Message from David Quinn:
"The appearance of this page in early May (2003) seems to have led to a number of inquiries. Unfortunately, the Koehler and Quinn order books have been closed for something like two years now, and we reckon it will be at least another year before we will be able to take on any new work. The pictures shown here are a few of the many photographs taken to keep a record of our production."
You are all familiar with the pipemaking and reedmaking of the famed David Quinn and Benedict Koehler. Their work being some of the best ever produced to the uilleann piping world. Mr. Quinn has sent me some photos that he and the esteemed Benedict Koehler have been working on. This has become a regular feature and has lead to a dedicated page on the topic. Thanks for the photos David, this will be an excellent addition to the site!

I will try to keep the photos to as large a size as possible so we can appreciate the makers attention to detail as much as a photograph will allow. I will do this in particular with the close up shots of sets and their various pieces.
This particular chanter looks to be a C made of it's castella box also known as lemonwood, brass and imitation ivory, David please correct me if I'm mistaken. The mounts seem to be influenced by the beautiful old Kenna "beehive set". Update: Kenna chanter, body by Ryan, mounts added later.

Here is another selection from the Rt. Hon. Rev. Quinn. The castella box, also known as lemonwood, pieces are elements of his own set, currently in manufacture, with which he plans to "out-beehive the old beehive set" which apparently is coming out very well! The three gentlemen in the Reed School picture are from left to right: David Quinn, Benedict Koehler and Ted Anderson... the piping worlds equivalent of the Three Musketeers :)
"Welcome to the Koehler & Quinn workshop". Now *that* is what I call a door knob! :)

Some more great photos arrived to add to the collection from the Koehler & Quinn camp. Notice the Taylor Bros. style keywork on the upper boxwood chanter.





More wonderful shots of a baritone regulator just finished last weekend by David. Obviously for his beehive set. Also a gothic bellows intake valve of horn.
A 1988 D set of ebony and brass with ivory mounts.



B set of mopane made in 2003 of brass and imitation ivory.
B set. Drones are boxwood, regs are pearwood, and chanter is made of ziricote. Note the stop key on the top of the chanter, a little Cremona influence there I think :)

"Here are a couple of shots of the C set on which was that mammoth ivory puck." David goes on to say, "This is a K&Q - C, April 2003, ebony and brass, trimmed with mammoth ivory. No mammoths were harmed for the making of these pipes." Also here's a beautiful bass drone bell or "puck" as David calls it... I'd hate to see anyone playing hockey with this puck though! 8O






New York piper Charley Mooney sent me these photos of his Koehler & Quinn set. He says "Here are some photos of my David Quinn set, which he made in 1999. The key work and is all Taylor style; however, internally it is a modern Quinn set. This is the first set David made after he returned from Taiwan, and I feel honored to be its owner". Thanks for the photos Charley, they're a lovely looking set!

Here are some close up shots of the set David sent to complement Charley's set.

Some nice shot's of a maple, brass and horn set here, "I came across a cache of old pix of the maple C 3/4 set we sold to Mike Eurrit of San Rafael. Of interest because it represents the last of a style of turning and keymaking before crossing over to what I'm doing now".


The Willie Rousome boxwood C# set. This set now rightfully belongs to Kevin Rowsome and can be heard on Kevin's album "The Rowsome Tradition". The ebony set is a copy of this beautiful old set.
Some lovely details here of two polished U bends, a regulator cap and an example of two regulator caps, one flat in ivory and one flared in boxwood.
The right end of David's bench... a sane mind :)



Here we have some nice shots of a half set built in 2002.

Lewis Blevins is now the custodian of the new beehive set pitched in C. He acquired it at the 2003 Pipers Gathering in North Hero, Vermont. Congratulations Lewis, they are a beautiful set! This is the same set featured in sections earlier in this page and is based on what is believed to be a Kenna masterpiece. Update: Kenna chanter, body by Ryan, mounts added later.


