Pipemaker Allan Stark of Edinburgh...!!??

[John F]

I just got a set off eBay which were described as Stark and by the firm that had refurbished them as Starck (with a C). I was hoping for pipes by the London-based Legendary Henry Starck.

But my pipes were actually stamped "Allan Stark Edinburgh".

Has anyone heard of this guy?
My guess is they were made around 40 to 50 years ago, but that´s just a guess.

Any info would be helpful..

John

[pancelticpiper]

From Highland Bagpipe Makers by Jeannie Campbell:

Allan G Stark 1947-1960 (pipemaking years, not life years)
Edinburgh

In about 1914 he began employment with J&R Glen...

At the outbreak of the Second World War he joined the 7th/9th Royal Scots and rose to the rank of Pipe Major...

After the war he again rejoined Glen's then in 1947 set up in business for himself in premises at 25 Agyle Place, Edinburgh...

The business was quite successful...

He was a well-known personality at the Highland Pipers' Society and the Royal Scottish Pipers' Society...

Allan's son Graham joined him in the business...in 1950...

In 1960 the family decided to emigrate to Australia...

During his time in Melbourne Allan Stark continued his playing and teaching career and was Pipe Major of the Nunawading Pipe Band.

(Allan Stark died in Melbourne in 1963.)

[Randy J. Homer]

We just had a set of Allan G. Starck's at our drone gathering last month. Warm, full, well-balanced, solid sound. I liked them quite well! Noticeably warmer than most others. IIRC, there were only supposed to be about 200 such sets made. (IIRC!)

[John F]

Thank you both for the information!

I didn´t find anything when I searched the web, but now I know a little at least.

The stocks were not very well mounted to the quite small synthetic bag. But when I tried the drones in the stocks of my medium Moose bag, the pipes started working quite well.

OK, so then it probably wasn´t such a big mistake, anyway.

Any idea what reeds were used in the Starks you heard?

Also, IIRC...?

Cheers,
John

[Randy J. Homer]

The Starcks here used E-Zee Drones. Fell into place pretty easily and stayed locked in pretty well. Kind of a smallish bore as I recall, at least at the bushings.

[Dave Gallagher]

Randy, your spelling of the name is a bit confusing. Are you talking about Stark pipes of Edinburgh or Starck of London and Dublin.

Starck Warpipe drones had small bores much like some years of Hardie pipes.

[Randy J. Homer]

These were Allan's pipes. I thought he spelled his surname with a 'c' also! We had my own 1900± Henry Starck's from London. But these were definitely Allan's that I've been speaking of. Sorry! I only listened to them and played them - I didn't really read them! Ha!

:doh:

[Dave Gallagher]

Quote from Randy:

"Sorry! I only listened to them and played them - I didn't really read them! Ha!"

....Da Da Boom!!! Thats supposed to be that drum thing that old comedians used.
Good One Randy.

[John F]

Update!

I have now played the pipes several times. I have compared them to my Robertsons, with the same reed setup and the same bag. They are actually quite similar in sound. A rich sound with great harmonics. I use Ross "Cane" for bass and one tenor and a Balance Tone (Achiltibuie)reed for the other tenor.

The Stark set actually has a slightly more "seamless" sound. I keep checking if both tenors are sounding, and they are.

John