Hey, I'm new to this forum, my brother uses it frequently to find tunes, etc. I play the bodhran, and yes I understand I'm subject to jokes by saying this, and I have an O'kane drum on the way currently, he reccomends thin tippers, I have a few my brother ordered from Lark in the Morning, and a few others from I have no idea where, and some elementary ones I've made myself but none are thin and to the quality I'd like. Could anyone refrence me to website to order a few good quality ones?
From what I understand, the tipper depends on your style, and if you have more than one style, then different tippers are in order. Then aain, my understanding of the bodhran is second hand.
Firstly, I am compelled to state I am relatively new to to the bodhran. Now that that's out of the way, if any of you live in the NYC area and know of shops that sell bodhran supplies, I would be very grateful. It seems impossible where I live to try things out before purchase, which is ridiculous to me considering New York is a city of 8 million with such a high Irish population. Lark in the morning and hobgoblin are getting my money. Even all the big drum shops and music supply stores on 48th st have NOTHING. I am blindly ordering beaters to see what I like best (which while exciting is perhaps backwards). I think there may be something to the idea of getting the biggest, heaviest, gnarliest old beater you can find to practice in private with. Then anything else will be like taking the ankle weights off and running. Any bodhran advice I would welcome gratefully.
The best thing to do is try tippers out. They recommend them but it may not be the best fit for you or style of playing. I have found that at festivals is the best place to find tippers. They usually have a vareity of sizes, types, shapes, etc., that you can use and then make a decision from there. I wouldn't recomend a website, because you may find that what you purchased isn't good for you. I have gone that route nad the ones I use are from the festivals, the others are just taing up room in the bodhran case.
James there is a place in Kingston that sells Bodhran stuff, bodrhans and tippers. I believe it is called Irish Print or Prints in irish. Something like that or maybe ireland in Prints. I have usually run into them at festvals and at a FEIS. Look them up.
I'm also relatively new to this site and mostly play fiddle but I've been playing around with the bodhran for about a year now and have been trying to learn the top end style which requires the use of longish slim tippers. So here's a little information I have. For thin tippers, you might try whistleanddrum.com. They sell a line of Hedwitschak tippers. You might try ordering directly from Christian Hedwitschak. I think he sells a whole bag of tippers for a hefty price but they are really beautiful if you can call a stick beautiful. If you want to make your own, you might try going to your local violin repair shop and asking if they have any broken violin, viola or even cello bows. Bows make great tippers. You can cut about an 8.5 inch piece out of the bow, sand the ends really smooth and maybe add some gripping leather to the top of the tipper. I made one like this and cut it from a viola bow leaving the original leather grip and metal wrapping on the stick. It works great. The curve of the bow can facilitate playing or not. Good luck.
Wow, thanks for all the information. I live in New Jersey but go to college in Virginia at the moment, so yeah. Its rare to find a place, although I know of a place that sells bodhrans in PA so I can check that, and I plan to possibly play Feis' over the summer, I havent checked them out yet though. I will ask some guys at a session next time I am home.
The violin bow I'll probably try, I know you have to try them out, to test I have made some simple ones with dowel rod to test what I like, but obviously I want different wood as Dowel isnt very good haha.
I'll let ya know how my search goes, and hopefully I'll wrap up the business with O'Kane soon.
The best tipper I have every had (still have) is a rosewood one made by my friend Aran Olwell. You may try contacting his dad's shop in VA to see if he has any more... really superb, and as a gift was not subject to the usual 6 year Olwell wait! : )
if you want a thin tipper buy an old or broken fiddle bow on ebay and cut it to whatever size ..........If you want you can buy some coctail sticks tape them together and sand the sharp bits. €2 for a pack and you could make 4 sticks about €20 a stick in the shops............If you play kerry style the lenght should be the same as the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your baby finger(just an opinion).I recommend ash because its light some woods can look nice but they are too heavy.
At last, some useful information - you can make your own !
