where to buy pipes from

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:25 pm

hi guys, im thinking about buying some uilleann pipes to broaden my horizens. do you know where i could get some low priced pipes at? i dont have any money right now but i am saving up for some. and what is the usual cost for pipes? and are they hard to play? thank you.

John O'Gara · Post by **John O'Gara** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:40 pm

Dear Whistle Collector,

Welcome to the dark side!

Suggest reading the FAQ's for starters, some good info and advice there.

If you go to Patrick D'Arcy's site: www.uilleannobsession.com , you can peruse the different makers listed, visit their sites, and get an idea what you might pay for a practice set.

You might also search through postings here as many have shared their views and made recommendations on various sets.

I'm sure more will add to this.

Good luck and welcome to the board!

John

PJ · Post by PJ » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:39 pm

The Whistle Collector wrote:do you know where i could get some low priced pipes at? i dont have any money right now but i am saving up for some.

This is probably not the best way to start. Most people (me included) will advise you not to skimp on buying pipes. If you buy a cheap set you'll probably have great difficulty getting it to play well, not to mention upgrading it or selling it. Best bet is to save up your money and when you have $1,000 or $1,500 to spend, then start seriously looking around. Any less than that, you're not doing yourself any favours.

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:35 pm

great advice, thank you very much

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:13 am

Here you go Mr. TWC, read this stuff.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=14466

This will help you get started on your journey. Do not settle for the low priced stuff made by a company instead of a well known maker. The low priced stuff isn't going to help you out one iota... no one will reed it and it will never play well at all.

itisi · Post by **itisi** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:16 am

Joseph E. Smith wrote:Here you go Mr. TWC, read this stuff.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=14466

This will help you get started on your journey. Do not settle for the low priced stuff made by a company instead of a well known maker. The low priced stuff isn't going to help you out one iota... no one will reed it and it will never play well at all.

Replies like that make me VERY angry!!

Low priced instruments aren't necesarilly bad ones.
Some pipemakers try to keep prices low so EVERYONE can afford a set of pipes if they want to.

Look here and tell me if it's low priced or high priced.
http://www.uilleann.net
Then tell me if it's crap or not...

I have seen and heard pipes by more expensive makers sound fecking horrible, and i do think you endorse one of them on here too..., again and again and again....

Nice way of having people spend more than they need to....

I'm probably a bad boy again now but feck it, stuff like this pisses me off to no extent!

Just to be on the safe side, this is not meant to be a plug.
It just pisses me off that i always read "don't buy cheap pipes" without any elaboration whatsoever.

mukade · Post by **mukade** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:31 am

Joseph is simply saying don't buy mass-produced pipes, especially from places like Pakistan.

Marc Van Daal is a pretty well known maker.

Mukade

DarthWeasel · Post by **DarthWeasel** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:42 am

itisi, There is a Thread right on top of the Forum entitled "Pakistani UPs and other 'budget sets'... the facts" which to me sounds very explicit.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=34434

In addition, the warnings from forum members should be more than enough to make someone take a second look at what they are about to get into and do additional research before clicking the "Buy Now" button on Ebay.

Elmek · Post by **Elmek** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:53 am

Read the facs thread and also take a good look at the NPU website and the advice there for getting a set i.e. buy from an established , full time maker and beware those cheapies that are imported from a long way east of Ireland.

Reeds are the biggest problem - try to buy your practice set from a maker near you as that way the reeds will have been made in your climate unless you have a reedmaker close at hand who has experience with reeding other makers pipes.

Posting on the forum for opinions will help to a certain extent as it may turn up someone close at hand with a set of pipes by a local maker however in general there will be a mixed response from those that like or dislike a particular makers product

There is a list of Makers on the NPU site. When contacting them ask if anyone in your neck of the woods has a set of their pipes. You then may be able to see what they sound like and how they play before making a purchase

dcurtin85 · Post by **dcurtin85** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:21 am

as a sucker who actually bought a pakistani set on ebay, i can tell you to stay away. However, I'd also suggest that (if possible) you find a piper who will let you give their set a try before going and buying a practice set. It's a lot of money to spend on something you're not even sure you'll like.

I guess that's the one thing I don't regret about being ripped off...that set gave me a taste of the instrument and motivated me to get in contact with local pipers. Otherwise, I think that as a broke college student, the price of a decent set would have totally scared me off.....

Reepicheep · Post by **Reepicheep** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:36 am

Whistle Collector,
There are alternatives for someone who wants to try their hand at Uilleann Piping without having to secure a second mortgage.

Patrick Sky makes a nifty "budget set" that is a bona-fide wooden chanter. He is held in high regard in the Uilleann community. www.patricksky.com

Uilleann Pipeworks of Boston makes a cast resin chanter. http://www.uilleannpipeworks.com

The set I decided on was David Daye's Penny Chanter. www.daye1.com I've had nothing short of a positive experience with David's pipes and his customer service (although, a search of this forum will yield topics where, several years ago, some were less than happy with their penny chanter experience). David, like Pat Sky, has a strong, postive reputation in the Uilleann community.

At the risk of getting flamed, I will say this: You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to get into Uilleann Piping with a good chanter. All of the above options come in at $800 (Uilleann Pipeworks) or less (Pat Sky $600 and Daye at $460).

But don't take my word for it... search the forum for these makers and read what's been said.

Run away from any set that does not have an identifiable maker.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:52 am

itisi wrote:
Joseph E. Smith wrote:Here you go Mr. TWC, read this stuff.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=14466

This will help you get started on your journey. Do not settle for the low priced stuff made by a company instead of a well known maker. The low priced stuff isn't going to help you out one iota... no one will reed it and it will never play well at all.
Replies like that make me VERY angry!!

Low priced instruments aren't necesarilly bad ones.
Some pipemakers try to keep prices low so EVERYONE can afford a set of pipes if they want to.

Look here and tell me if it's low priced or high priced.
http://www.uilleann.net
Then tell me if it's crap or not...

I have seen and heard pipes by more expensive makers sound fecking horrible, and i do think you endorse one of them on here too..., again and again and again....

Nice way of having people spend more than they need to....

I'm probably a bad boy again now but feck it, stuff like this pisses me off to no extent!

Just to be on the safe side, this is not meant to be a plug.
It just pisses me off that i always read "don't buy cheap pipes" without any elaboration whatsoever.

Are you trying to pick a fight? The message I am trying to relate is (as somebody above has already stated) "think twice" before spending $$$ on pipes whose poor reputation is legendary.

Whose pipes am I drilling again and again and again? As far as I can tell I currently (there have been mistakes made by me in the past... I admit it...) promote the work of those instrument makers I know for a fact do great work.

Marc Van Daal makes good pipes, but look at his prices again and compare them to a brand spanking new full set of Pakistani built wall decorations... Marc's prices are higher. The newbie player will not know the difference and almost always go for the wall hanging. That's all I am saying, nothing more.

Now re-read what I wrote above...

Joseph E. Smith wrote:
This will help you get started on your journey. Do not settle for the low priced stuff made by a company instead of a well known maker. The low priced stuff isn't going to help you out one iota... no one will reed it and it will never play well at all.

I suggest you put some thought into what folks are saying before you go off them again.

Thanks.

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:57 pm

whoa, didnt mean to start a war lol. just kidding

but great advice to all of you, thank you for showing me these great websites, and telling me which ones to avoid. the ones from pakistan are a gimme to avoid, i bought a flute from there when i was a newbie, never again will i buy from there. i will only buy from makers now. thank you guys.

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