I am going to buy a des seery starter set soon.
there is little info on seery’s pipes because of the focus on his flutes(which are fantastic)
I want to know anything you folks know about Seery pipes before I make the purchase next month.
thanks everyone!
alex-
Hi Alex!
Don’t know anything about Des pipes but I got a bit curious why you have desided to get one of his sets, without knowing anything about them.
Usually it is the other way around, first gather some information about different pipes and pipe makers, then decide what to get.
Cheers!
/MarcusR
I know plenty about them and i have even heard them, but i have not played them which is the real issue. I just want to make sure since it is a big investment and they will be traveling about 7000 miles, that i will be about 200% pleased with them. Im simply getting a second and thrid and fourth opinion.
Prudence says you’d be better off going with a maker closer to you and there are several that seem to hold reasonably high reputations much closer than 7,000 miles away! Have you looked into Kirk Lynch, Seth Gallagher, David Quinn, Brad Angus, or any domestic makers here in the US?
Im pretty nostalgic, im definitley getting them from an irish maker as my preference. Besides If climate is going to be an issue I have the option of delrin. As far as I know there are no drawbacks to delrin.
Hi again Alex!
I got curious to why you had your mind set on a particular set from Europe.
If there was a very special reason, looks, sound, personal taste or other preferenses I could understand it.
Otherwise I’m with Brian.
The exchange rate is not in your favour right now and you will also have to pay for shipping, import and custom duties.
In the end I’ll guess your set wil cost as much as a set from one of the top makers in the US.
And if you decide to upgrade to a half or full set you have to go throgh the same drill again.
There are plenty of very good makers in the US so if I were you I would do some research of a few other options before I order anything.
Good luck and happy piping 
/MarcusR
True, but your reed isn’t going to be made of Delrin, and that’s the bit that you need to be most worried about…
My thought exactly. Quite a difference between Ireland humidity and New Mexico.
Doc
its not simply the principal of the thing, I also prefer the look of his pipes and I have great personal respect for seery and his associate.
I think I mis worded my initial post and that caused confusion regarding the information i was looking for.
The reason for my question was so i could get in touch with someone who has seery pipes. As I am in the early stages of learning, I can not be very discriminating. I wanted to know how seery pipes compare to those US makers. Thank you for the feed back! I am well aware that i will need to learn to make my own reads for the desert i live in, and i will probably get delrin so i can travel without them swelling and cracking.
The advice is very sound regarding choosing a maker close to - climate not withstanding. You’re making an already difficult instrument and purchase much more so going that far away. Meaning no disrespect to Mr. Seery, his whistles and flutes have a good reputation by most, though the fact that not many have heard seen or played his pipes might be reason for pause - that are a VERY different animal than whistles/flutes. Even assuming you’ve got a perfect set and perfect reeds (LOL Yeah RIGHT!) when the time comes for you to need service, to go back to the maker for it is not practical in that case. Many makers won’t touch the stuff from other living makers as well, for a number of reasons…sometimes even for something as simple as reeds and the like, let alone if something breaks. And it probably will. It’s much much more difficult to work half way around the globe than someone here state side. Just know what you’re getting into. That’s all.
Option 2: Move next door to your favorite maker. Takes care of a lot of problems. 
I have never played a Seery chanter or set, but I have heard nice things about them.
Living in New Mexico, being new to the Uilleann Pipes, and being determined to obtain a set by a maker who is a long, long way away (in the event there are issues that only the maker can address or repair), sounds to me like it could be a recipe for heartbreak.
Seriously consider a set by somebody a little closer to home. Once you are up and going and know a few more things about the pipes and piping, then go in search of your dream set.
Just my 2.5 cents.
Seery flutes do get a few good reviews on the flute board and the people that play them seem to like them,
but I still don’t follow your flute analogy.
I’m sure that most people that love their Seery flutes would not mind to have an Olwel or Wilkes if they had the funds.
The way I see it is, you’ll end up with a Seery for the same price you could get an Olwel. If you are ok with that, go for it.
The other thing I dont get is that you are new to piping and you are on your way to buy a practise set.
See it for what it is. If you get into piping and progress it is not likley that this is the set you want to have
for the rest of your life, even though it is possible to upgrade a Seery set with drones and regs.
