Tweedie, Jim

You are here: Home / The Makers / Tweedie, Jim

Jim Tweedie was a turner for Wm. Sinclair and Hugh MacPherson in the 1960’s before opening his own business in Edinburgh in the early 1970’s.

As found on Bob Dunsire forums: “A typical day of wandering into Jim Tweedie’s workshop. A Traffic Warden standing at the large front window drinking a mug of tea Jim had made for him. Sitting opposite piles of dusty blackwood blocks at a work bench, George Lumsden making drone reeds and setting up a set of pipes. Walking through to the back sheep and hide lying on a table next to bag patterns ready to be cut out. A pot boiling on the stove with an old bagpipe joint in getting ancient glue melted off. On the wall engraved in metal a piobaireachd urlar. Jim Tweedie at the sink, already filling a kettle for some more tea. Almost near impossible to leave because Jim would keep us in there nattering all day about all the good things pipers love to hear. Craig busily finishing off sets of pipes at the lathe, back dust clouding his head. What a fantastic place that was.” words from Roger Huth

I don’t know where Jim acquired his skills and knowledge however, to be certain, he knew his business. Wood was aged a minimum of eight years and Jim was the first to perfect polished bores. Aesthetically, his standard bagpipe following the profile of flat-combed Sinclair and MacPherson bagpipes, but a bit “heftier” in appearance. The bells were quite deep and disproportionate in size. The sound is and remains spectacular.

Jim Tweedie ca 1970

The picture of Jim Tweedie above is courtesy of Nick Carpellotti, who is also the owner of the Tweedie bagpipe pictured below. I have to confess that Tweedie didn’t make the most handsome bagpipe I’ve seen, but the sound and behavior more than compensates. The first Tweedie bagpipe I played the bass failed to start. I tuned the tenors and thought “Hey, they’re pretty nice.” Then I popped on the bass and it just blew me away. It was magnificent. Without reservation, Tweedie drones are among the best sounding drones I have played.

He also made “beaded & combed” sets, although seemingly not too many. He also made PM Robert Mathieson’s carved bagpipe, as seen on Polkemmet Gorud’s Celtic Roots album. Although Tweedie bagpipes can be found in other configurations, it is most common to find them flat-combed with Catalin mounts. Most have a one-piece cap however some have typical rings and bushings. Every set I’ve come across has been arrow-straight, produces a brilliant full sound, and is rock steady. Jim died on March 2, 2002 leaving a legacy of excellence.