http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=924835712
This set in blackwood and brass is made by a reputable US maker. Price is right too ($800 US as of now) Nick made these in '89 and recently refurbished them.
I don’t think they are a nice looking set, but prehaps they play alright? They seem simply made, with no bone, ivory or plastic ornamentation. The blob on the end of the bass drone slide is horrible looking. But again this is just cosmetics and they may be a very nice sounding set
I’m curious why the 12 year old reed plays better than the new one?
Tony,
If he made a new one recently after a period of 12 years Id say he was out of practice 
Alan
I got an email from Nick this morning and he’s made about 40 sets (over 20 years-I’m guessing). I don’t know if that means 1/2 sets or includes practice sets. He says he doesn’t get out much and doesn’t know how his pipes compare with Gallagher, Quinn, or Childress (other East coast makers).
He says the reeds are perhaps slightly on the stiff side, loud as a “robust fiddle” and the upper E tends to be a little sharp, A a little flat, but can be corrected with a certain fingerings.
He doesn’t make regulators, but may consider it when he retires. I forgot to ask if they were large or small bore but am guessing large by his description of volume.
I kind of agree with Steampacket about the trim and the “blob” on the bass drone. I also prefer ivory (imitation or other). Doesn’t sound like his pipes have a lot of demand so I’m guessing this one would be better to try out first by an expert to see how they compare.
The set looks very nice. Nick is a great guy and I suspect that he would not sell these if they didn’t work. The “blob,” in addition to the beehives on the chanter, are Whitmer signatures.
With only six bids, the pipes sold for $882 (starting bid of $800) Considering that O’Grady practice sets sell $850, that’s a fantastic price for a half set.
Just to close out this thread, I was the winning bidder on this auction and just got the pipes a couple of days ago. I already had a Whitmer practice set which works well, so was inclined to trust him that the pipes were in good shape. Not to gloat, but I think this may have been one of the best uilleann pipe deals I’ve seen on Ebay. The chanter sounds almost identical to my other Whitmer (2002) chanter, and while I won’t be using them regularly for a while, the drones sound very nice too. They are, as some pointed out, perhaps not the prettiest set of pipes, but who cares as long as they work well?
Now my dilemma is, which chanter do I sell? Anyone wanting a nicely playing Whitmer practice set, let me know.
Best,
Tim Hall
Congrats Tim…
I just saw this thread and thought I’d throw this in.
I bought my first set of bellows-blown pipes from Nick in 1994. He made me a combination set of A/D smallpipes with five drones (A-D-e-a-d) with a stock switch and individual switches on each drone. The two chanters were generously keyed for accidentals (since smallpipe chanters are cylindrically bored and won’t respond to cross fingerings).
It’s a nice set, similar in aesthetics to this set of uilleanns. I mean, it’s not fancy, but his prices were amazingly reasonable, and the set plays very well. The only trouble I have had with them was the individual drone switches, which a friend of mine (Mark Lee of Rocket reed fame) remade with brass mechanics and they work wonderfully now.
I think the beehive turning is nice, and wish that the drones were a little fancier, but hey, they’re nice.
Tim, how are you liking that set now a month out?
Stuart
Well, since you ask:
They’re very nice. Although I haven’t had much time to play since the week before christmas, in the last few weeks it’s been wet here, which has brought the chanter reeds into good shape (only 50% or so humidity inside, so they’re not reeds that will only play in an Irish microclimate). The drones sound nice to my ear, but frankly most of the time I’m turning them off or just using one (all the books say use tenor first, but I can’t resist the sound of the bass). I’m sure I won’t be able to do them justice for some time, but it’s good training for bag pressure control and for chanter placement (the posture I had with the practice set isn’t as comfortable with drones). Both chanters sound very similar to my ears, and reasonably in tune with themselves and the drones. They are not as nice as the Quinn concert set or the Rogge flat chanters I’ve heard and briefly had in my hands, but for the price differential (which matches my ability differential), that’s fine with me.
So, in a nutshell, the set’s a keeper. Anyone who wants a Whitmer uilleann practice set (I seem to have a spare bag, bellows and chanter now), let me know.
Tim