If you are set on delrin, a nice practise set from Boston Pipeworks will only be about half the price
compared to a Seery set from ireland.
When you get going you will also develope an ear and feel for what you want in a set.
So when it is time to get drones or regs you will also be more sure about what to get and who to buy from.
Edit: Close to what JES said I guess, missed his reply.
Cheers!
MarcusR
In fairness, this is one case in which the location of the pipemaker is probably not very relevant, at least from the point of view of the stability of the pipes. The altitude and humidity (or absence thereof) in Albuquerque will probably test any set of pipes, even a set made by someone near where Alex lives (are there any pipemakers in or near NM).
As pointed out by the Sporting Pitchfork, the problem you’re going to face, even with a derlin set is the reeds. While you can get synthetic reeds for drones, maintaining your chanter reed will probably prove a challenge. Maybe you should consider learning to make your own reeds.
I seem to recall Pat Sky writing somewhere on this forum that he found light reeds best suited to altitude and arid climates.
Good luck with your piping plans.
As far as I know, Des has an associate in Ohio, so there should be some local comeback. Ken Murphy had a set of Seery pipes (he also lived close to Des, in Bray). You could probably speak with him (calling to Ireland). I have some samples of his playing them I might share with you (some years old).
Kevin Krell
Yes, and the prices there are much better for an American buyer than here in Europe. I lived and worked for a couple of years in the USA, and I can say the American customer support is much better then anywhere else in the world. When I was not happy with something I had bought, I had the option to return that thing, including chanters and reeds. This is completely not true here in Europe. There are rare exceptions, though. Because of the terribly high customs and taxes here in Europe, and customs burocracy, unfortunately, buying from American makers is not a real option for us 
Miki
My 
advice:
This is such a well kept secret: It’s the reeds, it’s the reeds it’s the reeds, it’s the reeds it’s the reeds, it’s the reeds it’s the reeds.
Get the hint?
In fairness, I haven’t lived within 1000 miles of people who have made assorted bits and pieces of my pipes, nor do I make reeds (I haven’t the time, space, and inclination to be bothered) and I have been able to make it work. It never seemed to be even worth trying to find close by pipemakers since I’ve lived in Massachusetts, Colorado, and the UK since I started playing. When the pipes have freaked out on me, I can usually find someone nearby – or at least in the same country – who can sort it out, even if it’s not their pipes.
So it’s nice to live near your pipemaker, but you’re not totally up the creek if you don’t.
I’ll agree with this, but I will also add that life can be so much easier if you do.
Not everyone has good Karma and/or are able to get help when trouble gets in the way of happy piping. 
I’ve had very good luck with the American pipe makers being happy to reed or repair pipes of their make even though I wasn’t the original buyer. I’ve also had good experience with professional reed makers doing excellent work for me on pipes they didn’t make.
Desi is a fine fellow. I’m sure his pipes are excellent. The only hassle I forsee is getting a reed that’s happy in Ireland to be happy in the desert Southwest of USA. I’d have a back-up plan ready for a new reed. Get hooked up with a reed maker that will reed Desi’s chanter if you need it and you’ll be just fine.
The only real hassle would be sending the stick back and forth to Eire every time you need a reed. You don’t want to do that. Hook up with Ted Anderson or Joseph Smith or Pat Sky or any pipe maker or reed guy that wants to take a crack at it and you’ll be just fine.
There may even be a local guy in a local piping club that’s a good hand with reeds. Or, you can (…shudder…) learn to make your own reeds.
I personally have neither the time or incination to learn reed making at this point in my life. There are dozens of great people that can save your bacon right here in the US and they’re only a trip to the post office away.
Thats the thing
And I really do think that one should have a very special reason for buying from a maker across
the atlantic or the pacific. It has to be worth the extra cost and extra risk.
I know of a very good pipemaker in Ireland who recently shipped a set of pipes to the US, even payed extra for a 4 day express delivery door to door to minimize the risk. The pipes have now been sitting in US customs for four weeks. I would be really worried that the customs storage climate is not in favour of long time storage of a set of pipes.
If I were to buy from overseas it would difinately be a set by a maker whos pipes that are so special that it is worth paying extra for a flight ticket to pick them up in person.
This is just my opinion.
/MarcusR