I’m an Aussie Uilleann piper living in Wales and have just joined this forum (I know I’m a bit slow to catch on that there are these meeting places in cyberspace!). I’ve currently got a 17 year old Alan Gingsberg practice set but now it’s clearly time to move onto a half-set…now that I’ve got the dosh.
I first learnt pipes from Ormond Waters in Perth, Western Australia 7 years ago now (who plays an Ian Mackenzie set) and also had a few lessons off Ray McNamara on getting the staccato thing down pat. Then I moved to London where I joined the London Uilleann Piper’s Club and further improved under the tutorledge of Tim Dowd. Now I’m living in rural Mid-Wales where there is only one piper in the next county (there ARE a few Northumberland pipers here, but they’re a different breed) who also is a worldclass flute maker (Chris from Hereford).
The Gingsberg set has been okay but I feel that there are other maker’s pipes that I’ve liked the sound of more. I’ve got non-Ginsberg reeds that I got made specially from a Northern Irish piper (Brendan) in London and it’s really done me well!
So now it’s time to move on, I’m wondering whether to go for an Ian Mackenzie set (I’ll be going back to Australia next year) or go for something extra expensive (Cillian O’Briain, Andreas Rogge, etc) and miles away from where I’ll be when I go back to Oz.
For this reason I’m leaning more towards an Aussie set from Ian (the waiting time for Andreas Rogge is currently 4 years and I can imagine longer for Cillian?).
Is it worth getting a good quality device without all the frills first and then get a flash (all bells and whilstes) full set in years to come (thus having two nice sets later on?) I wonder? The practice set I’ve got isn’t really worth upgrading in this instance though plays fine.
I’m leaning this way but would like to know what other’s have done in the upgrade stakes? I tend to deliberate on important decisions like this and wait until I’ve got enough information before biting the bullet.
Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you’ve been bitten by the piping bug.
I started in 1996 with a Thompson practice set. I played for 2 years, stopped playing for 2 years and in 2000 started again with the same practice set. Last April I added Whitmer drones and chanter keys. For regulators, I hoping to add one per year over the next few years - again Whitmer regulators. A lack of spare cash means I have to fund upgrades from gigs (about per month).
I have been struggling with my practice set on and off since 2001, mostly off in the last two years but I’m just starting to get going again. To keep motivation and assure to set aside time for practise I decided to order a half set. Narrowed down the choices to two European makers and three from the US. In the end I fell for a set by Adrian Jefferies in Australia.
I’m currently trying my best to squeeze myself on to his waiting list and hopefully everything will work out. So if I were you I would definitely consider some of the makers down under.
Hmm…seems like a good strategy is to get a very good half-set and extra keys on chanter to start with, then add on the bits later on with a final full set being really nice by the end.
In which case, I’ll put in a call to Ian just to see what his waiting list times are like. His sets are nice I admit and can handle the Aussie hot weather (his reeds tend to hold their own in this department).
There are good makers throughout Europe but then you’ve got the extra cost of shipping every time you need a repair job in the future…
I’ve heard that Adrian Jefferies is now on form too with his making but feel it’s best to go with what I’ve heard in person.
I think Cillian has closed his order books. Mickey Dunne is making chanters in o’Briain style. I bet the are quite something. Perhaps someone on the forum plays a Dunne chanter?
Mikko (uilleannfinlander) does. He received his boxwood chanter early this year from Mickey. And I heared only positive words from him since then. It seems to make him happy!
Yeah they did a good pint there although I’m not sure what it’s like these days…when were you in Perth?
I just spoke to my ole’ tutor whose bringing out another CD soon and he’s told me there are now 8 pipers in the Western Australian Uilleann Pipers Club (Up from 5 when I was there) so things are getting better it seems!
I spent 7 months in WA - Dec '99 to July '00 - of which 3 months were spend getting lost in the Pilbarra and the Kimberleys. Got some free fish for playing my low whistle at Finlay’s BBQ in Kalbarri. Didn’t bring my pipes that time. Magnificent place, WA. I must get back.
Well after making various enquiries to various pipemakers I’m leaning heavily in the direction of Pat Stone in the end and am currently in the ‘negotiation phase’. Ian doesn’t make narrow bore sets unfortunately and I’m looking for narrow bore this time round (I love the Geoff Woolfe and Cilliain O’Briain style sets and Pat Stone does Cilliain O’Briain style chanters).
Andreas Rogge sets are brilliant but I’d have to wait four years so thought it best to get something sooner and maybe go back to Andreas for a ‘Master Flat Set’ later on…money allowing! He certainly knows his stuff.
I also think it’s important to have heard a set ‘live’ and I’ve heard Pat Stone sets, Cillian O’Briain sets, Geoff Woolfe Sets, Mike Howard sets, Andreas Rogge sets and several other makers sets. I’d be taking a real gamble if I was to go with a maker’s set I’ve never heard or seen up close and for the money one spends on Uilleann pipes, that’s not a good idea. I don’t know anything about the USA pipemakers for example having never seen a Seth Gallagher set or other such maker’s set from that part. There are also some things some makers can do and others’ can’t or don’t do too so these were additional considerations. I’ll let you know how things pan out.
I’ve never heard of Pat Stone that I can remember. Can you tell us more about him? Was Pat an apprentice to Cillian at some stage? Or was he a priest on Fr. Ted?
Just to clarify, you say you are looking for narrow bore pipes. Geoff Wooff makes incredible narrow bore pipes but is basically out of reach at this stage in the game. Cillian O’Briain makes big bore pipes.
Pat Stone started off making reeds after learning it at the Willie Clancy weekend years back, then he progressed onto designing sets which, are a combination design. He says his chanter’s are off Cillian O’Briain and his drones are his own design. I remember seeing a set at the London UPC and it was a nice enough sounding chanter (quiet and sweet in tone) but his bagwork and bellows are really well made too! They’ve got several of his practice sets for beginners to use whilst they’re saving up for a set of their own. His reeds look similar to the new style reed design which I’ve got in my current chanter.
I did like the sound of them when I was there although I think Pat’s only been making sets for 5 to 7 years or so (not sure, must ask him sometime). Tim Dowd (my former tutor) recommends him which, is a good enough endorsement I feel. His sets are basically a composite of 2 other pipemakers. His regulators are similar in design to the David Williams Keenan patern.
Going back to Oz - is this to be permanent ? If so local Australian maker who knows the climate conditions for the area you are going to would seem the best choice. A set from a damp climate might not like a sudden change to hot and dry. If however you are going back to an area with a similar climate to the UK then there should not be a problem. Look on the list at NPU and and e-mail all the makers to find out waiting times - with many of them you would may not get the set in time for the trip back !