Lacking power tools ? Just get a selection pack of sandpaper from the D-I-Y store, walk out into the woods, and find a stick. Cut or break it to size and sand away till there's nothing left that doesn't look like a tipper ! ( Old joke. )
Of course it is unlikely to be a nice hardwood, but it was from a renewable source !
Do you know the name of his Shop, or an email address? A local place in VA would be great too, trying 'the original goatwhacker' made by Marty Spencer(?) I've heard good things.
hmm, i can't say i know a place in virginia, and i know there isn't one in nyc (unless you count my junk drawer, which, if you're in the neighborhood, you might!).
marty spencer offers some good, standard sticks; i've always had good luck with him. and once you know what suits you, this feller does lovely custom work:
Thanks for the responses, if anyone has any experience with ordering from O'Kane let me know. I am having trouble contacting him, my emails acting up, and he takes a bit to respond. I can't call, my plan doesnt support it and the campus phones are whacked out internationally. Any information would help, I've got a gig Wednesday and I'll probably lose my mind mid-song and put a hole through my current bodhran, which would probably do it some justice.
OK - here's my 2 cents worth...please check out Jim Hunter's tippers in Ottawa, Canada.
www.huntertippers.com
He is a master wood turner and has a very methodical approach to making and documenting tippers and the woods he is using so that you can make intelligent and informed choices about what you are ordering. He will custom make a tipper for you or you can choose one from his long list of tippers he has previously made and documented. JJK has 4 of his tippers. I use his tippers (around 6 different styles) with my O'Kane drum and they are the best I have used so far. Each is a work of art. But hey...to each his own....Alistair
So my business with O'Kane has been a Nightmare to say the least. First, we thought he sent it to the wrong Box Number at my college, no huge deal. Then he told me he did address it to the right number...but...to Canada.
My drum is in a sorting plant in Ontario. I am not able to rerout it, hopefully Seamus himself will work with me and we'll get this worked out. This has been a massive headache, but I do find it comical all the same. I pray I get the bodhran one day.
It just arrived today, magic. He emailed me back saying "im really glad you like it...they put other bodhrans in their place.." etc. And he is absolutely right. This thing is fantastic.
Also, I'll be looking at alot of the tipper suggestions now. The goatwhacker is a bit heavy for most of the stuff I'll play on this drum, but certainly wont go unused.
Buying Tippers?
Buying Tippers?
Hey, I'm new to this forum, my brother uses it frequently to find tunes, etc. I play the bodhran, and yes I understand I'm subject to jokes by saying this, and I have an O'kane drum on the way currently, he reccomends thin tippers, I have a few my brother ordered from Lark in the Morning, and a few others from I have no idea where, and some elementary ones I've made myself but none are thin and to the quality I'd like. Could anyone refrence me to website to order a few good quality ones?
Any help would be great.
-Glenn
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by Sutor1234
Re: Buying Tippers?
You dont happen to say where you live Glen? As in my experiance you need to try them out first
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by bazouki dave and the real tooty flutey
Re: Buying Tippers?
Here's a fun page, but like bouzouki Dave says, you can't beat trying them out for yourself:
http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/bodhran/
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by MartySmith
Re: Buying Tippers?
From what I understand, the tipper depends on your style, and if you have more than one style, then different tippers are in order. Then aain, my understanding of the bodhran is second hand.
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by eddieedwards
Re: Buying Tippers?
Firstly, I am compelled to state I am relatively new to to the bodhran. Now that that's out of the way, if any of you live in the NYC area and know of shops that sell bodhran supplies, I would be very grateful. It seems impossible where I live to try things out before purchase, which is ridiculous to me considering New York is a city of 8 million with such a high Irish population. Lark in the morning and hobgoblin are getting my money. Even all the big drum shops and music supply stores on 48th st have NOTHING. I am blindly ordering beaters to see what I like best (which while exciting is perhaps backwards). I think there may be something to the idea of getting the biggest, heaviest, gnarliest old beater you can find to practice in private with. Then anything else will be like taking the ankle weights off and running. Any bodhran advice I would welcome gratefully.
