There is a Froment 4-key ebony chanter for 2500 Euros on
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/classifieds.html
and there is a Rogge 4-key boxwood chanter for 1390 Euros on
http://www.uilleann-pipes.de/Angebote/Angebote2.html
A friend of mine is thinking of buying a top-notch chanter off the shelf from a “star maker” and asked my opinion. Both makers have long waiting lists.
I was not able to tell her why a Froment is 1100 more?
Any idea?
Thank You for Your opinion,
Miki
Why would you think … ah no, let’s not go there. 
I’d like to hear your opinion, seriously.
I like very much “firm” thoughts, do not be (too) modest and polite.
We need your words, Peter, on this – anyway boring – forum, please.
Miki
History shows that asking these sorts of questions on a public list is never a good idea…
In this case however there’s a clear reason why the two prices are different (other than the fact that there were posted by totally unrelated people, so not very meaningful anyway…)
The Rogge chanter is being offered directly by the Rogge workshop - and few makers want to charge more for an instrument ‘off the shelf’ that for a custom order. The Rogge is offered for standard list price (10 euro more, but the nickel silver probably accounts for that).
On the other hand, the Froment chanter’s seller is asking for what she thinks she might be able to get… note also that she is open to other offers (“OBO”). Since Froment chanters don’t come up for resale all that often, one expects that someone might pay well over retail if they have their heart set on a Froment.
“Horses for courses” really, IMO those are fairly different styles of chanter, most people would have a clear preference for one over the other but which one depends on the individual.
Bill
I’d go for the Froment. Personally I like his instruments better, but that’s just my opinion.
I was actually joking about your entry in the thread I linked to. As Bill said, different sellers and intentions but also very different materials etc to explain the differences. I have no further opinions of any relevance.
When I saw that Froment chanter listed for sale, I thought I would jump on it immediately. Then I saw the price… $4,000 USD! Plus shipping. For a chanter. Not me. A couple of years ago, the Euro was close to parity witht the US. Dollar, which would have made it about $2500. From my perspective, I guess it would be like someone in Europe paying 4000 Euros for it now. U.S. buyers are being priced out of the market, but I’m sure the reverse has been true in the past, so complaining about it (on my part) isn’t right. Good thing there are some good U.S. makers in the game.
Had a look at Uilleann Obsession, to see what was available, and thought that if you were going to spend that kind of money, that the Roberts half set in D would be better value for your euro.
DAvid
You explained all. I’m just wondering how a weird situation is this. If Alain Froment is aware of that his chanters are much more expensive when resold, why wouldn’t he raise the prices? Why the customers in his queue make the obvious financial benefit?
How can I join the Froment queue?
It’s an old problem. Mind you, this chanter hasn’t been sold yet, for now the seller is just trying it on.
Fifteen years ago people started buying Wooff sets on e-bay for 15K that were 4K new from the maker. It creates a weird situation for the maker and will eventually force up the prices overall.
I’d go for the Rogge chanter because he is more or less “local” (5 hrs of a drive) and I know and like his instruments.
PIpes selling second hand for more than new is more common than you would think as there is no wait
Rogge or Froment but why restrict yourself. Look around and try as meany different makes as possible to get an idea of whose chanters play best over the whole compass, have the best tone, volume. Paying a premium for a name does not necessarily get you a good chanter
John
This is getting silly…a good name generally becomes so by producing good instruments.In addition the Rogge is coming frae his workshop for christ sake. 
This thread is in danger of becoming "My favourite Maker thread"Is the **“meany”**in your thread a Freudian slip ?For indeedy I have seen many meany pipes made by meany wee makers.
Uilliam
Mind you, this chanter hasn’t been sold yet
Not the case. I bit the bullet and made a ‘near-offer’ to the seller yesterday, and she said the Froment chanter has been sold.
uilleam wrote
This is getting silly
Yer right there Billy and to quote Bill H
History shows that asking these sorts of questions on a public list is never a good idea…
Its is horses for courses and everyone wants something different from a chanter be it tone, loud, soft etc. etc. etc. hence the comment that you need to try as many different ones as possible as supplied by the maker with the correct reeds.
John
John why are ye being such a prick?
The topic and question was specific to Froment and Rogge then ye chime in and introduce the whole pipemaker market and their auntie.
Ye know full well there are crap makers as well as good but that was not the issue here as neither of the above come into that category.
Your advice is not novel but is generally accepted,however most people wanting a chanter may not have the opportunity to try many different chanters and how many chanters have the original reeds in them?
Ye are reasonably sure of a good chanter frae a premium maker.
Anyways it seems that destiny has answered the original question with one contender left.
I have asked ye afore and ye have ignored the request so for the final time, I do not find your use of the term Billy funny.
It is, as well ye know,fraught wi historical and hysterical connotations where I come frae and members of my family have been murdered,so I fail to compliment your wit.
If ye cannot or will not desist frae this type of insult then perhaps this forum and this instrument is not for ye.
My Name is not Ulleam but Uilliam it is Liam for short not Billy…
ye are being either infantile,likened to a wain name calling in the playground, or ye are being truly insulting on the darker side which is it?
So for the last time please I ask ye to shew a little respect,or is that too much for ye to do?
Slán Agat
Uilliam
Holly plumtree!
And I well remember the days people told me I was crazy to pay £1400 for a Wooff set
And that was years after Breandan Breathnach’s article in An Piobaire, giving out the ‘unthinkable had arrived in Ireland, a millennium’ a full set had been offered for £1000, by Bruce du Ve. (I bought my first full set around the same time for £600, which was a high average).
Here’s from 1984 issue of An Píobaire.
Alain G. Froment
Practice Set £300
Half Set £600
Full Set £1,300
“Delivery time is exceptionally short, two weeks for a practice set, six weeks for a full set.”
£1,300 = 1650 euro;
in 1984 a (Dublin) pint cost 1.48, it’s now more than 4 euro.
So this was about 1110 pints of stout; a relative bargain, but then again Alain was just starting out at the time. 1110 Dublin pints is about 5 grand (euro) in today’s money.
[data from www.finfacts.ie]