PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE BAG, AS IMPROPER TREATMENT OF THE BAG OR PARTS MAY NEGATE THE INCLUDED WARRANTY
Thank you for purchasing a new Ross Bagpipe Bag, our bags are made with only the highest quality materials available. Each bag is hand made with the uttermost care and the finest craftsmanship in mind, to achieve what we believe to be the most comfortable and functional bag on the market. In order to get the best performance from your bag please read and follow the instructions found on this page.
Despite any prior experience installing bagpipe bags we encourage you to thoroughly watch or read all the installation and maintenance instructions, as the methods used by Ross Bagpipe Bags may vary from other bag manufacturers.
To expand an instruction category, click on the title.
To install your new Ross Bagpipe Bags bag follow along with the guided instructions found within the video below.
If you require text-based instructions see below the video.
If you haven’t already done so, remove the stocks from your old bag. Be careful to identify the specific stocks such as the bass drone stock, blow stick stock etc. as it is important that they go in the same positions that they came out of.
Make sure the stocks free of any surface dirt or debris. If any is evident, thoroughly clean the stocks with a damp cloth making sure to completely dry them off.
Empty the contents of your package and verify that there is:
1 x Ross Pipe Bag (A)
2 x Canisters complete with granules and flow control rings (B)
3 x Air hoses for connection from the drone stocks to the canister (C)
1 x Air hose for connection from the chanter stock to the canister (D)
1 x Roll of tape to seal the stock connections (E)
2 x Rubber seals for use beneath the clamps (F)
2 x Hose clamps to seal the chanter and blow stick stocks (G)
1 x Tube of silicon lubricant for the zip (H)
Next, connect the air hoses to the drone stocks. Some pipers choose to connect the chanter stock to the canister while other may not, this is left to personal preference. However, if you are a wet blower it is recommended that you connect it.
For more moisture control setup options see the FAQs section.
To connect the hoses, insert the red end into the bottom of the stocks (pictured below left) and twist the tube clockwise until a tight seal is formed (pictured below right). Similarly, to release the tube twist it in an anti-clockwise direction.
Once the hoses are fixed in the bottom of the stocks, they can be inserted into their respective positions in the bag. This is achieved by inserting them through the inside or outside of the bag. A smear of Vaseline may be needed to make this a little easier.
Before securing the stocks with the accompanying tape, stretch one of the provided rubber sleeves onto both the chanter and blow stick stock where the clamp will be fitted (pictured below).
Tighten the clamps firmly to ensure an airtight seal on the stocks (pictured left below). To complete the stock installation tape over the base of all the stocks and clamps to ensure an airtight seal. It is essential that the tape is stretched as it is wound around the stocks, making sure to equally cover the two parts (pictured right below). Two winds should be ample to make a good seal.
Once all the stocks and air hoses are in place, remove the canister with the bottom lid from the plastic bag. There will likely be a build-up of dust within the canister, so each section will need to be cleared out. This is best done by sliding off the canister lid (pictured below), and then blowing or vacuuming the dust out from both ends.
Slide the lid back onto the canister and match the colour coding of the airflow rings to the respective hoses (pictured below).
Red – Chanter Hose
Blue – Bass Drone Hose
Yellow – Middle Tenor Hose
Grey – Outside Tenor Hose
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Once all the hoses are connected, ensure that the canister lays flat on the bench when fitted, and remains vertical when the bag is in the normal playing position. To check this, put the canister inside the bag and hold the bag by the middle tenor stock. If done correctly, the canister will hang vertically without leaning one way or another. In this position it will not be evident when playing. If the canister does have a lean, then twisting one or more of the hoses in the opposite direction to the lean can rectify this. Once set it will not need to be done again, as the canist will easily slide off the lid for canister exchange or drying the granules (see Maintaining Your New Bag). Close the bag.
Congratulations, you have now finished setting up your new Ross Bagpipes Bag. It is recommended that you also look at the mainenance section below.
Happy Playing!
Maintaining Your New Bag
To maintain your Ross Bagpipe Bags bag follow along with the guided instructions found within the video below.
If you require text-based instructions see below the video.
Drying the canister granules:
If you are finding that your pipes are suddenly getting very wet, then you may need to dry the canister granules out. These instructions can also be found at 0:11 in the video.
Remove the canister lid and empty the granules into a microwave proof bowl or container.
Microwave the granules for 5 minutes on high, or place them into an oven, pre-heated to 230°c, for 15 minutes.
Using a funnel and cup or spoon replace the granules in the canister and slide the lid back on.
Blow through each section of the canister as done in the installation instructions.
Place the canister bag in the included plastic bag or place it in a cool dry place, as to avoid re-absorbing moisture straight away.
Adjusting the tube apertures:
If you are finding that your pipes are consistently too dry, then you may need to open the included flow control rings on the lid of the canister. These instructions can also be found at 1:54 in the video.
To allow more moisture into the system simple turn or adjust the coloured flow control rings on the lid of the canister. The rings can be opened partially for fine tuning so it may take some trial and error to find the right balance for your personal bagpipe.
Red – Chanter Hose
Blue – Bass Drone Hose
Yellow – Middle Tenor Hose
Grey – Outside Tenor Hose
Lubricating the bag zipper:
If you find that the bag is passing slightly more air than usual, a good place to start trouble shooting is the zipper. These instructions can also be found at 2:35 in the video.
If evident, clean off any surface dirt or debris.
Using the included lubricant, place a dot every 10cm, including the docking end.
Gently pull the zipper backwards and forwards to spread the lubricant.
Wipe away any excess that may remain on the zipper.
