maximum value, bagpipes at a fraction of the cost of Scottish makers, while still being perfect to start your learning on.
Every bit of feedback from the piping community helps me bridge that gap. So whether you currently play our pipes or have owned a set in the past, I would love to hear from you.
If you would like to submit a review, or if you have constructive criticism on how I can further improve our instruments, I truly welcome it. You can reach me directly at: hdjr@hakamdin.co.uk
You can also check out a review by other pipers.
