Hello,
I am very recent to this forum so please accept any appologies for any out of place questions.
I may purchase a set of pipes in D from a seller I have not yet met in person.
The set is by a maker in the USA called Seth Gallager (I am told) and is a 3/4 set. I live in England.
I have been playing a practice set for 3 years and have been given this opportunity to buy this set made by the American maker.
The problem is I do not know anything about the quality of the makers pipes plus the seller is also in the USA but is a good friend of a close relative who moved to the US in the 1980’s. Unfortunately he does not play pipes himself (my relative, not the seller) but does tell me that they sound in tune. He plays guitar.
Any advice on the maker and quality of pipe making and sound would be welcome.
You can always send a private message if you wish. Any messages I receive will be kept private.
Jolyon.
Gallagher’s pipes are first rate. He has an excellent reputation. His website is www.uilleann.com.
However, the actual set you are buying should be checked by someone who know a thing or two about pipes. Just because they were made by Gallagher doesn’t mean that they have been well maintained over the years.
I suggest you contact the pipers club nearest to the seller’s location and try get an experienced piper to have a look at and listen to the set. If you can’t find a pipers club, I suggest you start another post looking for pipers in the same area as the seller.
Good luck with the 3/4 set.
Seth Gallagher makes world class instruments. Paddy Maloney of the Chieftains (… among other well known pipers), owns and plays one of Seth’s sets. Can’t go wrong with Seth’s work.
Hi Fellas,
Thanks for those tips and information.
I know it’s early days for me as a player but I’m very tempted to take the plunge with the 3/4 set on offer. I have had the loan of a set of Matt Kiernan drones for the last 6 months to go with my practice set of Peter Hunter wide bore chanter. The owner who kindly lent me the drones is now back from Iraq so wants them back. I was hoping he might sell them to me and I could then have found a maker to add regulators. Not a chance 
Maybe it is a blessing in disguise because at least I should now end up with a set of pipes with the drones and regulators by the same maker. I was looking at some older messages on this forum and it seems that hybrid sets are probably best avoided. Does that apply to having a chanter by one maker and the rest of the pipes by another 
Two final questions someone might be able to help me with. The drones I was loaned initially seemed to be very hard work 
but I eventually got used to this. But, I tried a set by another maker called Alan Froment when on holiday in Ireland last year and I nearly busted a gut! I couldn’t keep them going with the drones switched on. The owner found it very funny 
Are Mr Gallaghers sets hard work? Also, I noticed that a steel rod was inserted right up the bore of the chanter on the Froment chanter. Is that normal and does it imply a bore gone wrong?
Thanks fellas,
Jolyon
The steel rod means that the chanter was broken and has this ‘splint’ while it is healing
Seriously, this is a rush. It has the effect of slightly flattening the tone. Particularly when a piper wants a precise 440 turning.
By the way, when you get the Gallagher 3/4 set, you should download some photos of it into the “Picture of your Pipes” post.
Good luck.
Lucky devil, I’ve always wonted to play a Gallagher chanter or set. I’ve heared good things about them. I also heared them at the Chieftains concert at Tweeds Head. Lovely sound, you like them that’s for sure.
I’ve just enquired about any second hand sets that he may have. Hopefully I’ll get a response accompanied with an affordable price.
Cheers L42B 
O’m waiting for a set of Gallagher’s …get them guy…just go for it.
Take them at any case!
In terms of pipes you have to distinguish between “hardware” (instrument) and “software” (reeds). Tuning and playability to (about) 90 % (in Gallagher´s case 98 %) are due to the reeds and there are very fine reedmakers or pipemakers in England.
Best,
Hans
You’ve got a MacKenzie Set. What more could you want? I played a Mackenzie chanter the other night - an early ‘90s model. What a charmer!! I really don’t think you could get better. Don’t forget, just because Gallagher has a reputation doesn’t mean other makers’ pipes aren’t as good.
Cheers,
DavidG
… You’ve got a MacKenzie Set. What more could you want?
Cheers,
DavidG
… Woof, K&Q, Williams, Taylor…
I don’t see any harm in having more than one set, all by different makers… variety is the spice of life.
Agree - I was just responding to L42B’s apparent sorrow - quote, “Lucky Devils”, over not getting to play a Gallgher set as if he feels his Mackenzie set is somewhat inferior. Just tying to comfort him 'tis all 
Cheers,
David
Ahhhh… I see.
Hello Fella’s,
Thanks for your help re the Gallagher 3/4 set. I’ll let ya know how it pans out.
Jolyon
No, I believe that’s standard equipment that comes with a Froment. Doesn’t mean you have to use it. It’s for rushing if needed. I took all four rods out of my set (chanter and 3 regs) and it improved the tuning of several notes in the mid range that were slightly flat. The reed worked better without them in too, at least in this climate.
Gallagher’s sets are made tight and easy to play, although “easy” is a relative term. I found the set I had/have? easy. Someone else might view it differently, depending on how the reeds are set up including some other potential leaky aireas such as joints, etc. Then, there’s the matter of physical strength.
Each Gallagher set I’ve played was easy to play/keep steady/etc…etc… They are a joy to play.
Hi Lorenzo,
I take it then that a rod up the bore of the chanter is basically a device for fine tuning. Thanks for clearing that up. I was thinking it was a device to correct a too larger bore.
The fella who owned the Froment set I tried in Ireland was a Frenchman on holiday and we had a few language difficulties in terms of me asking him what the rod was for and he replying “tuning”. It was that comment that gave me the idea it meant he had a problem. Anyhow, his pipes were very nicely in tune and balanced. He very kindly let me try them but I found them very hard work.
He tried my Hunter chanter and ended up plugging it into his Froment set. I’m probably biased but personally I thought this combination sounded better in the session we were at because it cut through the sound of the player on our left who was playing an accordian the size of a fecking house 
. The French guy liked the Hunter too because he played it for about 2 hours in the session. He also offered to buy it should I decide to sell it and he gave me his address in France. Two words he said many times when playing the Hunter was “power” & “Zing” (?). I don’t know if he meant it had “sing” or “zing”.
Anyhow, I digress. So in upshot, the rods are a design feature (cool).Thanks for putting me straight.
Jolyon.
Probably zing, as in zest. Stuff gets attached to the central rod in regs for fine tuning of individual notes - poster putty, wire insulation, balls of wax, lead fishing weights, whatever is to hand.
djm
Very small rocks. Lead, lead-lead.
A Duck.
… burn her, she’s a witch!
ten points to Mr. Smith 