Hi guys, there is a practice set for sale Ebay UK, but there’s only three hours left, has anyone got an idea who this maker is or was or were he came from. cheers Stew.
The best I can offer…
English pipemaker
links here:
http://www.londonpipers.co.uk/pipemakers_pg.htm
photo here:
http://www.uilleann.nl/pipes/pictureGallery/brussel2002/middle/middle_DSCN3938.JPG
mentioned a few times from this site:
http://www.uilleann.nl/pipes/pictureGallery/brussel2002/
listed on Thomas Johnsons’ site
http://w1.461.telia.com/~u46103557/anpiobaire.html
hubert is a Dutchman. During the early 80s (and possibly during the late seventies too) he worked for Allan Ginzberg. He has since (although on an on/off basis) been making pipes and doing repairs since. Last I heard based near Lincoln, deeply involved in Friends of the Earth and the trade in tropical woods from sustainable forests.
Cheers Tony, I know someone who fancy’s them, but were not
to familiar with the maker,
Hubert Kwisthout, originally from the Netherlands I believe, started making uilleann pipes in the late seventies/early eighties in Lincoln, Lincs. Around the same time, or shortly after, as Dave Williams maybe. Dave started up in 1977/78 I think. I remember visiting Dave at his first workshop in Newark, Notts, and Dave mentioned Hubert who’d started making pipes in Lincoln and had been asking advice from Dave. I heard some time ago that Hubert moved from Lincoln in the 1990’s? and went south, Wales prehaps? There was an article in An Piobaire about a Ned White set that Hubert renovated for a piper from the Netherlands. I’ve never heard a Kwisthout chanter so I’ve no idea as to the quality of his instruments.
Thanks Peter, nice to know you can get help & first hand info in such a short space of time here, cheers guys. 
Peter
I saw your photograph, which I like a lot, on the May Morning Dew album, Mick O’ Brien
A simalar photograph is on the obsession pages:
“Mick and Aoife O’Brien at WCSS 1990. The pipes are Robert van Dykes ‘white’ set. ©Peter Laban, Milltown Malbay”
I think Robert told me that Hubert Kwisthout restored the White set.
Carel
Here’s an address from NPU, though I think it may be out of date - I’'d heard he’d left Lincoln and was possibly living in Wales. Peter mentioned an early Alan Ginsburg connection:
Hubert Kwisthout
659 Newmark Rd.
Lincoln
LN6 8SA
England
Tel.: 01522-501850
Fax: 01522-501841
Pic of a Kwisthout “full set with possible Rogge bass drone” at:
http://www.uilleann.nl/pipes/pictureGallery/brussel2002/middle/middle_DSCN3938.JPG
Hubert is listed August 1st 2004 as a timber merchant:
Business TypeTimber Merchant - Sawn Products
Contact Name Hubert Kwisthout
Address Line 16 Salisbury Avenue
Address Line 2PenarthCountyCardiff
AreaPost CodeCF1
Telephone Number 02920 707444
Fax Number 02920 711133
Email Address info@ecotimber.co.uk
Web Site Address www.ecotimber.co.uk
In fact Hubert rebuilt a good bit of it, robert only bought a bunch of bits and pieces.
I actually owned a practise set from Hubert up untill a few hours ago… It was my first encounter with the pipes, bought from hobgoblin in Bristol september 1997. It ended on a shelf for some years, I thought it to be horrible and bought a Roberts half set. But last year someone from the danish pipers club needed a set, and we tried to get it working. It did. A new reed was all it took… He then bought a Rogge set and I sold off the Kwisthout set today to an aspiring new piper from Copenhagen. It’s playing nicely and in tune - with a reed made for my Roberts chanter!
Bottom line, get someone experienced to check what you are buying before throwing it out 
Morten
- Happier than ever, with a new Williams chanter and a full Brad Angus Bb-set on its way!
Hubert Kwistout made probably one of the worst chanters I ever heard 
Thats not to say he isn’t a good maker, just that there are some lemons around with his name on them.
Ben ye can add the drones to that.There are two good reedmakers that I know of who won’t touch his stuff.But to be fair I have heard an OK set or two.
By and large any uilleann pipes bought from Hobgoblin are shite.(they are the Pakistani sets)I was told this many years back at the London Pipers Club and I don’t see any reason to change this view.Hubert used to use Hobgoblin as his outlet but I think he no longer does.
Uilliam 