first time on this forum. been playing guitar and tinwhistle for years. love uillean pipes but dont have a set. first question, where can i get them. do i have to buy them straight away or are there clubs where i can borrow uillean pipes until i can affoard my own - some pipe bands let people do this.
i,ve seen lots of sites with pipes for sale but whats good and whats bad?
how much can i expect to pay for good pipes - i play a guitar that cost me 500 euros, its midrange and thats what i had in mind for pipes. is this possible?
what about teachers? how much do lessons usually cost? where can i find a teacher?
Where abouts in Ireland are you? The pipers club in Dublin “Na Píobairí Uilleann” on Henrietta Street at the back of Bolton Street College should be able to loan you a set as long as you have an order in with a maker. Their website address is www.pipers.ie
As far as good sets go: Pat Sky is making a very reasonably priced high quality practice set (bag, bellows & chanter). His site address is www.patricksky.com you can contact him through that. Pipemakers in Ireland are another option but will be more expensive due to exchange rates etc. Martin Preshaw is an option but he is in N.I. www.unionpipes.co.uk Mark Donohoe is supposed to be making nice sets, I think he is down in Kerry? More info on him and his address is at http://www.uilleannobsession.com/diary_2005.html
500 Euros may be asking for too much, but if you’re lucky you might be able to get a good practice set second had from someone for that much. I second Patrick’s suggestion for Pat Sky’s work, he makes very nice pipes, is affordable, and doesn’t have a huge wait. Definitely try to find a club nearby, older pipers are usually very welcoming to newbies. I’ve only been at it for about 6 months and the more experienced pipers were very welcoming and kind to me. Good luck, hope you find what you’re looking for.
HiDoh,
As you live in Ireland I would imagine there will be a piper within reasonable travelling distance. Ask around a few sessions as someone in attendance is likely to know a piper in close proximity. Once you have located one ask for advice/opinions.
Don’t however fall into the trap of “I’ll buy a budget chanter now and update later”. It doesn’t quite work like that. Indeed, the opposite is probably true. Buy a quality chanter from the outset as it will aid your progression and you will also have a better chance of selling it on should you decide to give up the pipes in the future.
Avoid anything from “on line shops” dealing in generic musical instruments et cetera. Decent Uilleann pipes cannot usually be bought off the shelf like you would a shirt.
My advice would be to buy directly from a reputable pipe maker. Martin Preshaw makes excellent pipes at a fair price and he is located in N.I.
He is also very very approachable, friendly and has an excellent customer care attitude to his customers.
Buying from a maker within reasonable travelling distance can also save you alot of frustration later on in your learning especially when reed related problems occur (and they will at some stage).
With regard to 500 Euros; I should save up a bit more unless you can obtain a used practice set at a bargain price. However, as mentioned above, purchase a set by a known maker with a good reputation.
Finally, join NPU based in Dublin.
Good luck.
Joseph (the UK one).
check out the recent threads on rebuilds, too. would cost you more than a practice set, but for about the same wait time you’ll have a full set. depends on how sure you are you’ll stick with it.
if ordering a practice set, bruce childress is also fantastic and definitely worth so much more than the price…
I’m very proud of yous guys - no one’s just given a quick brush off and told HiDoh to just 'Go read the f@#*ing FAQ’s!" Good on all of ya!
I’ll second the suggestion to look into Pat Sky’s work. But of course, living in ireland, you have the distinct advantage of being within reach of NPU. Check them out. They’ll answer all your questions and then some. Oh yes…Welcome!!
Damn! Where are my ill manners?! Hey HiDoh, read the FAQ and run a search… just kidding. I’m not certain where in Ireland you are located, but going through the NPU website certainly ought to help you find pipes and instructors. They have an email address page for pipemakers and I’m thinking one of them boyo’s would be able to answer many, if not all of your questions. Good luck, and happy hunting! Welcome to the boards!
thankz for all the great advice. the one thing i forgot to mention is that i travel quite a lot with my work (in NY right now, on my way back on wednesday). i don,t know if i,ll be albe to take regular classes with teachers. i’ll call the dublin club when i get home (to dublin) and see if they can resommend ateacher. maybe he/she will have a handle on some good (cheep) secondhand practice pipes.
Even if you are only able to take one lesson every now and then, it’ll be of great help to you… it’s amazing what one hour of instruction can do for your playing… but don’t stop at the one hour, of course.
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