hey everyone. im going to start up on the uillean pipes in the spring. (im pretty sure i can get passed the death grip) so i was gonna get a practice set. i saw that these were unbelivably exspensive. my question is do you have to buy a whole new set when you move up to a half set? and do they have to be made by the same people??
A good practice set is perfectly upgradeable. You can add drones and regs later. It is a good idea to get everything form the same maker. Not only will you have a balanced set, but also many makers would rather not work on another (living) makers stuff. Also, you get what you pay for. Go as high as you can. Be sure to get a chanter that has block mounts for keys. At the very least, you'll want a C nat key at some point. You can't get a Cnat in the 2nd octave without it.
Yes, you can start with a practice set, as meemtp suggests. The problem is , at least in my case, in So California, EVERYONE seems to have a fullset in D, a Fullset in "flat-just pick your key, I like C personally, today, at this time, this minute, second". I would get at least a 1/2 set in D, assuming you want to do this really bad, since you can have the harmony the drones provide in a year or two's worth of practicing and be able to play with other people. More to the point a 3/4 set would be better...but harder to come by.
Having said that, assuming you are on the dark side and really like playing, you still have to shell out another $3K for regulators or so, cuz you want those regulators really bad.... KEYS, don't get me started on Keys, at least the C nat, 2nd octave as suggested...but if you have a rowsome chanter with out one, just don't play tunes that get to c, second octave.
I am suffering from piping withdrawl, having just gone to the So California Tionol with Mick O'Brien and Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and got to play Koehler and Quinn sets in various keys, Gallaher sets and a REAL Rowsome chanter.
PS, I think the road is to get a full set in C and a D chanter from Seth Gallagher...that's what I'm sticking to this very minute, unless something comes up on Ebay to change my mind.
What every you do, DO NOT buy one of the Pakistani sets that seem to be a bargin- no one I've met/talked to has gotten them to play without a GREAT deal of work.
Did I suggest a D whistle???? sorry about a rambly post, but I want to get a full set one of these days. Piping is very addictive to say the least- when they work its great, when they don't, its ugly and fowl.
Best, in my opinion, practice set with drones is a David Daye penny chanter. Very affordable and they work. May not have the cache that a Gallagher or Joe Kennedy set has, but they work and work well in all sorts of weather/humidity. Hmm forgot about Joe Kennedy.....
All of the above is my opnion so take it for what is worth
I just looked at your Bio, the uilleann pipers club out of St Paul will be having their Tionol in May of next year. Get what you can, and go to the Tionol, its a hoot.... David Boisvert is a pipe maker out there and can possibly get you started on the dark road,
Definately don't go for a cheap set, in the UK that means about 1,500 UKP for a half set, though prices are rising apparently. Find a maker who you can visit without too much trouble, you'll need him/her!
I_Fel's advice on a local pipe maker - David Boisvert - is excellent. It's one of the first pieces of advice found in a document at NPU: Find a local pipemaker.
I've heard lots of good things about Boisvert's work, too.
Daye's penny chanter is a good deal, too - they sound just fine and are reasonably priced. I've played Daye's chanters a few times and a couple of the central Ohio pipers have them.
I currently have a Gallagher half set and prior to that a Roberts half set. I can recommend their work as well.
One of the San Franisco pipers that came down for our Tionol had a David Daye chanter and drones. I think Bob made the drones, but not entirely sure. I think David is also making drones now as well.
There was a Gallagher C full set at our Tionol that I am currently lusting after, very sweet tone
Yes, Bob made his drones according to the Daye directions with Delrin and brass, and they sound quite nice. David Dayemay be out with his budget drones, if not he will be very soon.
I was in exactly the same position as you only a few months ago and spent lots of time speaking to pipers I knew, about what to do and can only agree with the advice given above. I was told to go for a practice set of good quality which then could be upgraded.
I managed to scrape £1400 together from my 21'st birthday money and busking and started looking into what I could afford.Alot of the makers I had appoached were out of my budget/ had long waiting lists and Second hand pipes of good quality seemed to be hard to get hold off, yet I had tons of offers for pakistani made ones!.
Finally, a friend of mine gave me the details of a company in Castile, Spain (yes Spain!) called Hevia, Parrado y Aragón (www.arhpa.com) which had recently sold Paddey Maloney two of their chanters. I contacted them and they were very very helpful and I arranged to buy a practice set (off the top of my head it worked out about £1360 after change from Euro's) and about a month later they arrived. I am very happy with them and pipers who have played my set have commented on how nice they are. I think the Music Room in the UK sell Hevia sets but these are quite alot more expensive than buying them direct and they cannot source pipes with stainless steel mounts, which my set is, the stainless steel is a little more expensive than with brass, but it does not tarnish. If you havn't considerd Hevia instruments, I suggest you do.
hello, I'm julien, I'm french and I am looking for the dimensions (staple, mouth ...) of a good reed for an hevia chanter. Is someone have ever made a reed for this kind of bore?
thanks very much
uillean pipes
uillean pipes
hey everyone. im going to start up on the uillean pipes in the spring. (im pretty sure i can get passed the death grip) so i was gonna get a practice set. i saw that these were unbelivably exspensive. my question is do you have to buy a whole new set when you move up to a half set? and do they have to be made by the same people??
