P. O'Callahan wrote:I don't know who John Allison is
I do know who this John Allison and I will back him 100%!! To date, I have never heard/read/or known of anyone having a good opinion of a set of Vignoles pipes (excepting, of course, the set you may have). If you were to search through the archives of this board and the previous two boards you would see that this holds true.
We are entitled to our opinions, but Mr. Allison, in MY opinion, what you have said verges on the grounds of slander. You are talking about a man who has spent nearly half his life making these pipes, giving workshops, educating and playing the pipes. And he is creating something that is all but a lost art. I should think one piper would have greater respect for not only another musician, but the maker of the instrument for which you play. It sounds more like a personal vendetta than constructive critisim. The sophmoric cartoons and comments speak for themselves.
"Opinions are like noses...everybody has one". Do you think that attacking me personally will make his past work any better?
Well, as I say you are entitled to your opinion. And I wil assume you don't know many people who use his pipes. As I know several, and have not heard a complaint about his craftsmanship. In the end, we all pick the pipes which are right for us. They can't be chosen for us. The only opinion that matters in that aspect, is our own. I just happen to dsagree with you. P. O'Callahan slan!
Tell us something.: I used to play pipes about 20 years ago and suddenly abducted by aliens. Not sure why... but it's 2022 and I'm mysteriously baack...
A while back Lorenzo started a topic called 'Pictures of Your Pipes' it's become the longest thread in the Uilleann Pipe Forum. I invite you to add to it by submitting pictures of your set. If you don't have a place to host your picture online, we will gladly help out. The link is: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 096bcd9be3
First I have to say that all the sets I had in my hands were not new from the maker...but I don't see how that makes much of a difference.
-- John Allison
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Well, in my opinion, if you don't think that a set of pipes being in the hands of God-only-knows-who doesn't make a difference, then perhaps you'll loan your pipes to me for a few hours and I'll "work on them for a bit", and we'll see if you can ever get them in tune again.
The fact is, you make comments like that out of hand and it makes ME suspect that you know very little about what you're talking about.
As an example, I can take a brand-new, right off the showroom floor Corvette, and have it working like a rusted-out DeSoto in no time at all. The reason is my own inexperience with things of an automotive nature. That might leave a casual observer with the impression that Chevrolet makes terrible sports cars.
The same goes for pipes - if you don't know what's been done to them after they've left the hands of the maker, then you have no business making comments about the ability of the pipemaker.
As it happens, I own a set of pipes made by Michael Vignoles, and have owned and played them regularly for the past six years. Through my own inexperience, I had some second thoughts about the purchase (early on).
But as my experience has grown, I haven't had to touch them in the least in the past three years (knock on wood) - with the exception of normal maintenance on tightening the joints, etc.
I visited with Michael last October in his shop, and he provided me with two new regulator reeds, and a new baritone drone reed. While there, I was able to play a new set that he'd just completed. It was a very well-tuned set of pipes, a set that I'd have been happy to own.
Obviously, it's up to the individual (such as the originator of this thread) as to what pipes he eventually owns. It might help, though, if people like yourself would try to stifle yourself when it comes to unfounded opinions on someone's ability - especially when those opinions are based on "great unknowns" - such as "what did the owners of those pipes DO to them before they tried to sell them as a lost cause".
I've reeded a few Vignoles chanters and they've all been pretty much the same. One of the top pipemakers (remaining nameless of course) remarked "Strictly for the Tourists"................
I own a half set of vignoles pipes for the past 3 years and I am extremley pleased with them,I almost decided against buying from him as I had heard some of the earlier work may not have been as good when he was in the USA but I got the opurtunity to try out one of his later sets from another musician and really liked them so went ahead and ordered,I am really glad I did as I am now Progressing really well,Ialso have visited the flead in Ireland where a young fellow called Richard Moylan whos only about 14 came second in the all ireland on a vignoles full set .Either way I feel that anyone who encounters problems with their pipes no matter who their from should go and talk to the maker, When I joined this forum I thought it was all about helping each other out and all reed talk etc but after reading some of the exchanges and the badmouthing thats going on Im really dissapointed ,I also have no doubt too that I will have some smart ass comment on this note from one of you lot ,if the cartoon work is anything to go by ,Anyway Im delighted with my set.
Far from it, John, I couldn't agree with you more. In my 23 years as a musician, wrangling with my own ego and those of other self-appointed artists, I have never encountered the like of the histrionics that seem to be a built-in feature of uilleann pipe lists on the web. Your post is a commendable reminder to the tightly-knit community of web-literate pipers that the purpose of this forum is to help, not harm. Good on you.
I'm very glad to hear that there are those who have had good results with Vignoles sets. I think we've must have had a string of bad luck in the SoCal Uilleann pipers club, the Vignoles sets we've had come through all had one problem or another. Looked great, but either had airflow, reed, or chanter tuning issues. My first set was a full Vignoles that I think someone may have tinkered with, but at the time I knew virtually nothing about the pipes. Michael wasn't able to get the chanter to work right so he sent me another for free. The set didn't meet my needs so I ended up selling it to an instructor in Florida who seemed quite happy to get it.
I think around here in SoCal, because of the 4 or 5 problematic sets we've had come through, some of us in the club haven't been recommending Vignoles as a builder to new players, but I would love to be able to hear some success stories. Even better, if someone with a good working Vignoles set could come visit one of our meetings, it would probably change a lot of minds. I'd be the first one to gladly post a positive review, I mean who wouldn't want another good builder to recommend?
I'm new to this forum, have been playing pipes for several years now and just felt I had to write when I read some of the past remarks about Michael Vignoles pipes. One has to wonder if the one making the negative remarks is #1, an adult and #2, an actual piper himself. The cartoon logo leads me to believe this is a child. I have played Vignoles pipes from the beginning, then finally had the privilege of meeting the pipesmaker himself and hearing him play. After having the good luck to visit his workshop in Galway and seeing the skill and craftsmanship that go into each set of pipes I can almost certainly say that anyone not happy with Vignoles pipes is playing an altered set of pipes or simply does not know how to play. I saw him at the Boston StoneHill Festival spend literally hours helping folks learn one thing or another about piping. I played one of the full sets he had for sale there and would have bought them in a heartbeat had I needed another set. As it was...a piper from one of the bands playing there ( I didn't know him), played them and bought them on the spot. I don't usually participate in this type of discussion but felt strongly about speaking up not only in defense of the character of this pipesmaker but most especially of his pipes. Also, in support of what the gentleman earlier said...I find it incredibly disappointing that this forum can be used to speak negatively of such a musician and craftsman. Brad S.
Tell us something.: I used to play pipes about 20 years ago and suddenly abducted by aliens. Not sure why... but it's 2022 and I'm mysteriously baack...
