David Naill and Co was founded in 1977 by Leslie Cowell. Formally apprenticed to H. Starck of London. It was not long before the Naill chanter was winning prizes at the highest level, demand was growing very fast, and Leslie was joined in 1980 by his son
You can’t be a great piper without the right combination of training, experience, and ability, and that is also true of bagpipe makers. To understand why the Naill bagpipe is so good, you have to know about the man behind the name. Bagpipe maker Leslie Cowell began his career in bagpipe manufacture as an apprentice to the famous London bagpipe maker Henry Starck.
The Starck family made bagpipes and other instruments for several generations, and Les worked there from 1946 to 55. Starck bagpipes were known for exceptional tone and workmanship. In 1955 Les later worked for instrument makers Boosey and Hawkes, and eventually started David Naill and Co. in 1976.
