A Shuttle drone system is an alternative to the normal slider drone system.

The shuttle is a multiply bored block of wood, typically 11 _ 15 bores, joined together serially to form 3 separate drones. These are tuned using brass sliders on the surface of the shuttle. Where normal smallpipes only go to tenor level, the shuttle reaches an octave further down to incorporate a true BASS drone 2 octaves below the chanter keynote.

On a D shuttle the BASS drone is some 108 cm (42.5”) long. All the drones are double reeded and are economical of air.

The normal simple set up is BASS, tenor and a fifth above tenor. Using the multiple sliders on each drone it can be set up to run two tunings a fourth apart, e.g. D & G, C & F, A & D making it suitable for use with a Northumbrian Smallpipes chanter or to run A & D Scottish Smallpipes chanters.

Our most complex drone will run three tuning regimes as, say, C, D & F drones (A, B & D) to make available further modes on the chanter. This drone unit, with three drones, has seven tuning slots with nine sliders.

Overall the tone is rich and resonant and, as with all bellows pipes, if adequately played and maintained will give long and reliable service.

All doubles drones are of cane.