http://www.uilleannobsession.com/for_sale.html#3
10,000 Euro (US$13,000) and it hasn’t been played in 8 years???
I give up.
(Looks nice though.)
I remember that one, I would think it’s slightly older than 1989 (although it may have been sold in 89, for around 1500 sterling I imagine, that’s inflation for you)), Geoff moved to Ireland late that year and I spent a lot of time with him in England and travelling in ireland before the final decision was made as well as after he left Oz. Have played that set a good bit myself if I remember well.
… and what was it like …
In other words, did it play like $13,000?
It probably played like $3,000 because (I’m guessing) that’s what full sets went for back then…
The Dude has a videotape made while somebody was visiting Wooff, Geoff talks about this set, and Breandan Breathnach’s reaction to hearing it: “Geoff, who is that man?” “That’s Peter Laban.” “Well, what sort of pipes are those?” “Narrow bore D.” [Breathnach looks puzzled] “You know, quiet like a flat set, but in concert pitch.” AH! Very nice. About time somebody did that. These other things are mini warpipes."
This is actually the first narrow D Wooff set. Breathnach died in 1985, so they were made then or before, unless Geoff and Peter were manning the Ouija board.
Funky parquetry on the bellows; and what’s that thing on top? Looks like wallaby hide.
I was thinking it was one of the first, I am not compeltely sure it was actually the very first but my memory had it was the one Geoff made for himself and then sold after a few years. I remember that episode with Breandan, I was playing it in the NPU shop in the Hall, Breandan was listening over my shoulder and Mick O Brien came in with Donncha who was interested so Mick parked the wheelchair right in front of me so Donncha could listen. It was seriously intimidating having both Breandan and Donncha listening very closely. Mick told me later they enjoyed it, surprised at hearing me the first time. Then there was that French woman who sat down oozing feromones :roll: anyway all ended well 
I remember Mick G. collecting the set one Willie week, and after running into him again while crossing O Connell street in Dublin, he stopped the rental ar in mid traffic for a chat. I don’t think that was the same year as the events above, probably the year after, 87 possibly. the 80s are getting a bit of a blur in my memory.
I know the set and maker well. After seeing it I ordered one of Geoff’s sets for myself. Mine was made while Geoff was still in Australia. If you like narrow bore D, this is a lovely set.
Ted
Peter,
Is that ‘The’ Donncha you are talking about? Is he still knocking around for Willie week. If it’s the same boyo, I had some craic with him over a chicken pannini last year!!!
No I was talking about Mick’s brother Donncha O Briain, he died in 1990. You mean Donncha Rynne I suppsoe, Chisty moore’s nephew, he’s still here.
OK, it’s been 24 hours… is the set still available?
…
Sorry Peter, It was Donncha Rynne alright. Jesus I had a bizarre hour or two with him that time. I’ll never forget the experience (among many others, as usual, at Willie week)
Amazingly, it would seem so.
Dude,
Are you sure about this? The seller says that the set was made for him in 1989. If that’s the case, then it’s not the first narrow bore D set made by Wooff.
My memory of it is somewhat vague, The Dude could well be right. The set does look exactly like the first Geoff made for himself, as I said I remember Mike Gravina’s set and if it wasn’t the first it was definetely one of the first, say, three.
It was CERTAINLY not made in 1989, from somewhere in May that year Geoff was in England making pipes at the workshop of a friend of ours, I spent a good bit of time there while he was working on B sets for Mark Farrelly and Donncha Fox. No D’s were made that summer or brought over to the Willie Clancy week.
That aside, pipemakers have a habit of selling their pipes when they need money, Mark Walstrom bought a B from Geoff after seeing the one for sale now, that was the B Geoff had made for himself, frilly kenna style reg keys and all (which he never played and why would he, having the Harrington). Customers either go ‘this was made for me’ or ‘Wow I bought his personal set’ depending on which idea they fancy most. :roll:
The maker of my pipes told me that he had originally intended to keep the set he eventually sold to me. 
yeah they do that, simple economy, car breaks down, pipes go. I know at least three people who have the personal set’ of one particular pipemaker.
To get back to the one for sale, these first few narrow bores were lovely, best buzz you’d get of the drones in a concert pitch set, regulators would play solid and in tune when playing the scale right up to high D on the chanter. If you’re into these, this is one you should get.
I actually have tapes of these early ones but I would have to go looking.
I wouldn’t buy a set that had to be taped. 
djm
Geoff also related how he made his D stuff perhaps a little bit beefier later on - a titch louder, to give them an edge against the other three/four instruments they’d be playing with. Has Geoff done that with all of his sets? Mark W’s 80s pipes are very quiet, whereas newer ones seem just a hair louder.
I think Mike Gravina wrote about aquiring this set in the Pipers’ Review, if you want to firmly date when he got them.
Mark’s reed was a bit stuffy I think, he was here some years ago, Geoff ‘updated’ the chanter to the then current design and they played a good bit clearer then. Mark has sold them since in favour of a new narrow bore D.