How is the second hand market these days for uilleann pipes? Are there signs that the demand has been met or prehaps that the active pipers out there already have the instruments they need, or are pipers starting to shun sets that they feel are prehaps too high priced or that are not sure fire investments? I’m just wondering,
I saw that there is a Brennan set up for sale on the NPU site that has been advertised before by the same owner. How did things fare for the Childress flat set, or for the Wooff set on NPU’s site some weeks ago. Then there was the recent Lynch set which was returned to Elderly Instruments, prehaps it has been sold now? There’s also a John Pedersen 3/4 set that doesn’t seem to be moving.
I could be wrong of course, but I remember it seems just 2-3 years ago that people would snap up almost anything that came available on the secondhand market, you had to be real quick to make an offer before someone else did
The Childress flat set sold for what I asked, took about 4 weeks before I had someone on a purchase agreement for it.
I don’t think the market is saturated at all. It does seem like, at least with our club, that players are holding out for the super-premium sets rather than just taking whatever comes along.
Demand seems stronger than ever. The prices that a set of pipes commands is enabling more sets to become available.
It is all about timing and price points. Buyers are naturally not able to move immediately on high priced items.
I am wondering if that Taylor-style set was sold out in Long Island.
I used to say that a great set of pipes was never offered to half a dozen pipers. Before it got to the 6th, someone would have referred the set to someone ready to pounce and purchase immediately. Very tight, old world style networking. eBAY, NPU classified ads, online e-mail lists - a bit of a change!
I also agree that there remains significant interest in quality sets (I am in the market!), but I do however, wonder what impact, if any, that the significantly weakened US dollar (vs. the Euro) will have on the market, or even on the market for the new sets turned out (will people, namely Americans, drop off some lists say as a Wooff set costing about 7000 Euros increases from US $6300 two years ago, to over $9000 today just because of foreign currency change).
I’ve ended up with more than one set and it might be the right time. I have two 4-reg sets made by Alain Froment (one in D, one in C) that I would consider parting with for a solid offer. The C set can be seen on the the NPU home page.
I do not intend on selling the Delaney Taylor set. The Willie Rowsome B set is still being restored.
Regarding the speculation on the dollar vs. Euro, Seth Gallagher is getting orders from Ireland. Not sure if it’s from the currency exchange or the publicity surrounding Paddy Maloney’s purchase of Seth’s personal Pipes. Maybe both.
The sinking value of the dollar against the euro, and in my case the Swedish crown, is significant of course. I recently was able to afford a beautiful Chris Wilkes flute from an American seller at a favourable price because of this.
Prehaps as Michael says people are also holding out for “super-premium” sets.
[/quote]Regarding the speculation on the dollar vs. Euro, Seth Gallagher is getting orders from Ireland. Not sure if it’s from the currency exchange or the publicity surrounding Paddy Maloney’s purchase of Seth’s personal Pipes.
Very good reversal of fortune point. To put it in similar figures along side my post above, Seth’s sets would have declined in Euro cost from E7800 to E5400 over the same period. That would infact make them a significant value attraction, and especially since you can sincrinize (sp?) well the payment with the order to pick your spot with currency fluctuations given the relatively short wait list. Who knows what a Wooff set will cost in a dozen years and whether excange rates will be favorable or not. Though I suppose one could begin stockpiling some euros in an account (low interest bearing dead money however I am certain) when rates cycle more favorably. I wish I had done so a few years ago when the Euro could be bought for under US$0.90.
I’m glad you guys are benefiting from the slide in the US$…cuz for me it’s made the price of my 1/2 set on order go up about 10% since the order was placed.
The good news is that I work for a global company with much of our profit made internationally, so its helping the balance sheet significantly…maybe I’ll get a good bonus this year to make up the difference in the price of the pipes
I the two years I’ve been watching the market and lurking on the fringes, it seems to me that the demand is still there and strong with a lot of newbie pipers (such as myself), but maybe isn’t as “frenzied” as it was in previous years.
The resale market seems to be good with sets keeping their value for a good many years.
-gary
