I'm a young piper & whistle player in need of a good set of uilleann pipes. I currently play a cheap practice set made by Ralph Hepburn of Scotland; all it's made of is plastic, brass, & glue & it's falling apart. Because my family is tight on money, I've been trying to find a good set that's not quite so expensive. This is where I need advice: I've found a good looking set of pipes for only $1,986.56 instead of $4,295.99 from a site called CelticRenaissanceMusic. I'd like to know if anyone owns one of these sets & how well they work or if I should consider buying them at all. http://www.celticrenaissancemusic.com/page/uilleann/irish/warpipes/sale
I'm not sure, but that thing looks like a pipe-like object made in Pakistan. Avoid it by every means!!!!
It's an illusion that you can get a decent full set for 2000 bucks. There are practise sets that cost that much.
my uncle has been performing and recording with them for years. if you go to burke's website, http://burkewhistles.com/ , my uncle is the guy playing the whistle on the sound clips that load when the website loads.
please go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/kells and the second track is my uncle playing the david daye pipes. i only gave the other link first because cdbaby is not working for me right now, so i dont know if it will be working when you check; hopefully you will be.
Best to get a decent chanter/practice set from the start then you'll have no problem getting you money back should you decide to sell later. Also if you keep at it then it´s just to add drones and regulators as your piping progresses. Seth makes nice pipes and the seller, Doc Jones is a trusted member of the piping community.
I'm afraid the Gallagher set has gone, but on C&F there is another decent (1 month old) practice set for sale by a new pipemaker I´ve heard good things about, Tim Benson:
My advice is always try to play the pipes before buying them - because the pipes might be really old, really new, or from a different country - all these affect the wood and reeds of the instrument over time. When i took my pipes to america the dry air made my pipes sound more crisp and clear - the reverse when i brought them back.
Talk to NPU (Na Píobairí Uilleann) - i'm sure they have advice. http://www.pipers.ie/
I would never buy an instrument from ebay or from a maker online, especially something like the pipes which is handmade and so delicate and intricate - unless i had personally heard their pipes before or, even better, had the opportunity to play them myself.
Unfortunately, these days, if a deal looks to good to be true 99.9% of the time it is. Pipes always go up in value every year- i bought a half set ten years ago for £1,500 and someone offered to buy it off me for a few months ago for £2,400!! That's ridiculous - i know there's a problem with inflation these days but has really got this bad! If the work done to the pipes was worth £1,500 ten years ago it really only should be worth about £1,700 today. I'm afriad most decent practice sets will cost anywhere between £600 and £900. NPU or your local Comhaltas could offer far more advice! http://comhaltas.ie/
Also, i think the guy who offered to buy my half set was one of these crazy people who talk up the price of pipes. this makes it really difficult for younger/new pipers to buy a set (the equivalent of what's happening in the housing market for first time house buyers). Be careful - look out for sharks coz there are many of them!! Don't rush into your decision coz if you get a decent set they can last generations and be passed down your family tree - like pianos!!
Also check www.uilleannobsession.com. There is a lisitng for pipes for sale. There are practice sets by Brad Angus and Seth Gallagher listed there, as well as a few unique ones , like a Froment D chanter. Also try Boston pipe works- they make a pretty good practice set. And don't forget Pat Sky. He turns a reeded bare bones practice set in a couple of months for around $600.
And find a pipers club- you can't learn without some help.
Thanks for the help every one! I was skeptical about the Celtic Renaissance pipes and now have a whole new window of opportunity! I'll look at all these pipe makers & sellers & be sure to make a wise choice.
They look crude, but he has spent the time getting the bore design and reed design right- which is more than you can say about many fancy-looking wood pipes out there!
Trouble is, the high demand and high prices has brought many new makers onto the scene, some of which haven't a clue about how to make a chanter/reed system that works.
Remember, the best chanter in the world is useless unless you have a reed that works properly in it. You have to think in terms of the chanter and reed as being part of a system, that have to be designed in tandem to work together to create something that actually plays right.
Richard is spot on with his system comment. The chanter and reed have to be integrated together as a system. That's why you need to make your own reeds ( do what I say, not what I do )
Uilleann Advice
Uilleann Advice
I'm a young piper & whistle player in need of a good set of uilleann pipes. I currently play a cheap practice set made by Ralph Hepburn of Scotland; all it's made of is plastic, brass, & glue & it's falling apart. Because my family is tight on money, I've been trying to find a good set that's not quite so expensive. This is where I need advice: I've found a good looking set of pipes for only $1,986.56 instead of $4,295.99 from a site called CelticRenaissanceMusic. I'd like to know if anyone owns one of these sets & how well they work or if I should consider buying them at all.
http://www.celticrenaissancemusic.com/page/uilleann/irish/warpipes/sale
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by Piping Crow
Re: Uilleann Advice
I'm not sure, but that thing looks like a pipe-like object made in Pakistan. Avoid it by every means!!!!
