Email: cjdixon1@sympatico.ca Telephone: (613) 735-6851
ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS
CJ Dixon's mission is to make the highest quality and best sounding Celtic instruments in the world. CJ Dixon personally hand crafts all instruments and every component that he sells. All instruments start with raw materials which are then turned, formed, laminated etc. by CJ Dixon into high quality instruments. Each instrument made is the result of meticulous laboring, inspecting, testing and a great love for the music and Celtic culture. All instruments have a great balance of very high quality material/craftsmanship and wonderful tuning/tone. All instruments bare the "CJ DIXON" name, something that Chris is very proud of and takes very seriously... as a result there is no quality compromise. Only the very best will do.
WEBSITE NAVIGATION
... while recording new movie soundtracks, appearing on television, performing on tour and recording new albums.
"The chanter is bright yet robust with great intonation and is responsive and easy to play. CJ Dixon's chanter is a first rate chanter, great for a professional or a beginner." Pete Purvis, Gaelic Storm
Check out this great Celtic band at www.gaelicstorm.com
.................
NEW CELTIC CD RELEASE featuring Pete and his CJ Dixon set of pipes...
Now for sale at www.peterpurvis.com.
Piper Ewan Brown from the very popular Celtic band ....
Glengarry Bhoys
... is now using a CJ Dixon set of Uilleann pipes.
Visit www.glengarrybhoys.com for more on Ewan and this fun band.
The very talented and spiritual Aldo Garcia ...
... visits CJ Dixon while on tour to try out his pipes... and within minutes of playing, ordered a set which he now uses on tour as well as in future albums.
"The chanter is so easy to play requiring little effort to hit the upper octave. The drones are so stable and sound so lovely... all in all a beautiful instrument. This will really help me in my performances, allowing me to concentrate on the music... not the effort. The finish and quality is also so beautiful. I love the look of it and how it feels in my hands. The rest of the set is equally as impressive with regard to quality and performance." Aldo Garcia
Visit Aldo's site at www.aldogarcia.com
Michel Dubeau from the talented Celtic trio Aveladeen ...
... uses a CJ Dixon set of Uilleann pipes.
" I am very impressed by the overall quality of your pipes. The tone/tuning is wonderful, the brass and wood detailing is impressive and the bellows is so comfortable that it makes playing for extended periods so easy." Michel Dubeau
Check out this great mix of Celtic "world blend" music at www.aveladeen.com.
CJ Dixon grew up in a small Canadian town of Perth. His ancestors originated in England, migrating to Ireland and then to Canada in the early 1800’s. This may be the reason for his innate love for Irish music and the enchanting Uilleann Pipes. His first real exposure to playing music came in his local Catholic high school where he began playing the silver flute. His background with the flute and his love for Irish music influenced him, naturally, to learn the Whistle. It was at a Riverdance show, however, that created the obsession for the Uilleann Bagpipes that is etched deep within his soul today. This exposure created a focus that would lead him down the path to playing and now making the instrument that charmed his very being.
As time progressed, Chris' love for Celtic music and his desire to shift focus from just bagpipes to include other Celtic instruments grew. Eventually he began making high quality tunable Bodhran's and tunable whistles. His journey as a Maker has only just begun as his fascination with Celtic instruments and his drive to increase his product portfolio grow daily.
Chris is always trying to improve both the design of his instruments and his skills as a Maker. There is no such thing as a "perfect" design that has no opportunity for improvement. CJ understands that the best opportunity for improvement comes from his customers and as a result, he likes to develop an open communication relationship that welcomes feedback. It is this attitude and commitment to the instrument that is reflected in the quality and performance of CJ's sets.
Where will he stop? Even Chris does not know. His vision is vast and his spirit is mighty so who knows...
UILLEANN BAGPIPE BACKGROUND
Chanter
The Uilleann Pipes have a "conical bored" chanter that tapers from a narrow "throat" on the reed side to a wider end. Eight finger holes of various sizes and spacing run along the length of the chanter to produce different musical tones. They are covered by the thumb and three fingers of the left hand and four fingers of the right hand. The chanter is stopped against the upper part of the players leg, and is either lifted or sealed depending on the note played.
