I hav recently taken up pipes and will in the hopefully near future be purchasing a set as i am currently hiring some. I have been browsing through many pipemakers sites and still have no idea whos pipes are gd etc. Ne advice on this issue would b gratefully received.
Dan
[ This Message was edited by: Thorpe on 2002-10-21 15:36 ]
Dan,
Welcome to the C&F board.
It’s good you have the chance to hire (rent) pipes but many makers have more than a years wait, even for a practice set.
Are you considering used pipes?
Yes i am considering it. But am having trouble finding adverts for them. Have looked on NPU but am not sure which makers are best etc and hav hit a dead end.
Dan
You’ll find people reluctant to talk about bad pipe makers, but there have been discussions on this board in the past about good makers. Some top ten list (which left out a few makers I consider quite good), and various other messages.
People are loathe to make a list for fear of leaving someone off, adding someone that shouldn’t be there or insulting people in one way or another.
Plus, everyone has differing opinions on who is a good maker. I’ve played sets that I found quite nice by makers not usualy on the top 10 list.
If you have a chance, go to a gathering of pipers and listen to the pipes being played. Ask a lot of questions. You’ll find out a lot that way. Or go back through this board and read messages. Or go to the Uilleann Pipes mailing list archives.
If you buy used, make sure you don’t just go for the pipes made by X maker. Be sure to ask when the pipes were made by him/her (any female makers out there?). The time it was made in relation to when they started making pipes usualy makes a big difference.
You can try Ebay in addition to NPU’s site. Usualy the ebay auctions are posted here and commented on, unless it’s a really, really nice set of pipes (or a historical set) and someone honestly thinks that no one on here checks e-bay and think they’ll get them at a steal.
Dionys
Thorpe
Advice from Dionys is good.
I’ve sent you a private message, by the way
Boyd.
[Log in to the C&F site then click on “Private Messages” and you should find it there]
All the best
Boyd