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by irish_fiddler2
Re: uillean pipes
A good practice set is perfectly upgradeable. You can add drones and regs later. It is a good idea to get everything form the same maker. Not only will you have a balanced set, but also many makers would rather not work on another (living) makers stuff. Also, you get what you pay for. Go as high as you can. Be sure to get a chanter that has block mounts for keys. At the very least, you'll want a C nat key at some point. You can't get a Cnat in the 2nd octave without it.
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by meemtp
Re: uillean pipes
Ok, here's my spiel for what its worth...
Yes, you can start with a practice set, as meemtp suggests. The problem is , at least in my case, in So California, EVERYONE seems to have a fullset in D, a Fullset in "flat-just pick your key, I like C personally, today, at this time, this minute, second". I would get at least a 1/2 set in D, assuming you want to do this really bad, since you can have the harmony the drones provide in a year or two's worth of practicing and be able to play with other people. More to the point a 3/4 set would be better...but harder to come by.
Having said that, assuming you are on the dark side and really like playing, you still have to shell out another $3K for regulators or so, cuz you want those regulators really bad.... KEYS, don't get me started on Keys, at least the C nat, 2nd octave as suggested...but if you have a rowsome chanter with out one, just don't play tunes that get to c, second octave.
I am suffering from piping withdrawl, having just gone to the So California Tionol with Mick O'Brien and Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and got to play Koehler and Quinn sets in various keys, Gallaher sets and a REAL Rowsome chanter.
PS, I think the road is to get a full set in C and a D chanter from Seth Gallagher...that's what I'm sticking to this very minute, unless something comes up on Ebay to change my mind.
What every you do, DO NOT buy one of the Pakistani sets that seem to be a bargin- no one I've met/talked to has gotten them to play without a GREAT deal of work.
Did I suggest a D whistle???? sorry about a rambly post, but I want to get a full set one of these days. Piping is very addictive to say the least- when they work its great, when they don't, its ugly and fowl.
Best, in my opinion, practice set with drones is a David Daye penny chanter. Very affordable and they work. May not have the cache that a Gallagher or Joe Kennedy set has, but they work and work well in all sorts of weather/humidity. Hmm forgot about Joe Kennedy.....
All of the above is my opnion so take it for what is worth
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: uillean pipes
I just looked at your Bio, the uilleann pipers club out of St Paul will be having their Tionol in May of next year. Get what you can, and go to the Tionol, its a hoot.... David Boisvert is a pipe maker out there and can possibly get you started on the dark road,
have fun....
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: uillean pipes
Death grip?
Definately don't go for a cheap set, in the UK that means about 1,500 UKP for a half set, though prices are rising apparently. Find a maker who you can visit without too much trouble, you'll need him/her!
Good luck,
Martin
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by Conway
Re: uillean pipes
I_Fel's advice on a local pipe maker - David Boisvert - is excellent. It's one of the first pieces of advice found in a document at NPU: Find a local pipemaker.
I've heard lots of good things about Boisvert's work, too.
Daye's penny chanter is a good deal, too - they sound just fine and are reasonably priced. I've played Daye's chanters a few times and a couple of the central Ohio pipers have them.
I currently have a Gallagher half set and prior to that a Roberts half set. I can recommend their work as well.
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by mconners
Re: uillean pipes
One of the San Franisco pipers that came down for our Tionol had a David Daye chanter and drones. I think Bob made the drones, but not entirely sure. I think David is also making drones now as well.
There was a Gallagher C full set at our Tionol that I am currently lusting after, very sweet tone
# Posted on October 27th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: uillean pipes
Yes, Bob made his drones according to the Daye directions with Delrin and brass, and they sound quite nice. David Dayemay be out with his budget drones, if not he will be very soon.
# Posted on October 30th 2004 by CaliforniaPiper
Re: uillean pipes
Hi irish_fiddler2
I was in exactly the same position as you only a few months ago and spent lots of time speaking to pipers I knew, about what to do and can only agree with the advice given above. I was told to go for a practice set of good quality which then could be upgraded.
I managed to scrape £1400 together from my 21'st birthday money and busking and started looking into what I could afford.Alot of the makers I had appoached were out of my budget/ had long waiting lists and Second hand pipes of good quality seemed to be hard to get hold off, yet I had tons of offers for pakistani made ones!.
Finally, a friend of mine gave me the details of a company in Castile, Spain (yes Spain!) called Hevia, Parrado y Aragón (www.arhpa.com) which had recently sold Paddey Maloney two of their chanters. I contacted them and they were very very helpful and I arranged to buy a practice set (off the top of my head it worked out about £1360 after change from Euro's) and about a month later they arrived. I am very happy with them and pipers who have played my set have commented on how nice they are. I think the Music Room in the UK sell Hevia sets but these are quite alot more expensive than buying them direct and they cannot source pipes with stainless steel mounts, which my set is, the stainless steel is a little more expensive than with brass, but it does not tarnish. If you havn't considerd Hevia instruments, I suggest you do.
Good Luck ,
Louis
# Posted on March 16th 2005 by Laird_doogle
Reed for an hevia chanter
hello, I'm julien, I'm french and I am looking for the dimensions (staple, mouth ...) of a good reed for an hevia chanter. Is someone have ever made a reed for this kind of bore?
thanks very much
julien
# Posted on October 11th 2011 by cartoun