Drones
The drones provide a harmonic background that compliment the chanter, are cylindrical in bore and are driven by "single reeds". The Uilleann Pipes usually have three drones that are parallel to each other and are an octave apart. The drones have a key in the stock attached to a valve which can start or stop the airflow to the drones. This allows the drones to start at playing pressure and provides a very nice musical affect. The low, mellow sound of the Uilleann Pipe's drones is what attracts many people to the instrument.
The Regulators
The regulators are three conical bored pipes, set side by side in the same stock as the drones. The regulators are keyed and have a stop on the end. Because the keys are spring loaded shut and because of the end stop, the regulators only sound when a key is depressed. The regulators are fitted with a double reed, very much like the chanter's double reed. The regulators extend across the player's right thigh and are played by pressing keys with the wrist or back of the hand while playing the chanter.
The Bag
The bag on the Uilleann Pipes is simply a reservoir of air made either of leather or synthetic material. The outlet tube of the bellows (blowstock) travels in front of the players stomach and onto a tenon with a check valve, causing the air to flow in one direction, and into a stock on the bag. The chanter headpiece fits snugly into a stock that is tied into the neck of the bag. The air therefore enters into the bag at the bellows stock and exits out the neck into the chanter when pressure is applied to the bag by the player.
The Bellows
The bellows consist of two wooden paddles that are fitted with a piece of leather around the edge called the "gusset". A valve on the outside cheek brings air in, on the outstroke, and directs it one way out of the bellows, on the instroke. A belt is fitted to the inside cheek to go around the payer's lower rib cage. A smaller belt is attached to the outside cheek to clasp around the player's arm, just above the elbow.
BODHRAN BACKGROUND
The Bodhran, correctly pronounced "Bough-Rawn" (sounds like cow-ron) is thought to have been introduced into Irish culture by the celts returning from Europe through Africa. Originally it was more of a tool then an instrument, with an animal skin pulled over a wooden frame called a "dallan" by the Irish. It had many uses, as a motivator during battle marches, as a sieve to sort chaff from grain and as a noise maker during festivals. It wasn't until the 1960's that the drum was introduced into traditional music. It can be played by striking the drum surface with the hand or with a wood tipper. Today the Bodhran is becoming more popular and is heard in almost all Celtic music. It is a respected instrument that has deep roots within Irish culture.
IRISH WHISTLE BACKGROUND
The whistle dates back some 5000 years and is thought to have come from China to Ireland by way of the Celts. The whistle belongs to the "Fipple Flute" class of the woodwind instrument family. The term fipple is used to describe the component that restricts and directs the air flow through the mouthpiece to form the sound. Originally the instrument was called the "vertical flute" and was found to be made of bone or clay with four finger holes in the front and two on the back. Early in the 19th century, English-made whistles started to appear with the six finger hole arrangement that we see today. In the 1950's the design shifted to a cylindrical bore (straight) from the original tapered bore of its traditional design.
The origin of the name "Penny Whistle" is somewhat vague. On theory is that it came about when Robert Clarke, who designed the first penny whistle from a wooden flute he owned, originally sold his whistles for a penny. Another possible theory is that the name came from the fact that people used to throw pennies to whistle players in the streets as they played. The name "Tin Whistle" is a little more clear. It is believed to have originated from the fact that the first mass produced whistles were made of tin-plated steel. Other names referring to the whistle are: Fipple Flute, Vertical Flute, Flageolet, Tin Whistle, Penny Whistle, Tin Flute Feadóg (Irish for whistle) and Feadóg Stáin (Irish for Tin Whistle).
FAQ's
General
Q - How accurate are your lead times?
A - The truth is that a lead time is just an estimated completion date and is not a guaranteed timeframe. CJ Dixon works by himself and so must oversee all aspects of his business in addition to fabricating the instrument itself. Unfortunately many unforeseen factors can impact the completion date.
Q - When ordering an instrument are there any additional costs?
A - All orders pay for the cost of the instrument plus shipping only.
