A quieter bagpipe: P.E.I. now home to Scottish smallpipe shop

An Island man has launched a business making Scottish smallpipes, the quieter cousin to the better-known Highland bagpipes. They are better suited to be played indoors for concerts or kitchen parties, says Keith Mullen, who has been making pipesfor about a year.

"As a beginning pipemaker, they are easier to make," he said. "I thought it was a good place to cut my teeth."

'There is a market forit'

Mullen has dabbled in instrument-making in the past, creating a few whistles and a cookie-tin banjo, but his love of playing the pipes meant building his own was the next natural step.

I would call myself successful if I had regular orders and happy customers. Keith Mullen

It takes him about a week to make a full set, including a bellows, a bag, three drones and a chanter.

He's one of only two people in Canada making smallpipes, andone of just seven in North America.

"Most of the makers in North America right now have a waiting list of between several months and two years, so that tells me there is a market for it," he said.

Aset of smallpipes goes for approximately $2,500in the United States, Mullen shared,but he plans to sell his for closer to $1,600until he gets a few orders under his belt.

He officially opened Mullen Pipes in Canavoy, P.E.I.,earlier this monthand expects it could take a year or two to break into the smallpipe market in North America.

A small business with diverse offerings

When he's not in his shop crafting chanters, Mullen works from home as a graphic designer.

When you're a small business owner, it's important to diversify, he said.

"The idea is that there are slow times with graphic design, and when I'm slow there I can come out here to build," said Mullen."That will allow me to have product on the shelf for when things do pick up."

Mullen hopes to eventually have enough of his pipes in stock so that when customers contact him, he can supply them right away.

Once he's established as a smallpipe maker, Mullen said, he'll move on to making Uilleann pipes, which have a similar build but with a two-octave range.

"I would call myself successful if I had regular orders and happy customers," he said.

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