Maker of hand tuned
Windchimes
Prince Edward Island, Canada
and Brooklin, Maine, USA

|  Key of C   |   Key of A Minor   |   Pentatonic |  Copper Cowbell Chime   |
|  D Major Chime   |   West Wind Chime   |   New Meadow Chime   | Stained Glass WindCatchers   |
|    Wholesale Information   |
|  What's NEW at Island Winds   |
|  Make your own wind chime   |
| "Answer is blowing in the wind" - how it all began |

All prices are quoted in Canadian currency.
International inquiries and orders are welcomed.
Taxes and shipping charges not included in published prices.
Please email the company for shipping details.
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Key of C   $76.00 (Birch)
 History   Description

In 1978, an amateur musician, Chris Baker, got tired of throwing pottery, drawing and PEI Winters, and went to the SouthWest United States, traveled New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, and came back with a set of Windchimes tuned to the Key of C.

With a partner from Texas, he began working the craft show circuit in the US and Canada, selling these chimes which became a big hit. In 1981, Chris asked his brother, Pete (me), to help with production and after some training, I set up a small shop in Granville, PEI.  By 1982, that little shop was producing, for wholesale, the now famous Key of C Windchime by Island Winds©.

These chimes have tubular bells tuned harmonically in the Key of C. The bells are steel alloy tubing, one inch diameter from 11 inches to 21 inches in length and suspended from a 6" diameter wood (birch or mahogany) disc. As with all our chimes, we offer a wood or stained glass disc in a variety of colors for the pendulum or windcatcher.

The Key of C Chimes' harmonic tuning give a mellow sound and provide a meditative presence.

$76.00 (Birch)

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Key of A Minor     $52.00 (Birch)

After four years of growing interest in the Island Winds© Key of C Chimes, we decided to offer a smaller chime at a lower price and with a more gentle sound.

We used 3/4" diameter tubing, 6 bells from 14 inches to 20 inches in length, suspended from a 5 inch diameter wood top in birch or mahogany.  They come in your choice of wood or stained glass windcatcher in a variety of colors.

Tuned to A Minor, these Island Winds© chimes are somewhat less resonant than the "C" Chimes;  the sound is quietly unobtrusive, yet reassuring.  The sound is pleasingly intimate in a light or strong breeze.

$52.00 (Birch)

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Pentatonic $76.00 (Birch)
History   Description

In 1986, Island Winds© decided to experiment with an ancient Greek five note scale, called the pentatonic scale.  This musical scale existed before the western diatonic scale evolved and has its roots in early history.

We suspended the six tuned bells at each bell's nodal point which is a hole drilled at a point determines by the length of each note's sound wave, part way along the length of the tube.  The tubing is one inch in diameter from 11 inches to 16 inches in length. 

This results in a very bright and clear note when each bell is struck.  We've included the high "C" giving six clear, loud notes from this chime.

$76.00 (Birch)

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Copper CowBell Chime   $64.00 (Birch)

These chimes were first assembled in 1986 at the request of a large giftware chain.  A division of Hudson Bay Company wanted a copper chime with an acceptable sound, and they agreed to place large orders for the model we sent them. The sound is not musical but I thought it was pleasant enough.

Returning one moonlit summer evening from a weekend away, I heard the sound of these copper chimes coming from behind our shop, and thought it was nice that someone had hung them outside to catch the breezes.

Upon investigation, I found the sound was produced by cowbells worn by a herd of cows pastured below our Island Winds© shop.  The dairy farmer who owned the cows had attached these bells the weekend we were away.  The sound matched our copper chimes exactly... those are cows out to pasture you hear.

Your choice of wood or stained glass windcatcher.

$64.00 (Birch)

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D Major Chimes $110.00   Description

By 1990, we decided to give in to many many requests for a large loud chime that emitted a clarion sound like church bells.

We came up with the D Major tuning, a step up from "C" with a joyful powerful sound.

Using 1 1/2 inch diameter tubing in lengths from 21 inches to 31 inches, the bells are large enough to really resonate with the lightest tap.  In an ordinary breeze, you'll be surprised at the sound volume of these chimes.  The 1 1/2 inch x 8 inch diameter wood disk from which the bells are suspended is of maple of birch, and together with the bell clanger, puts the weight at slightly over 20 pounds for this set of Windchimes.  Available with wood (shown) or stained glass disc for the windcatcher.

Island Winds© suggests putting these chimes at a short distance from the home, maybe among some trees. In this location, it will sound like distant church bells. We hung them on our porch at home, and found them to be quite powerful.

$110.00.

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West Wind Chime $60.00

By 1992, Chris had left the Windchimes and Island Winds© to pursue a career in art again, and left the business with his brother, Pete (me)... but not before creating a couple more tunings in our line of Island Winds© Windchimes.

One tuning that we added is in G Minor and is similar to the A Minor, but with longer tubes and therefore deeper resonance.

With these Windchimes we used 3/4 inch diameter tubing, from 16 inches to 25 inches in length suspended from a 5 1/4 inch disc in birch or mahogany.  Choice of wood or stained glass windcatcher.

$60.00

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New Meadow Chime   $30.00

This is the last chime we came up with at Island Winds© and in this case, Chris suggested we try a new material and as low a price as possible on a product still made in Canada.

Using a 1/2 inch diameter solid aluminum bar from 4 inches to 5 inches in length, we found good resonance using four bells;  the notes produced are quite high.

Generally, we've found steel alloy tubing to have better resonance, that is, longer duration of sound vibration, than aluminum tubing. In the case of this particular alloy bar, we were surprised at the resonance quality.  It is a pretty chime with a 4 inch diameter wood top, ball clanger and 3 inch wood windcatcher. Overall length: 10 inches.

$30.00

$120.00

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Your choice of Stained Glass WindCatchers, $10 each...
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 The above colours are not always available, so please call to inquire about colour choices before ordering.

Wholesalers:

Here at Island Winds© we welcome your inquiries regarding wholesale quantities of our Windchimes.  For more information and quotes, please call 1-800-824-9463 or feel free to contact us by email.

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