Would anyone who has played uilleann pipes by the Spanish makers, Hevia, Parrado y Aragon care to share their feelings with a prospective buyer?
Thanks.
I’ve read Larry Dunn’s glowing review in the latest Piobaire.
I don’t think there’s anyone here who plays them so go with Larry Dunn’s review. I’ve heard their sound files on their website and they sound pretty good. All you’ll get from here is a bunch of different answers which will be of no real value unless there IS someone here with first hand experience of this particular pipe. Check out their website, see the photo of Paddy Moloney basically endorsing their product and make your decision from that. I personally would have NOOO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER buying a chanter from them (and I’m quite fussy about what I want in terms of tone etc). All I need is a bit of money. Delivery time is VERY short compared to most of the IN-VOGUE pipe makers at present (just because a maker has a 7 yr waiting list does NOT mean they are any better than some of the lesser-known makers). So far I’ve only heard GOOD things about them.
Cheers,
DavidG
Hi - I tried a practise set out in my local traditional music shop last year. I was very sceptical at first, but when I actually saw the set I was very pleasantly surprised. The workmanship was first class, the pipes which were brand new and unplayed were in good working order, no leaks or squeaks. The reed played well and was in tune over the full two octaves. It had a strong harsh D and E and a lovely rich tone. I concluded that they were the best ‘off the shelf’ set I had come across, even the box they came in was well made, durable and smart. The price took my breath away - but if money is less of an object than an easily available good quality instrument then away you go! 10/10!
Hevia pipes are really well made. I’ve had a go on a half set and I saw one down at Willie week this year and it sounded great!
Our association bought a practise set (becouse of the price and availability), for loaning to beginner, so that she (this year it goes to a girl) can seriously try UP before getting her own set.
Very nice, very good sound, and excellent service.
Phil , it’s not because the price we have bought this practice . The price is nearly the same as other . The question was the short waiting list ( 2 monthes ) and the good quality of the chanter .
Two pipers I know are waiting for a full and I will post you a message when could heard them . But I think that quickly the waiting list will be longer !
Phil , va faire un tour sur le forum pipeshow , ça remue !
I’ve tried the sample practice set sent to NPU. Nicely made chanter, bellows were a bit flimsy I thought.
Sounded well and in tune. Reed struck me as a bit tough for all the response I was getting, but I’m quite sure that I wouldn’t be long setting the reed up better to suit my tastes.
Certainly a good option if the rest of what they do is consistent with that chanter.
Regards,
Harry.
The practice loaned to the SCUPC was indeed top notch. The reed seemed pretty stiff at first, but after a few hours of playing it, it lightened-up (pressure-wise). My only complaints about the Hevia, Parrado & Aragón set are: a) the odd valve set-up (a valve at the “exhaust” side of the belows instead at the bag-end of the blowpipe) and b) the weakness of the U.S. dollar vs. the Euro.
-No E (Larry Dunn)
I only played the SCUPC set for a few minutes, but I couldn’t really give a fair evaluation of the rest of the set because the odd behavior of the bag’s check valve was so disconcerting. It’s my opinion that the problem was caused by the design of the valve, not it’s unorthodox placement at the bellows side of the blowpipe. Instead of the traditional leather flapper, it used a plastic disk which was free to slide back and forth inside a half-inch-long cylinder. At the end of each bellows stroke, a massive amout of air would rush out of the bag into the bellows before the disk would finally get blown to the other end of cylinder and make a seal. Maybe it was the mass of the disk, or the distance it had to travel, or perhaps it was tilting inside the cylinder and getting stuck momentarily, but whatever the reason it just wasn’t quick enough. I felt like I was loosing half of the air from each stroke of the bellows, in sort of a two steps forward, one step back fashion.
It was, however, extremely entertaining to watch the confused looks on everybody’s faces as they tried it out and made attempts to adapt to it!
Chadd gives a very good description of the check valve set-up and its consequences. These problems have been communicated to H,P&A, so it will be interesting to see if they go back to the more traditional blow-pipe flapper valve, or try to improve on their existing design.
No E
NB- Just to be clear, I am not affiliated with Hevia, Parrado & Aragón in any capacity and have neither received nor expect any commisions or in-kind consideration from them.
Is that Aragon the heir to the trone of Gondor ? I suppose now that he,s not fighting orks he has to do something !!!
RORY
Rory, perhaps you’re thinking of his sister, Catherine. 
djm
This just in…
I received an e-mail from José Cuesta at Hevia Parrado y Aragón saying that the check-valve on the recently-returned evaluation practice set had a broken hinge, so the flapper was floating around free instead of being held in place.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
No E
I’ve decided, on the strength of all the above positive comments, to take the oul Visa card down from the top shelf of the dresser and treat myself to a full set from our Spanish friends.
I’ll report back in 200 days.
Thanks to all for your assistance.
Congratulations, Ciotog!!! 200 days is all? Wow, double congratulations!!!
Scots Highland Service in London Ontario had a half set in stock. The chanter played very well . The drones didn’t work on this set out of the box , but it might be unfair to hold that against them. If they still have them , go try them out . They seemed small in size overall but the chanter did play quite nicely over all ranges.
Well Ciotog, it’s already 2006 and I think more than 200 days have passed 
Could you please give us your report? It would be especially useful for me. I’ll need to take a decision within one week about their half-set
Two pipers I know are waiting for a full and I will post you a message when could heard them
Two month ago I saw one of these full set . Now , I reserve the right to do no answer and I am a little bit disappointed ; particularly with the regs . It’s only my humble opinion !
the chanter did play quite nicely over all ranges
It’s the least for a chanter to be in tune and it’s far to be the only thing , as you know , that allow to say these chanters are good .
Reeds are not good , and nobody at Hevia manufacture play the pipes ! I ask me if this pipes are tested before shipping !!!
I stop now , perhaps I said too !
I tried to play their full set at the St Chartier Festival last year. I managed to get one drone to sound, poorly, but the temperature was in the 90s.
A beautiful stand though; mood lighting and lots of black velvet drapery. 10/10 for presentation.
Well, I received my pipes within the 200 days and, to cut a long story short, if I could get my money back, I would.
Enough said.