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by James Barry
Re: Buying Tippers?
Try
http://www.bodhranshop.com/tippers/tippers-overview.html
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by Gran Cassa
Re: Buying Tippers?
You're not in much different circumstances than most in this regard,
try http://www.belgarth.com/
or
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bodhran/
go here and search the messages for tipper makers:
I doubt you will find the bodhran and associated supplies well represented in any NYC music shops.
Good luck.
Peace,
Ed
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by ejsant
Re: Buying Tippers?
I recommend http://mcknowall.com (only 'cause he's the best)
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by mcknowall
Re: Buying Tippers?
The best thing to do is try tippers out. They recommend them but it may not be the best fit for you or style of playing. I have found that at festivals is the best place to find tippers. They usually have a vareity of sizes, types, shapes, etc., that you can use and then make a decision from there. I wouldn't recomend a website, because you may find that what you purchased isn't good for you. I have gone that route nad the ones I use are from the festivals, the others are just taing up room in the bodhran case.
Stu
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by stumce
Re: Buying Tippers?
James there is a place in Kingston that sells Bodhran stuff, bodrhans and tippers. I believe it is called Irish Print or Prints in irish. Something like that or maybe ireland in Prints. I have usually run into them at festvals and at a FEIS. Look them up.
Stu
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by stumce
Re: Buying Tippers?
I'm also relatively new to this site and mostly play fiddle but I've been playing around with the bodhran for about a year now and have been trying to learn the top end style which requires the use of longish slim tippers. So here's a little information I have. For thin tippers, you might try whistleanddrum.com. They sell a line of Hedwitschak tippers. You might try ordering directly from Christian Hedwitschak. I think he sells a whole bag of tippers for a hefty price but they are really beautiful if you can call a stick beautiful. If you want to make your own, you might try going to your local violin repair shop and asking if they have any broken violin, viola or even cello bows. Bows make great tippers. You can cut about an 8.5 inch piece out of the bow, sand the ends really smooth and maybe add some gripping leather to the top of the tipper. I made one like this and cut it from a viola bow leaving the original leather grip and metal wrapping on the stick. It works great. The curve of the bow can facilitate playing or not. Good luck.
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by jackstraw
Re: Buying Tippers?
Wow, thanks for all the information. I live in New Jersey but go to college in Virginia at the moment, so yeah. Its rare to find a place, although I know of a place that sells bodhrans in PA so I can check that, and I plan to possibly play Feis' over the summer, I havent checked them out yet though. I will ask some guys at a session next time I am home.
The violin bow I'll probably try, I know you have to try them out, to test I have made some simple ones with dowel rod to test what I like, but obviously I want different wood as Dowel isnt very good haha.
I'll let ya know how my search goes, and hopefully I'll wrap up the business with O'Kane soon.
# Posted on October 14th 2007 by Sutor1234
Re: Buying Tippers?
Thanks Stumce
i will look into that. It's so nice to hear people caring about the poor bodhran.
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by James Barry
Re: Buying Tippers?
stay away from the tippers. limerick people are much nicer
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by musical soul
Re: Buying Tippers?
Redundant, perhaps, but you mught also check out:
http://www.songsea.com/bodhrans.htm#beater
Good luck.
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by Rook
Re: Buying Tippers?
A lifetime's search awaits. Also, get to the fact you are only ever the guardian of a tipper, until it goes west one night after a couple of ales.
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: Buying Tippers?
Or a dog wanders off with it. Sometimes even a four legged one.
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by mcknowall
Re: Buying Tippers?