It's an illusion that you can get a decent full set for 2000 bucks. There are practise sets that cost that much.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by s.g.
Re: Uilleann Advice
Ask this question at http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewforum.php?f=6 and you will receive definite and comprehensive advice...
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by cag
Re: Uilleann Advice
if you need some low cost pipes that play well, i would recommend david daye pipes http://www.daye1.com/pennychanter.html .
my uncle has been performing and recording with them for years. if you go to burke's website, http://burkewhistles.com/ , my uncle is the guy playing the whistle on the sound clips that load when the website loads.
please go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/kells and the second track is my uncle playing the david daye pipes. i only gave the other link first because cdbaby is not working for me right now, so i dont know if it will be working when you check; hopefully you will be.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by daiv
Re: Uilleann Advice
There´s a Seth Gallagher practice set up on e-bay now:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Uilleann-Pipes-Seth-Gallagher-D-set_W0QQitemZ320282812599QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320282812599&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318
Best to get a decent chanter/practice set from the start then you'll have no problem getting you money back should you decide to sell later. Also if you keep at it then it´s just to add drones and regulators as your piping progresses. Seth makes nice pipes and the seller, Doc Jones is a trusted member of the piping community.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by Steamwilkes
Re: Uilleann Advice
I'm afraid the Gallagher set has gone, but on C&F there is another decent (1 month old) practice set for sale by a new pipemaker I´ve heard good things about, Tim Benson:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=61486
Could be worth looking in to
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by Steamwilkes
Re: Uilleann Advice
My advice is always try to play the pipes before buying them - because the pipes might be really old, really new, or from a different country - all these affect the wood and reeds of the instrument over time. When i took my pipes to america the dry air made my pipes sound more crisp and clear - the reverse when i brought them back.
Talk to NPU (Na Píobairí Uilleann) - i'm sure they have advice.
http://www.pipers.ie/
I would never buy an instrument from ebay or from a maker online, especially something like the pipes which is handmade and so delicate and intricate - unless i had personally heard their pipes before or, even better, had the opportunity to play them myself.
Unfortunately, these days, if a deal looks to good to be true 99.9% of the time it is. Pipes always go up in value every year- i bought a half set ten years ago for £1,500 and someone offered to buy it off me for a few months ago for £2,400!! That's ridiculous - i know there's a problem with inflation these days but has really got this bad! If the work done to the pipes was worth £1,500 ten years ago it really only should be worth about £1,700 today. I'm afriad most decent practice sets will cost anywhere between £600 and £900. NPU or your local Comhaltas could offer far more advice! http://comhaltas.ie/
Good luck
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Uilleann Advice
Also, i think the guy who offered to buy my half set was one of these crazy people who talk up the price of pipes. this makes it really difficult for younger/new pipers to buy a set (the equivalent of what's happening in the housing market for first time house buyers). Be careful - look out for sharks coz there are many of them!! Don't rush into your decision coz if you get a decent set they can last generations and be passed down your family tree - like pianos!!
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by DeckyPipes
Re: Uilleann Advice
Also check www.uilleannobsession.com. There is a lisitng for pipes for sale. There are practice sets by Brad Angus and Seth Gallagher listed there, as well as a few unique ones , like a Froment D chanter. Also try Boston pipe works- they make a pretty good practice set. And don't forget Pat Sky. He turns a reeded bare bones practice set in a couple of months for around $600.
And find a pipers club- you can't learn without some help.
fel
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by I_Fel
Re: Uilleann Advice
Thanks for the help every one! I was skeptical about the Celtic Renaissance pipes and now have a whole new window of opportunity! I'll look at all these pipe makers & sellers & be sure to make a wise choice.
Go raibh míle maith agat!!!
Matt
# Posted on August 16th 2008 by Piping Crow
Re: Uilleann Advice
I'll second the advice about David Daye's pipes.
They look crude, but he has spent the time getting the bore design and reed design right- which is more than you can say about many fancy-looking wood pipes out there!
Trouble is, the high demand and high prices has brought many new makers onto the scene, some of which haven't a clue about how to make a chanter/reed system that works.
Remember, the best chanter in the world is useless unless you have a reed that works properly in it. You have to think in terms of the chanter and reed as being part of a system, that have to be designed in tandem to work together to create something that actually plays right.
David Daye has done exactly that.
His drones play great too.
# Posted on August 16th 2008 by Richard D Cook
Re: Uilleann Advice
Richard is spot on with his system comment. The chanter and reed have to be integrated together as a system. That's why you need to make your own reeds ( do what I say, not what I do
)
# Posted on August 16th 2008 by I_Fel