Q - What kind of warranty/service do I get if I buy a CJ Dixon instrument?
A - If a component purchased develops a defect that is the result of a flaw in the material or from the workmanship, then CJ Dxion will repair or replace the component free of charge.
If a component purchased develops a defect that is the result of normal material behaviou, wear and tear, or customer abuse then at the very least CJ Dixon will look at the instrument and make any quick fixes free of charge. If this is not possible then CJ Dixon will provide a financial assessment for repair to the customer.
Regardless of the timeframe and the problem, CJ Dixon will assess any CJ Dixon instrument and make any "quick" repairs necessary to resolve a problem free of charge.
Eg1. A reed has playability issues 3 years after purchase date: if sent to CJ Dixon, and if possible to fix, he will tweak (scrape, disassemble and retie etc.) the reed to fix the problem and return to customer free of charge.
Eg2. A bag has begun to leak 5 years after purchase date due to normal leather behaviour and wear and tear: if sent to CJ Dixon, and if possible to fix, he will treat the inside of the bag to make airtight again and return to customer free of charge.
At the end of the day.... the door is ALWAYS open to a CJ Dixon customer.
Bodhran
Q - Does the depth of the rim affect the tone of the drum?
A - Yes. Basically the deeper the bodhran rim or shell the deeper the tone.
Q - Does the size of the drum influence the tone?
A - Yes. Very similar to rim depth... the larger the bodhran the deeper the tone and more bass potential.
Q - What size of bodhran should I get?
A - The first thing to consider is that the larger the drum the more difficult it is to position and control. The second thing to consider is your tonal preference... the larger the drum the deeper the tone. If you do not have any particular preference, CJ Dixon recommends starting with a 16" bodhran... it is a perfect balance between physical handling size and base/tonal qualities.
Q - Does the wood species chosen for the tipper affect the sound produced?
A - Yes and No. The denser the wood species the more volume potential but tipper wood species does not have any impact on the tone of the drum.
Q - How do the tuning mechanisms work?
A - To adjust the head tension you simply rotate the knurled knob bolt using your fingers. You must make the same adjustment on all tuning mechanisms. No tooling is required to head adjustments.
Q - Does your customer have any choice on wood stain used on the rim?
A - Yes. At time of order just specify light or dark stain and CJ Dixon will accommodate your request.
Q - Why do you use Oak for your rims?
A - Canadian Oak offers the perfect combination of structural integrity, tonal qualities and cosmetics. In CJ Dixon's opinion Canadian Oak has the warmest and most desireable tonal qualities... it also just happens to be extremely durable and looks fantastic.
Q - Is there any advantages or disadvantages to ordering a cross brace?
A - There is both a functional advantage and disadvantage to having one. Advantage: having a cross brace allows the musician to handle the drum much more securely with one hand by placing the palm of their hand against the head while pressing against the cross brace with the back of the hand. Disadvantage: without a crossbrace there is no physical barrier allowing the musician to manipulate the entire head of the drum... with a crossbrace you can only manipulate a portion of the head.
Q - Are your bodhran's a professional instrument?
A - Absolutely. All CJ Dixon Bodhran's are of the highest quality both structurally as well as acoustically. They really are the best in the world.
Uilleann Pipes
Q – I want to learn the pipes, should I get a practice set or half set?
A – Starting with a practice set (no drones) is a good idea. This allows you to concentrate on the fundamentals of the Uilleann pipes (applying steady bag pressure, compensating bag pressure with bellows pumping, correct posture, chanter fingering and control) without the distraction of the drones. The physical presence of the drones across your lap may hinder your initial growth and cause you to learn bad habits from the start.
Q – Does the wood choice have any affect on the pipes sound?
A – Yes. African Blackwood is the most dense of the three wood species offered and so it has a little more of a crisp sound with more volume potential. Rosewood is the next dense with Cocobolo being the most mellow with the least volume.
Q - I am unsure about what mounts to choose do you have any recommendations?
