The rumours seem to be flying like pigeons in a city. Does anyone know the details of who is making this set and what the plans are regarding it?
Dionys
Geoff Woof is making the set. It will be of ebony with sterling silver fittings. Supposedly it will be the set by which all of his other sets will be measured. Patrick D’Arcy has a picture of a set similar to this one at
http://www.concentric.net/~pdarcy/martin_nolan_weekend/scpc_mn_2000_12.jpg
(information gleaned from the Uilleann mailing list)
Jeff
[ This Message was edited by: anima on 2002-04-07 13:40 ]
What’s a ‘once in a lifetime’ set like this worth? $10,000US perhaps $15,000US. I’m sure those who can afford (and those who are considering an mortgage/equity loan) will be forming a line at the concert hall…
Has it been determined how the person to receive this set will be chosen?
My thoughts are lottery.. the selling price set and those interested place their name on a list. Single entries only. This won’t stop someone from having all his friends enter for him, but it would help lower the odds of cheating.
Do I spot Pat d’Arcy posting a pic of his own pipes there??
Seriously though, a set will be made from black Ebony, Sterling Silver and mounted in Mammoth ivory
pitch in B or C
The set will go to the highest bidder.
Consider: in a few weeks Geoff will be 52. The waiting list is 13 years now. even if he lives to get through the waiting list, it’s likely he will want to retire by then. So, if you want one and you’re not already on the waiting list. This is probably the only opportunity you’ll have getting one directly from the maker.
good luck.
Good God, 13 years… ouch . Are his sets really that good? How many does he make a year?
anima wrote:
Good God, 13 years… ouch . Are his sets really that good? How many does he make a year?
yes…
If a pipemaker told you how many sets he made a year, you could do some quick math… and see how little they actually make. Consider that question in the same category as asking a woman her age!
On 2002-04-07 14:40, anima wrote:
Good God, 13 years… ouch . Are his sets really that good? How many does he make a year?
Yes. Six.
Oh Peter, you shouldn’t have…
I never knew it was such a touchy subject with pipemakers. Do most pipemakers do the whole thing themselves or do they have assistants and/or apprentices to help? Do they “farm out” parts of the pipes, say bag and bellows?
Just curious
Jeff
Depends,
Last time I checked… Bruce Childress makes everything himself except the MacHarg bags. Neil O’Grady makes everything himself. Seth Gallagher has 2 people working for him. Ian Mackenzie makes the pipes his wife makes the bellows and bags.
Howaya Peadar,
Do I spot Pat D’Arcy posting a
pic of his own pipes there??
I posted it on the UPML, bit of publicity for the “Silver Set”. I couldn’t resist
It’s an excellent opportunity for anyone with the money. If you are on the list and waiting 13 years you’d be as well off making a bid on the set, it’s going to cost over 10,000 by the time it’s ready anyway.
Patrick.
One makes a bid on the set how?
Dionys
Here is the info NPU sent out:
Geoff Wooff - Silver Anniversary Set
To mark 25 years of pipe-making, Geoff Wooff intends to produce a Silver anniversary set!
This instrument will be ready by May/June 2003 and its purchase is open to anyone, either on or not on his extremely long waiting list.
The set will be made in Black Ebony with solid Silver keys and ferrules and Mammoth Ivory mounts.
His preference is to produce this ‘one off’ set in the key of B or C, but a different key could be stipulated by the successful applicant.
This is a genuine opportunity for anyone to ‘short circuit’ the current 13 year wait!
Letters of interest to:
Geoff Wooff, Miltown Malbay, co. Clare, Ireland.
Patrick,
I’m still curious how Geoff will decide who gets the set. Peter indicated it will go to the highest bidder. Will there be a sealed bid auction?
The address you posted is that sufficient to get mail to him without a street, house number or postal code?
Someone above said it would purely be by the highest bidder. Whether or not this is solely a monetary judgement is up to Geoff. He’s already well known, booked for a long enough time to eventually retire on making sets so he doesn’t need it to be in the hands of a ‘name.’ Which I am happy about, to be honest. I personally think it would be nice to see the set in the hands of someone who loves the Uilleann pipes, who plans on either playing the set him/herself or loaning it to someone who loves the UP.
Yes. That address will get the letter there, although you can also use the address at NPU. It’s Ireland. No numbers/postal codes in the address, excepting large cities (e.g. Dublin 5 vs 4). In fact. To get a letter to my house in Ireland, you need only my name and the town/county. What a lovely place.
Dionys
Dionys,
If it’s highest bidder than anything is possible. The average guy bidding will be bidding against professional musicians and collectors. The price could easily double.
Well after 25 years a guy should get a bonus don’tcha think?
On another note - - - mammoth Ivory mounts - - I hope that’s not a description of size!! 
On 2002-04-10 01:15, Dionys wrote:
It’s Ireland. No numbers/postal codes in the address, excepting large cities (e.g. Dublin 5 vs 4). In fact. To get a letter to my house in Ireland, you need only my name and the town/county. What a lovely place.Dionys
A former boss of mine in the Irish Civil Service used to tell of a letter which was posted by some smitten cinema fan in the 1950s addressed to “Miss Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood”.
When it arrived in Hollywood, County Wicklow, the local posmaster duly endorsed it “Not known here. Try Hollywood Co. Down.”
What a wonderful story. It wouldn’t surprise me at all.
Regarding the Mammoth Ivory mounts, I’m personally hoping it describes the age (I know you were joking around) considering the world-wide ban on ivory importing/exporting. If the buyer is outside of Ireland, it will most likely require them to hand-carry the instrument out of Ireland. Though I couldn’t imagine purchasing such a set and not going to Ireland to pick it up (not to mention play it at some of the castles or other such ‘special’ places).
As for it going to the highest bidder, I’m willing to bet there are a lot of individuals who can outbid ‘professionals.’
Dionys