Uilleann Pipe Recommendations for a newbie!
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:53 pm
Good afternoon folks,
Long time lurker, but new poster. I am a very competent highland piper with 20 years of experience in addition to playing scottish smallpipes and border pipes; I am therefore able to "blow tone" with bellows quite adeptly. I am considering diving into uilleann pipes, but frankly I have found recommendations regarding different pipe makers to be piece-meal and hard to consider as it is just snippets here and there.
I am not looking for a budget set. I am interested in buying the best instrument I can afford with the hopes that it will be a lifelong instrument. I also know I plan on starting with at least a half set given my comfort with drones and I suspect I would outgrow a practice set rapidly at any rate. I am less certain as to whether it is worth getting a 3/4 or full set instead of a half-set. The most consistent recommendation I have seen is start with a half-set, but I am interested in opinions as to whether it is a hassle to send your pipes in for an upgrade (particularly with an overseas pipe-maker and issues related to CITES, etc.) and whether this would influence you to pick a more complete set from the outset, if doable financially. I would love to hear your opinion as to how much you value the regs and whether a 3/4 or full set adds value early on, whether you use them often once proficient, or even if you mostly prefer drones and don't recommend the regs. As a highland piper, the idea of regs is foreign and I have to admit the sound of them is something I am still getting used to. The up-front cost of the regs is not a prohibitive factor in my decision.
I think I am more likely to get a concert pitch set but have a hard time finding good links of audio samples comparing concert pitch to various flat sets. Which do you personally like more and why? Do you recommend narrow bore or a more traditional bore if going concert pitch?
The next issue I would love an opinion on is wood selection. A lot of makers seem to use ebony, which is more rare in GHB. Does anyone use Palo Santo or other woods and does anyone here have a strong opinion about wood selection? I know I do not want a soft fruitwood such as pear or a wood prone to warping such as boxwood as I live in a mountainous arid climate in the USA. I am aware that the climate here will necessitate patience with reed manipulation and finding someone to help get my instrument dialed in to the climate.
Finally and most importantly, I would like as much information as possible regarding different makers, the quality of their pipes, and their relative styles. This is the hardest part for me because I hear a great piper on a CD or youtube and I find the majority of the time I am unable to find any information online as to what they are playing. Then, when I hear a set that really impresses me (which obviously has quite a bit to do with the piper), they are usually playing a Wooff or O'Briain or Quinn or some set that I see online I will never be able to get new as the books are indefinitely closed. Coming from GHB where there is copious information readily available on different pipe makers, this is daunting. I am not interested in a ten year wait list. I don't mind a reasonable wait list if that means I get great pipes. I'm open to used pipes as well, but all things equal, probably prefer new pipes made for me. I am fortunate enough to have world class highland pipes and transitioning to a great set is eminently noticeable. Every recommendation I find online about maker X or maker Y for uilleann pipes is almost entirely positive. I have found next to no information from people comparing the relative merits/strengths/weaknesses of different makers that would help a complete beginner begin to think about who to have make a set of pipes. Furthermore, many makers have zero videos I can find of their pipes on youtube or they have no website! I am sensitive to not having this thread turn into a bashing thread- I assume that any maker someone would bother recommending will make a good set of pipes. However, I would love some information about differences in tonal style, ease of playing, weight, maintenance issues, easiness to reed, richness of sound, characteristics (if applicable) of the regs, customer service, wait time, and any other factors that might help me decide on set X over set Y.
Some makers that have peaked my interest in no particular order include: Andy Faden, Andreas Rogge, Gordon Galloway, Ray Sloan, Tim Benson, Bruce Childress, Eugene Lamb, Kirk Lynch, and Brian Bigley. Any information on these makers and their relative merits or on any other maker you would recommend would be greatly appreciated.
What set would you order if (reasonable) money was not a barrier and you could pick a set from any maker and take delivery of the pipes in a reasonable time-frame?
THANK YOU!
Long time lurker, but new poster. I am a very competent highland piper with 20 years of experience in addition to playing scottish smallpipes and border pipes; I am therefore able to "blow tone" with bellows quite adeptly. I am considering diving into uilleann pipes, but frankly I have found recommendations regarding different pipe makers to be piece-meal and hard to consider as it is just snippets here and there.
I am not looking for a budget set. I am interested in buying the best instrument I can afford with the hopes that it will be a lifelong instrument. I also know I plan on starting with at least a half set given my comfort with drones and I suspect I would outgrow a practice set rapidly at any rate. I am less certain as to whether it is worth getting a 3/4 or full set instead of a half-set. The most consistent recommendation I have seen is start with a half-set, but I am interested in opinions as to whether it is a hassle to send your pipes in for an upgrade (particularly with an overseas pipe-maker and issues related to CITES, etc.) and whether this would influence you to pick a more complete set from the outset, if doable financially. I would love to hear your opinion as to how much you value the regs and whether a 3/4 or full set adds value early on, whether you use them often once proficient, or even if you mostly prefer drones and don't recommend the regs. As a highland piper, the idea of regs is foreign and I have to admit the sound of them is something I am still getting used to. The up-front cost of the regs is not a prohibitive factor in my decision.
I think I am more likely to get a concert pitch set but have a hard time finding good links of audio samples comparing concert pitch to various flat sets. Which do you personally like more and why? Do you recommend narrow bore or a more traditional bore if going concert pitch?
The next issue I would love an opinion on is wood selection. A lot of makers seem to use ebony, which is more rare in GHB. Does anyone use Palo Santo or other woods and does anyone here have a strong opinion about wood selection? I know I do not want a soft fruitwood such as pear or a wood prone to warping such as boxwood as I live in a mountainous arid climate in the USA. I am aware that the climate here will necessitate patience with reed manipulation and finding someone to help get my instrument dialed in to the climate.
Finally and most importantly, I would like as much information as possible regarding different makers, the quality of their pipes, and their relative styles. This is the hardest part for me because I hear a great piper on a CD or youtube and I find the majority of the time I am unable to find any information online as to what they are playing. Then, when I hear a set that really impresses me (which obviously has quite a bit to do with the piper), they are usually playing a Wooff or O'Briain or Quinn or some set that I see online I will never be able to get new as the books are indefinitely closed. Coming from GHB where there is copious information readily available on different pipe makers, this is daunting. I am not interested in a ten year wait list. I don't mind a reasonable wait list if that means I get great pipes. I'm open to used pipes as well, but all things equal, probably prefer new pipes made for me. I am fortunate enough to have world class highland pipes and transitioning to a great set is eminently noticeable. Every recommendation I find online about maker X or maker Y for uilleann pipes is almost entirely positive. I have found next to no information from people comparing the relative merits/strengths/weaknesses of different makers that would help a complete beginner begin to think about who to have make a set of pipes. Furthermore, many makers have zero videos I can find of their pipes on youtube or they have no website! I am sensitive to not having this thread turn into a bashing thread- I assume that any maker someone would bother recommending will make a good set of pipes. However, I would love some information about differences in tonal style, ease of playing, weight, maintenance issues, easiness to reed, richness of sound, characteristics (if applicable) of the regs, customer service, wait time, and any other factors that might help me decide on set X over set Y.
Some makers that have peaked my interest in no particular order include: Andy Faden, Andreas Rogge, Gordon Galloway, Ray Sloan, Tim Benson, Bruce Childress, Eugene Lamb, Kirk Lynch, and Brian Bigley. Any information on these makers and their relative merits or on any other maker you would recommend would be greatly appreciated.
What set would you order if (reasonable) money was not a barrier and you could pick a set from any maker and take delivery of the pipes in a reasonable time-frame?
THANK YOU!