You know, for years I’ve struggled with moisture control in my pipes — and I think most pipers have the same issue. I play a lot of gigs, and when I’m doing something like a golf outing that requires 60 minutes of straight playing, my drone reeds get wet toward the end and start to sputter.

I’ve experimented with different moisture control methods for a long time. One of the best products I ever bought was the Gibson Universal Moisture Control System designed by Jerry Gibson.

When I first got it, it had air holes on the bottom, like this (shows product). During a gig, I found that the shammy got so wet it stopped the airflow completely — I couldn’t blow through it anymore.

But here’s a trick I discovered:
Flip it over.
The Gibson system uses a tube that runs from the blowstick down to the moisture trap. Moisture condenses on the tube and falls into the trap — and if it’s flipped the other way, the shammy still gets wet, but the airflow isn’t blocked. I don’t even need the tape to seal it anymore. Just turning it over improved everything.

Another thing I used for years were the Shepherd Tone Enhancers, which come filled with little white balls. The problem is, over time they wear out or get lost — and replacements are hard to find.

So out of desperation (necessity is the mother of invention), I made my own insert. I took a strip of shammy, rolled it up like this (demonstrates), and inserted it into the tone enhancer. It works beautifully.

This morning I played a one-hour golf outing, and afterward — my pipes were dry as a bone. Sometimes it’s just about finding creative solutions.

After long gigs, I always bring my pipes home, take them apart, and let everything air out — I call it a “hard reset.” That helps keep things in great condition for the next performance.

Anyway, head over to bagpipelessons.net.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me — I’m happy to help.