You are your bagpipe's mechanic, whether you like it or not. Pipers don't get to show up to a pre-tuned instrument like a concert pianist. Check your bag, valve, joints, and slides regularly, because small problems never fix themselves.
Moisture is the enemy: control it before it cracks your wood. Dry wood that suddenly soaks up water expands and splits on the outside. Oil the bores every six months with a thin oil like Bore Doctor, and run a moisture control tube to the back of the bag at minimum.
Most 'defective pipe' problems are hemping problems. Old wax polishes smooth in patches and creates uneven friction, so joints feel tight then loose. Strip and rehemp, use dental floss or nylon lacing on the blowpipe and chanter, and save Teflon tape for the three tuning slides only.
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Bagpipe Maintenance
1h 3m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
31:34the blowpipe: and No lacing nylon on hemp floss🔒
37:49tightness every joint Checking for🔒
41:33the a Rehemping joint lesson and Atherton🔒
49:04yellow, cobbler's and black, wax myths: Hemp🔒
52:54Teflon tuning tape on slides the🔒
59:01and from stories Maintenance Oban horror Worlds the🔒
01:00:34checklist The final wrap-up and🔒
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