Before i start writnig, I’d like to point out that I have a practise set already -these qustions are for a few years ahead when I want to upgrade to to a half/full set.(so don’t take this oppurtunity to advertise your sets which are for sale)
Is Gordan Galloway a good maker?
Do the great pipemakers( O BReen,Froment) take orders for chanters and if so what would the waiting time ?
3.Are Van daal pipes considered good by the members of this board?
Thanks already,
Yes, most makers will take orders for just a chanter, or just this part or that part. The wait time depends on a number of factors, such as how long his backlog is, what materials you want, extras such as how many keys. You must contact each maker to get an estimate of time and price. You should not solicit this board for the information.
Also, the moderators do not permit users here to critique the work of different makers. The best you can do is solicit PMs (Private Messages) for peoples’ input and opinions.
djm
I had a look at Gordon’s stuff earlier in the year he has not been at it too long and is doing good work so far. I recommended his work to a pupil and she got a good working halfset. Gordon works pretty much in the way of Cillian O Briain, who mentored him.
He surprised me by saying he never made a reed that worked longer than six months. I surprised him I thought the reeds I play started to play in after six months and that my previous one lasted for 20 years.
At this point I think he is at an early stage of his development as a maker but doing nice work, if you go for that particular sound.
Thanks! and I forget to ask if anyone has the waiting time for Mark or Gordan?
Wrong.
Once again. I do not allow attacks on makers and their work. I allow critique… fair critique.
If you are going to critique the work of anyone, post your thoughts carefully.
For example:
What I don’t want to see:
X’s pipe suck. They suck so much that you need to use an oxygen tank and mask if you’re in the same room with them. They’re very crappy, always have been and always will be. They suck suck suck!!!
What would be acceptable:
From my experience, X’s pipe can be difficult to play and to reed. The turning is rough and their tone is muted. Not to my tastes.
All I ask is that you are thoughtful of your words. What may be ideal to you is not necessarily ideal to another and visa-versa.
I ordered a chanter from Gordon Galloway back in March which should be ready for me in January. I suspect Gordon’s waiting list is set to become quite a bit longer as word of mouth about the quality of his stuff finally seems to be getting around.
Cillian Ó Bríain has many years of order backlogs to sift through, but from what I hear, I think he’s working towards eventually transitioning out of pipemaking. I think he’s still taking orders for chanters, but that’s probably about it at this stage. Cillian might fit 4 keys to a chanter if you ask him extremely nicely, but he generally prefers to just fit the C nat. and F nat. keys along the back of the chanter in a sort of “neo-Taylor” style. The flip side is that Cillian makes arguably some of the best concert pitch chanters on the planet. [Full disclosure: I play an Ó Bríain chanter myself, so I may be a bit biased.]
I think Cillian himself has said that he reckons a lot of his chanter reeds last six months. The reed I had from him was sounding top notch for a couple of years, but started to leak at the sides due to the shock of the Japanese winter climate. I’ve had a chanter reed by Brad Angus for the past two years and it seems to be improving with age.
Interesting. That is almost verbatim what Cillian himself says on the NPU reedmaking DVD, “Heart of the Instrument”.
Hmmm, so let me make sure I’ve got this straight: its wrong to say something like, “Hear that sucking sound? That’s a reed from JES.” but its okay to say, “I have a reed from JES that crows.” 
djm
I’m not in the mood… and you know damn well what I am talking about. 
Sorry wannabe-piper