Highland and medieval bagpipes, turned by hand, one set at a time.

I turn and finish every set by hand, in the woods you choose.

Drone ends of a Great Highland Bagpipe in African Blackwood with ringed lemonwood mounts on red velvet — African Blackwood with lemonwood mounts

The Instruments

Two traditions

Great Highland Bagpipe

The pipe of Scotland, with a long and colourful history. I make full sets, with drones, chanter, blowpipe and bag, or the drones on their own.

The Highland pipe

Medieval great pipe in cocobolo with banded inlay on a brown suede bag

Medieval & Renaissance Great Pipes

A conical-bore pipe with a warm, present sound, kin to the Spanish gaita and the Breton veuze. The medieval pipe carries a single drone; the Renaissance added a second. I make both.

The great pipes

Made to Order

No two of my sets are quite alike. We choose the wood, mounts and inlay together, and I match the inlay to the tones of the wood.

I work in African Blackwood, curly maple, cocobolo and bois d'arc, with mounts of lemonwood, pink ivory, horn, water buffalo and olive wood. The denser the wood, the brighter the sound, though it's never just the wood; there's more on the woods and mounts page. I chamber the drone ends as standard, as I find they blend better with the chanter, but I'm happy to turn trumpet-style flares. A medieval chanter can be set up for Highland or open fingering, whichever suits your hands.

If you have something particular in mind, I'm happy to make it.

Blackwood drone end with a pink ivory ferrule ring

Maple drone tops with diamond-pattern inlay bands

Richard Kean in Highland dress, smiling, with a set of bagpipes over his shoulder

The Maker

I'm Richard Kean, a piper born in Edinburgh. I've always been fascinated by the instrument and how it works, and that's what led me to start making pipes myself.

Being a piper first shapes everything I make: I build each set the way I'd want to play it myself.

About me

Listen

Abercairny Highlanders

Played on one of my Highland sets.

From the Workshop

Finished sets

Great Highland Bagpipe in blackwood with pink ivory mounts and green bag — Blackwood & pink ivory

Cocobolo medieval chanter and drone with inlay bands — Cocobolo

Two-drone medieval great pipe in curly maple with suede bag — Two-drone great pipe, curly maple

Maple drone with chequered inlay and red cord — Maple & horn

Blackwood Highland drones with lemonwood mounts on red velvet — Blackwood & lemonwood

Blackwood drones with pink ivory ferrules — Pink ivory ferrules

Maple drone bell with Texas Ebony end cap and inlay — Texas Ebony end caps

Two maple drones with diamond inlay and black horn rings

Journal

A two-drone great pipe for Al of Istanpitta

‘I wanted something extra special, so I added a second style of inlay to the drones and gave the mounts a split texture using two materials.’

Curly maple, with water buffalo and olive wood mounts and Texas Ebony end caps. Each drone has three sections and plays A and E; push the drones down and they give B and F, without touching the reed.

Read the story

Commissions

Every set starts with a conversation

Whether you'd like a set made or just have a question about the pipes, I'd be glad to hear from you.

(281) 829-8909