What do you all think of Seth Gallagher’s uilleann pipes? As far as I can see after doing a search on the net, Seth seems to have a reputation for making a good set of pipes. I’ve never played, or heard a Gallagher set live, only found a few video clips on his site. I’m primarily interested in a second hand set in D, and in how the drones and regulators sound, and how they are balanced. Has anyone here compared a Gallagher D-set to another D-set as regards sound, intonation, tuning etc.?
Hi Thomas!
Robert in Gothenburg has a full set by Seth if you want to have a closer look.
/M
I dont know much about Gallaghers pipes specifically ,but IMHO a good set of pipes should have the flexibility, that the balance and tone can be adjusted to the pipers liking and not predetermined by the pipemaker. His idea of balance and optimum tone may not be the same as the pipers.
RORY
Yes, thanks Marcus, forgot about Robert. We played at the Glenntown Irish Festival a few weeks ago with Siobhán Peoples & Murty Ryan on the bill, didn’t see Robert though. I’m wondering what folks think about the sound of the drones and regs and if there any particular issues anyone has noticed. I’ve heard good things about Gallagher’s instruments
Yes Rory, do you know the prices of Mark Donohoe’s pipes?
They’re cheap in price but expensive in quality,as for the euro value you’d have to contact him yourself.
RORY
I’ve seen/heard/played a good few sets of Gallagher pipes over the years and he certainly makes a fine instrument.
Good octave tuning all over, hard and soft D’s very close together, not too loud. Basically all the things you need for a good chanter. Drones and regulators are great too.
Seth has the added advantage of being a fine piper so he knows what a set of pipes should and can do.
The only negative comment I’ve heard about his pipes is that they all look the same. He’s been called ‘the general motors’ of pipe makers. Which I think is a bit stupid. You’d never hear that about Froment’s identical pipes for some reason.
But he is somewhat flexible with aesthetics. Just this week end I saw one of his sets in nickel silver with boxwood mounts. Lovely!
I played one of his C full sets a few years ago and I was very impressed.
Give Padraig McGovern a shout. He’s one of the finest pipers living today and he makes a Gallagher set sing!
Tommy
I had a Gallagher D chanter which was very nice. I currently have a Gallagher B chanter which is one of the nicest sounding chanters I’ve ever played. Can’t help you on the drones/regs, but ask me again in a few years, because I’m hoping to add them to my B chanter.
i was impressed by his success in getting pipers of note to try out his chanters and give glowing reviews on his site - i think i saw paddy maloney, jimmy o’brien moran, gay mckeown and maybe others - it’s a great idea i think to show good players go to town on a good instrument
I play with Robert in Gothenburg (previously mentioned) and his pipes are seems really steady regardless of season and weather, and I don’t think he needs to make much adjustments of them at all. To me as a fiddle player i like the sound of them too!
/Anders in Gothenburg
Thanks, I’m not familiar with Padraig McGovern, but very impressed with his piping on his Gallagher set. Here he is playing the set, but with a chanter by another maker it looks like. The Gallagher drones and regs sound very nice here in this solo set of tunes starting at 7:35 minutes into the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aJXt2-Megw
The regs sound very good, in tune and not too loud by the way. Thanks Anders for your observation.
I think Seth makes synthetic regulator reeds.
The set I’ve heard had brass reg-reeds.
/Anders
“The set I’ve heard had brass reg-reeds.” Pekkos
Yes. I’m thinking of pairing a late Dave Williams D chanter with a quality set of drones and regulators. Hence the inquiry about sound and tuning. Here Padraig playing his set with Gallagher chanter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LevEZaHbMVI
I’d say the chanter in the previous clip is by Benedict Koehler.
I had the pleasure of playing a Gallagher set with bronze reg reeds. Really nice instrument. The fellow who owned it said the regs are the most stable he’s ever known. “Set them and forget them,” basically.
Here’s a video that was posted recently.
I’ve got the set that Tommy recently saw (though it’s actually brass and boxwood, not nickel brass). 
Besides his standard imitation-ivory mounts, Gallagher also offers boxwood mounts, and sometimes also mammoth ivory; you just have to ask. I’ve seen several other Gallagher ebony & boxwood sets – a local piper recently sold a Gallagher B set in ebony, boxwood, and nickel brass.
I agree with Tommy that the “GM” comparison is bollocks. For example, if you look closely at one of his recent chanters, you’ll see a characteristic egg shape near the top that is, to me, distinctive and fun: it reminds me of a Viennese oboe. His drone design has also evolved over the years – they’re heavier/thicker than they used to be. (Overall, mine is a very sturdy, substantial instrument.) Finally, Seth regularly plays around with the quantity and shapes of his mounts. So, he is empatically not cranking these things out on some kind of assembly line.
Bronze reeds are standard issue for Seth’s regulators, and they’re great: they have a sweet, warm sound, and moderate volume. They blend beautifully with his beefy drones.
I had been told that Gallagher chanters are on the loud side, but mine’s just right. It’s loud enough for me to hear myself in a session, but not so loud as to deafen me when I play it in my acoustically-very-live living room. Its tone is bright but not strident.
Obviously I’m very pleased with this set. I’m still very much still growing into it, and look forward to taking better advantage of it over time as my skill increases!
Hope that helps. Good luck!
–Mick
Gallagher’s pipes are impressive and and obviously quality instruments. I saw a set of Gallagher drones and regs advertised for sale on Uilleann obsession som days ago which started me thinking, reduced to 3.100 GBP, But I received an email yesterday from the owner saying they had been sold.
I also emailed Evertjan ‘tHart for his price list. Evertjan’s chanters have been very highly praised these past few years. He’s an excellent piper and is making quality pipes here in Europe. I’ll order a new set of drones and regs from him to go with my Williams chanter. A two year wait but worth it. A set from Seth is one year but there will be import duty to pay. Also Evertjan’s pipes are based on Williams’ pipes, but I believe tweaked to Evertjan’s design.
http://www.hartdd.com/pipes.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqM1Wx5CWhQ
I think this is inspired by some early “James Kenna” pipes and Seth’s been using it since at least 2003 (the date stamped on my B chanter).
I think this is inspired by some early “James Kenna” pipes.
Indeed and Kenna’s early work was inspired by early oboe makers like Poerschman and Eichentopf. Both inside and out.
Tommy