Have the Pakistani makers discovered gaitas? Should I be leary of any “good value for the money” deals out there?
Jeff
WELL…
funny you should ask!
…cause I gotta story to tell…
On ebay about 5-6 years ago, i saw an 2 drone mouthblown instrument up for auction, advertised as a Breton biniou.
It was plain to see the Chanter was far too large for that, even on a picture
So I paid $250 I think, and got this pipe,
shipped from Thailand, cocuswood painted black +varnished, white plastic mounts, bag was made from an interesting fabric I hadnt encountered before. It’s a good bag! Red bag cover, white fringes.
So after considerable reed fiddling; then expanding & moving a few holes in the chanter,
I ended up with a neat “Gaita sounding” instrument that played in Bb.
NOW to actually call it a Gaita, (Biniou, OR Veuze) would be an insult to the practioners of each instrument, but with a nice fringe it passed for a reasonable impersonation of the actual thing.
It’s funky & cheap for sure, but still kind of fun to play. I dont put a lot of time in on it, maybe just 2-3 plays a year.
Unless you’re in the mood to do some serious surgical experimentation on a pipe just to yuck around on, it’d probably be time better spent elsewhere.
I’ll look for a picture. 
Got one of these as well - the basis of the chanter is actually that of a Pakistani bombarde. No, there are no Gaitas from Pakistan yet. You can get “tourist”-instruments as cheap as 300 Dollars (one droned). They’re made from a pretty cheap, bright wood and come with an awfull rubber-bag - so it’s absolutely necessary to take out drones, chanter and blowpipe after EVERY time You play (and keep them well oiled as well!). They do come with cane reeds. However - all of these instruments I had in my hands so far are perfectly well in tune, crossfingering semitones is mostly possible as well as overblowing into 3rd, sometimes even 4th. They’re a bargain and really fine for beginners (I learned on one of these!). I hear, they’re made in homes for mentally disabled, that’s why they’re for sale that cheap…
Very interesting Padre. I’m wondering about the pipes on the following page, what do you think of them?
http://www.tununtunumba.com/viento/gaitas_gallegas.asp?cid=TN04nn3446#Gaitas%20con%20ronqueta
Jeff
I have started with one of them, in FRESNO WOOD, when I was 16 years old.
One day, I was tunning the drone and it cracks… No more drone for this bagpipe.
Nice synthethic or leather bags with this bagpipes (non-goretex, maybe sympatex).
I don´t like them to much, they are made by one maker called Represas. Is not the best, but If you can´t pay anything better…
If I´m objetive and neutral, they are good for start with Galician Bagpipes, but if you want a serious instrument, you will not want these gaitas.
In Tununtunumba you will also find MEDIEVAL BAGPIPES, also made by Represas. They are Galician Bagpipes in G or A, with a minor scale, and a drone or two, with TONIC-FIFTH configuration pitch. They are a curious invention of my Friend Xose Luis Frias from Madrid.
If you want a good galician bagpipe with a very little price, write Anton Varela or Diego Piñeiro:
Anton Varela: antonvarela@terra.es http://www.antonvarela.es/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw41loO9oiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baliUGfe-FE&feature=related
Diego Piñeiro: diehgopi@hotmail.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR70Z6wAkZc&feature=channel_page (the first bagpipe it´s made by him)
If you say you are my friend (my name is Luife), you will get better prices. They are not expensive makers, I have gaitas made by them, and their quality is much better than Represas Gaitas (also the appearance).
I hope you can find some guide for buy galician bagpipes here.
I guess the lower priced student freixo gaitas makes that the gaita market wouldn’t look very appealing to the paki makers around sialkot. Anyway, there are also a couple of makers of gaitas in Argentina… and this question about paki gaitas reminds me especially one of these makers (argayl) located close to the chilean border at lago puelo, argentinean patagonia who makes medieval, galician gaitas and scotttish sets that in the lower range he offers are really as bad as the pakies…
BTW, I wonder if luife could comment something about the quality of the G medieval gaitas made by Jesus Represas… The G gaitas seems to mingle a lot better in sessions and the like that the standard C gaitas or the too sharp grileiras gaitas in D. So I am considering to transform one of my gaitas to G or get a new one in that key. So what alternatives in such a key are available?.. For example, there are some french cornamuses in G made in UK by John Burke that are looking appealing. Any ideas are welcome…
The Medieval pipes are a good invent for a low price…but they are not the best instrument.
The chanter only plays in minor scale, so if you want to play galician music, you will need a “normal” chanter for play in major and minor scale.
An insteresing option is buy this bagpipe and use a PROFESIONAL chanter in it. For example:
A Complete Seivane G bagpipe would cost about 1500 euros.
You can buy a Medieval Represas Bagpipe for about 500 euros.
Then, you can buy a Seivane G chanter for 400 euros.
Final price? 900 euros.
But my PERSONAL OPINION is:
I love Anton Varela bagpipes in low pitch… I think He is the king in G-Bagpipes. This maker is the best in this type of gaitas.
A lot of Italian people uses Anton Varela G Gaitas as “italian pivas”.
Listen and judge yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ugVEldWzk&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip31D2FhypA&feature=channel_page
I will order a G chanter in Boxwood very soon to Anton Varela… HE IS NOT EXPENSIVE!!!