A - Yes. CJ Dixon recommends choosing the same wood species for the mounts as for the chanter. The result is a very durable chanter that is turned from one solid piece of wood. The simplistic beauty of this chanter is cosmetically superior to CJ Dixon, and it will elliminate any potential problems such as losing mounts and mount cracks that could happen when a mount of different species to chanter is chosen.
Q - Should I purchase a chanter with or without keyblocks?
A – The thing to consider here is that if you have a chanter with keyblocks, additional brass keys can be added at a later date, should you want one, while a chanter without keyblocks does not have this option.
Q – Are chanter keys necessary?
A - This really depends on the repertoire of music that you play. Many pipers never add keys while on the other hand many do and some pipers that have keys never use them while others use them all the time. Of the keys available the ones most often used are the Cnat and Fnat keys.
Q - Is there any advantage or disadvantage to having a swan neck headpiece vs the standard side intake headpiece?
A - The swan neck headpiece puts the chanter in a slightly more natural forward position as well as helps to elleviate bag neck kinking.
Q - If I ordered a set and wanted a 2nd chanter do I have to order an entire set?
A - No. To substitute a chanter in your current set, you simply unplug the current chanter from the chanter bag stock in the bag you have and plug the new chanter in.
Q - When ordering a half set should I get a chanter stop key?
A - A chanter stop key is not absolutely critical to have with a half set. The advantage of having one is that you can tune your drones quickly and easily by depressing the key to stop the air flow to your chanter. The alternative would be to unplug the chanter from your bag, set it down and plug the chanter stock with your finger to stop the air flow. So, not necessary but convenient.
Q – If I order drones does the mainstock come with regulator holes for adding regs down the road?
A - Yes, the mainstock is predrilled to accept regulators and so all you have to do is remove the reg plugs, insert the regs and away you go.
Q - If I upgrade from a practice set to a half set, do I have to send my set back to you for the upgrade?
A - When adding drones to your practice set you can either send me your bag for drone installation or I can send you the drones and walk you through the installation. It is completely up to you.
Q - Will your chanter fit my current set from another Maker?
A – Yes. My headpiece intake tube tubing is a standard size which should fit into the chanter stock of other Maker’s bags.
Q - Will your bellows work with other Maker’s pipes?
A – Yes. My bellows produces a large amount of air per pump and so will easily provide sufficient air for all Maker’s sets up to a full set. With regard to connector compatibility, I would ask you to provide the ID of your bag bellows stock and would then turn the blowpipe connector to fit your bag.
Q – Does your bag with stocks work with a different Maker’s chanter?
A – Yes. I would require the OD of your chanter headpiece intake tubing and would then make the appropriate dimensional adjustments, if necessary, to fit the chanter.
Q - Will you be offering drones in the key of B?
A - Yes. I expect to offer B drones in the next year or so.
Q – What is the difference between your assembled bellows and your bellows kit?
A - While my bellows kit produces a good quality bellows, there are significant differences and here they are:
- kit has webbing straps, assembled bellows has leather
- kit has one elbow “pad” (leather/padding upholstered to wood base), assembled bellows has an elbow and
body “pillow” (foam incased in leather case) that is more comfortable then the pad.
- kit comes with a length of pvc tubing for blowpipe, assembled bellows has a leather covered blowpipe with
wood turned connector/tenon and tubing used is a special highly flexible anti-kink silicon based tubing.
- gusset in kit is airtight but not high quality efficient leather used in assembled bellows.
- brass blowpipe connector in kit is very rudementary while the assembled bellows has a quality custom one.
- cheeks in assembled bellows are step routed for a hidden gusset edge look while kit cheeks are not.
Q - How do I place an order?
A - Provide details of the instrument you would like to order as well as your shipping information, the total cost will be communicated to you, then provide a 50% deposit to complete your order and get scheduled.
Resource Links
www.bodhranexpert.com ... excellent bodhran resource by instructor Michelle Stewart
www.bodojo.com .... bodhran forum and resource
www.irish-music.net .... traditional Irish cd's, festivals etc.
www.ceolas.org ... bodhran resource
www.pipers.ie ... Na Piobairi Uilleann (Irish Uilleann piping school/resource)