The best tipper I have every had (still have) is a rosewood one made by my friend Aran Olwell. You may try contacting his dad's shop in VA to see if he has any more... really superb, and as a gift was not subject to the usual 6 year Olwell wait! : )
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by maze
Re: Buying Tippers?
if you want a thin tipper buy an old or broken fiddle bow on ebay and cut it to whatever size ..........If you want you can buy some coctail sticks tape them together and sand the sharp bits. €2 for a pack and you could make 4 sticks about €20 a stick in the shops............If you play kerry style the lenght should be the same as the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your baby finger(just an opinion).I recommend ash because its light some woods can look nice but they are too heavy.
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by Saint
Re: Buying Tippers?
At last, some useful information - you can make your own !
Lacking power tools ? Just get a selection pack of sandpaper from the D-I-Y store, walk out into the woods, and find a stick. Cut or break it to size and sand away till there's nothing left that doesn't look like a tipper ! ( Old joke. )
Of course it is unlikely to be a nice hardwood, but it was from a renewable source !
# Posted on October 15th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Buying Tippers?
Do you know the name of his Shop, or an email address? A local place in VA would be great too, trying 'the original goatwhacker' made by Marty Spencer(?) I've heard good things.
# Posted on October 16th 2007 by Sutor1234
Re: Buying Tippers?
hmm, i can't say i know a place in virginia, and i know there isn't one in nyc (unless you count my junk drawer, which, if you're in the neighborhood, you might!).
marty spencer offers some good, standard sticks; i've always had good luck with him. and once you know what suits you, this feller does lovely custom work:
http://www.huntertippers.com/
(really the best is a close relative with a lathe, i swear by it!)
# Posted on October 18th 2007 by misspygmy
Re: Buying Tippers?
Thanks for the responses, if anyone has any experience with ordering from O'Kane let me know. I am having trouble contacting him, my emails acting up, and he takes a bit to respond. I can't call, my plan doesnt support it and the campus phones are whacked out internationally. Any information would help, I've got a gig Wednesday and I'll probably lose my mind mid-song and put a hole through my current bodhran, which would probably do it some justice.
# Posted on October 20th 2007 by Sutor1234
Re: Buying Tippers?
Hello Glenn,
I make low cost tippers from old violin bows. You can see them here:
http://www.bonedrymusic.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=100%2D600
All the best,
Scott Miller
Saint Louis, Missouri
# Posted on October 31st 2007 by scmi11er
Re: Buying Tippers?
OK - here's my 2 cents worth...please check out Jim Hunter's tippers in Ottawa, Canada.
www.huntertippers.com
He is a master wood turner and has a very methodical approach to making and documenting tippers and the woods he is using so that you can make intelligent and informed choices about what you are ordering. He will custom make a tipper for you or you can choose one from his long list of tippers he has previously made and documented. JJK has 4 of his tippers. I use his tippers (around 6 different styles) with my O'Kane drum and they are the best I have used so far. Each is a work of art. But hey...to each his own....Alistair
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by manOtick
Re: Buying Tippers?
what price are the sticks they look nice,
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by Saint
Re: Buying Tippers?
I haven't ordered from him for a while, but they were $45 CDN a year ago.
# Posted on November 5th 2007 by manOtick
Re: Buying Tippers?
So my business with O'Kane has been a Nightmare to say the least. First, we thought he sent it to the wrong Box Number at my college, no huge deal. Then he told me he did address it to the right number...but...to Canada.
My drum is in a sorting plant in Ontario. I am not able to rerout it, hopefully Seamus himself will work with me and we'll get this worked out. This has been a massive headache, but I do find it comical all the same. I pray I get the bodhran one day.
# Posted on November 27th 2007 by Sutor1234
Re: Buying Tippers?
It just arrived today, magic. He emailed me back saying "im really glad you like it...they put other bodhrans in their place.." etc. And he is absolutely right. This thing is fantastic.
Also, I'll be looking at alot of the tipper suggestions now. The goatwhacker is a bit heavy for most of the stuff I'll play on this drum, but certainly wont go unused.
# Posted on November 27th 2007 by Sutor1234