Here in California we have a great piper, Erik Leiken, who used to compete solos with Gibson pipes.

At solo piping competitions there's sort of a background wash of tone set by pipers playing vintage Hendersons and newer pipes based on Hendersons, and my ears perk up when a piper brings a different kind of tone.

Erik's Gibsons were like that, they always stood out from the crowd, not better or worse but different.

Ditto when somebody shows up with Athertons.