Peterson Shamrock Pipe

SA musicians competing in World Pipe Band Championships

On a July afternoon, an old aircraft hangar in Austin rings with the regal drone of the bagpipes and the martial crack of snare drums. But there's not a kilt in sight.

In the shade of the curved roof, the musicians wear shorts and T-shirts, with water bottles nearby. In the Texas heat, the hours-long rehearsal tests the musicians' endurance.

The band finishes with a clean, abrupt ending. After a few words of feedback from the lead piper and drummer, the band lines up, ready to play it again.

Looking back over his shoulder, the leader — Pipe Major Kenneth Liechti — barks a command.

“By the right: quick march!”

With a rippling drum roll, the Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums begins marching back again across the dusty gravel.

If all this practice sounds serious, it's because the band has spent two years preparing to fly to Scotland and test its mettle. Silver Thistle will be among 230 bagpipe bands from around the globe competing next week in Glasgow at the World Pipe Band Championships.

According to the event's website, the championship will draw 8,000 pipers and drummers from 16 countries and 40,000 spectators.

For Texas bands, there's no way to get this experience without traveling, says Lyric Todkill , band director of the Houston-based St. Thomas' Episcopal School Pipe Band .

With few contests and few highly skilled bands in the region, Todkill says, “to really measure ourselves, we have to go where the competition is, and that's either Canada or Scotland.”

To play in a band of Silver Thistle's caliber, members will travel long distances. Several of the musicians make the trip from the area: pipers David Daniel from San Antonio and Lori Waters from New Braunfels. And the Holman family.

San Antonio clan

For Melissa Holman and her sons, playing in pipe bands is “just part of our family, part of what we do.”

Her son Evan, 19, joined Silver Thistle four years ago as a piper; Melissa soon followed as the bass drummer, the band's energetic heartbeat. Both competed in 2009 when Silver Thistle last undertook the costly, difficult trip to Scotland. Brian was still learning how to play the drums; he went along as a spectator.

Now an accomplished drummer, Brian looks forward to playing this year — and traveling overseas as a performer.

“You get a better feel for (the country) when you're not just a tourist,” he says.

Question about the Peterson "Shamrock" series... | My Pipes Community

I have a smooth B12, (like a Pete 150 with a brandy bowl). Smokes like a Peterson with slightly less attention to detail on the finish which I love the natural color of. Fairly nice grain and fit seems on par with his brothers. Priced like the Kapet's, I consider it a bargain in the stable and inexpensive enough to be a beater. If they offered them in a B10, I'd have another.

... about my K&P Peterson 312 System pipe. I love the pipe, the shape, but not the "System". While it does deliver a fine smoke, the "System" is very wet, trapping much moisture in the shank chamber. When you turn the bowl over to empty the dottle and ash, tobacco juice runs back out through the bowl!

I have learned to smoke it once in a day and allow to it dry for several more before smoking it again. I also leave the tobacco ash in the bowl for a while after smoking to allow the juices to be absorbed in the briar before cleaning. I would not buy another one, but I enjoy the one I have and do make use of it despite the "System".

As for the P-lip stem, I have gotten used to it over the years I've smoked it. But, this pipe is more comfortable as a hand-holder because the P-lip and my jaw clench don't work well together.

Cap'n--I believe this pipe is not a system pipe, and AFAIK, has a standard fishtail. Systems seem to be love it or hate it, and for me, I'm not financially flexible enough to gamble on something I may hate. I have yet to smoke one, but my friend/pipe mentor has one and when he brings it back after break I will try it and see what's it. I admit, it's very interesting (at least in conceptual form; the fact that no one has really endeavored past it is very telling too, IMO), so I will at least try it.

Pipes with light stain and smooth finishes are made from the best looking briar a manufacturer has. Darker stains and rougher finishes cover less beautiful grain patterns, pits and voids. This is not a bad thing. It allows pipe makers to profit from more of the briar that they have to own to be in business. They have to buy the briar without knowing what is inside. Thankfully, these pipes still make fine smokers.I for one am not in the position to spend a thousand plus for each pipe I want to own and am grateful that these fine smokers are available at reduced prices. (There are a LOT of black sandblasted pipes in my "collection") Pipes with light stain and smooth finishes are made from the best looking briar a manufacturer has. Darker stains and rougher finishes cover less beautiful grain patterns, pits and voids. This is not a bad thing. It allows pipe makers to profit from more of the briar that they have to own to be in business. They have to buy the briar without knowing what is inside. Thankfully, these pipes still make fine smokers.I for one am not in the position to spend a thousand plus for each pipe I want to own and am grateful that these fine smokers are available at reduced prices.

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The Shamrock

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