Pakistani (please note political correctness)Pipes

Uilleann Pipes
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[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 17:41 ]

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Practically everywhere I’ve been in Scotland where a tourist can be found there are Pakistani GHBs for sale as well!

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[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 17:42 ]

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Although I read in a post somewhere in here recently that there were some decent GHBs coming out of Pakistan, But a guy who works for me has a set from there that simply won’t play. He paid about $500.00 for it a few years ago. I am pretty sure that it is now a wall decoration.

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Greetings,

Various manufacturers in Pakistan produce GHB pipes, uilleann pipes, and simple-system wooden flutes. From what I’ve heard, it’s almost entirely for profit.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a whole array of folk instruments that are being knocked off in Pakistan. But I’m only familiar with the “Celtic” folk instruments.

As far as I can tell from various forums and opinions, they’re all worthless. I know that Tim Britton reworks Pakistani uilleann pipe sets for a price. I’ve heard mixed reviews of these Brittonized pipes. Mostly fair to decent.

And I think Rod Cameron reworks Pakistani wooden flute, also for a price. I haven’t heard any feedback on how they perform.

John Harvey

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I don’t know if anyone knows this, or if its’ been mentioned before, but Tim Britton (besides making his own pipes) also remakes Pakistani pipes… a full set going for $2600.

http://www.skep.com/britton/pipes.htm

at the bottom of this page.

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By what I’ve seen, the pipes are purely for show (for the tourists) and profit (for the makers). Some of the sets might be playable after extensive reworking but then I’m sure table legs might be also…

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I read somewhere that the GHB currently being made in Pakistan have 30 years of ‘practice’ and refinement behind their making so they are more playable than the recently introduced Pakistani Uilleann Pipes.

Considering that you can get a nice used set (even some beautiful, classic ones by good names) of GHB for the same price as a Pakistani made set, I’d have to say: Why bother.

The same goes for Uilleann Pipes. I’ve seen quite a few very good used sets for the same price as (or cheaper than) Pakistani made sets. Even on E-Bay. You are, of course, usualy buying them sight unseen, but this also applies to Pakistani sets.

Dionys