Here are some photos of Pat Cannady's new B set. Pat has this to say about the set:

"K&Q 200320: Full B set, in ebony with brass metalwork and artificial ivory decorations. Mahogany mainstock. Riveted bag and sewn bellows with oak clappers.

The chanter is based on an unspoiled Maurice Coyne B stick that lives with an anonymous irish gentleman, while the rest of the instrument is based on Willie Clancy's old Coyne B set. David put some of his own decorative touches throughout, so it's not an exact copy but the critical inner dimensions are all as close to the originals as David can make them.

Benedict did a tremendous job with the reeds, the set is beautifully in tune and the tonal qualities of the chanter are superb."

Here is the latest set from the K&Q Workshop. A pear wood and brass 3/4 set pitched in B with French Boxwood mounts. David says "This set is almost identical to the set made for Pat Cannady, on the inside at least, with the obvious exception that it's made of pear rather than ebony, and that it doesn't have the bass regulator". Some of these pictures are quite big, ideal for desktop wallpapers.
From Lewis Blevins: "This is a D Chanter in Honduras Rosewood completed in early 2004. David Quinn once referred to it as a “no frills” chanter. That has to be the understatement of the year. It’s what’s done on the inside that counts. The plan for the chanter is derived from measurements of the Willie Rowsome chanter currently owned by Mick O’Brien. Benedict and David have modified the bore and a few of the tone holes to produce an exceptional in-tune chanter that behaves itself very well and is a delight to play."

Rowsomesque style regulators on a D set completed in August 2004.
Mother Superior & The Sisters of Mercy or The Holy Order for short.


















07/01/2005: Tayloresque style set in D for some fella named D'Arcy, still in production... well I have now received everything bar the bellows, popping valve and a couple of ivory bits. The set is exactly what I have always wished for in a concert pitched set. The craftsmanship is exactly what we have come to expect from David & Benedict, just beautiful clean work of the highest quality. Tuning on the set is impeccable and the tone is incredibly rich and full. The harmonic blend between the chanter drones and regs is just exquisite. I am enjoying playing these pipes now at every opportunity morning and night and find them to be completely satisfying as a set to play. This set has eliminated any doubts about tuning or uncertainty I might have had about tuning and now allows me to focus on my playing even further. Huge thanks to both David and Benedict. I am thrilled!

12/02/2005: I just received the bellows yesterday. I would normally find it hard to get excited about an ould bellows but in this case I am unusually so. It's a beautifully crafted piece. When in use it feels like there is no bellows at all... really an efficient motor and beautiful to boot! It complements the work on the set perfectly.

  • Rants on the Chiff & Fipple ::: more»
  • Video of me playing Fraher's Jig. Pretty rough but you get the idea ::: more»
The latest addition to the Koehler & Quinn portfolio. A Taylor style concert pitched set in Honduran rosewood, brass and boxwood. Gimme a T.....!

08/18/2008: Here are some photos of the latest work from the Koehler & Quinn workshops. A beautiful set in ebony, nickel siler and mammoth ivory made in the Taylor style.

08/19/2008: Here is a Robert Reid style set pitched in D. The materials are ebony, mammoth ivory and nickel silver.

12/20/2009: Some very lucky boy just got this set a few weeks ago. Honduran rosewood, water buffalo horn and brass. Congratulations Sir!

01/25/2010: Here is the most elaborate set to come out of the K&Q workshop. The set is in castella bowood, brass and mammoth ivory. They are in the beehive style after the famous Ryan set combined with the key style of Kenna. They are pitched in C. Beautiful set! Hopefully I'll get to try them out at some stage.
03/29/2010: The Odd Blonde: a set in C done in Castella box with true box trim. The set features a couple of unusual key mechanisms as requested by the customer, including an E key on the baritone regulator. - David Quinn, March 2010.
Some interesting features on this set include a reversed C natural key on the tenor regulator and an E key on the baritone regulator both fitted with nylon rollers. The mounts you may find reminiscent to the unique Kenna style mounts David discussed in The Pipers Review [image]
01/31/2011: A Taylor set in C made from brass and Honduran rosewood? Yes, Tayloresque atleast!
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