This scenario is strictly made up of course but I wanted to hear your opinions on this:
You HAD to sell (Because of Marriage, Illness, take your pick) an excellent set of pipes, all tuned up and ready to play (“D” set or Flat set…take your pick) from a very good but deceased maker (Take your pick). When you are in the process of selling the set, an experienced player wants to buy them but he cannot give you your asking cost and offers you 500 dollars (Or comparable currency) less than the asking price. At the same time a very rich collector is willing to give you not only your asking price; but 1000 dollars (Or comparable currency) MORE for your set, and tells you that your pipes would make a wonderful conversation piece, and will be mounted over the fire place in his home. My question to all of you is what would you do? Would you:
A) Sell them to the experienced player for 500 less but have a piece of mind knowing that the instrument will be played every day like it was intended.
OR
B) Sell the pipes to the rich collector making 1000 on the deal but know that the
the pipes will never be played.
Nothing infuriates me more than seeing an instrument go unused.
Or behind glass.
Imagine if all the Taylor sets were in museums.
or if every Guaneri or Strad violin were locked up in a climate-controlled glass safe. never to speak again.
Even in the hands of a rich fool, the instrument would be happier than in a protected, secure, isolated preservation…eewww..I’m shuddering at the thought. its inhumane.
Well in the event that this a complete ‘hypothetical’ I would take option A. I feel that any instrument is made to be played. Even if you were to make $500.00 less on the sale. What’s the point in making $500.00 more if the set will be locked away and deterorate because it wouldn’t be maintained. Also option A would be considered even more so if I knew the instrument would be recorded on an album or performed by a talented musician. (Well known or not so well known.)
I know of one well-known Australia piper who owns a Wooff full set in Bb (with all the trimmings). However he said to me that if he where to sell it, he’d be carefull who he sold it too. It wouldn’t be sold to just anybody. Something like that needs to be played and well maintaned he told me.
Hi!
I don’t get some of the assumptions of the scenario.
First, if this was an “excellent set of pipes, all tuned up and ready to play, from a very good maker”, I’m sure there would be more than one “experienced player” who would like to buy them.
Then just let the market set the price.
Second, if an experienced and talanted player wants to buy this uniqe set he would also see it’s value. If he really wants them but doesn’t have the money to pay for it, a loan for 500$ shouldn’t scare him, if this was a real deal.
Third, if the only two interested are the collector and one piper, I would doubt the the pipes are as excellent as the seller belives.
Fourth, if the price the collector wants to pay is more than any piper think the set is worth it is another thing. Then it’s just up to you to decide how much you need the extra cash.
Another option would be to offer to sell them back to the maker, or any good maker that is continuing the tradition if the orginal maker is dead. He (or she) should see the true value of the set and make sure it will be in good shape for future pipers.
If it is a good set, by a maker who is no longer among the corporeal (or living), then I feel that it ought not be sold to sit on a mantel place or hang on the wall.
I am going through a really tough stretch of fate these days, and as much as I need the $$$, I wouldn’t dream of selling any of my pipes/chanters if I weren’t 100% certain that they would be played and well cared for.
The collector can wait, the player can save up the $$$. In the meantime, there is most likely a player out there who can afford the set and will play and properly care for it.
If the hypothetical sale is for marriage. Keep the pipes. Your future mate should understand - or they don’t really know you like they should. If she (or he) doesn’t get it - break off the engagement because you are headed for years of pain. (I speak from first hand experience) : )
Yeah, I just had a very experienced riding instructor offer me $200 for a horse who’s currently worth about $5K; she wanted to buy the horse for her husband. There’s more to the story that I won’t go into here (none of it a good reflection on her, alas), but … Guess she thought I might not know???
I’m usually into giving folks the benefit of the doubt but not this time; it was pretty flagrant.
Moral: Just because someone’s good doesn’t necessarily mean they’re … well, good.
!!!