I’ve been asked this question a few times and I’ve given it a bit of thought on how it might be possible to have an educated guess by adding up NPU and other club memberships but I’m not sure if this would be an accurate way of going about it.
Any suggestions on an valid guesstimate method, or whats your guess ?
A few years ago I heard there was 3000 members in NPU.
RORY
I don’t think I know any NPU members here in Wash DC. I know of half a dozen pipers and there is probably a few closet pipers. I don’t know how you could estimate.
I would imagine that there are many pipers who can’t afford the NPU dues (such as myself this year) but there are also probably some NPU supporters who can afford and do support the organization even if they aren’t pipers. Seems like it would be an inaccurate source to use, even for an estimate.
You could get some insight (not firm numbers, mind you) by investigating how many active pipe makers there are, how many sets they make in a year, and also how many dealers in used pipes there are, and what kind of turnover they have.
By establishing the size of the pipe market, you could get some idea of the number of pipers by making assumptions regarding how many sets transfer outside of the market (i.e., from father to son), the ages of pipers when they start piping, how long pipers live, how many no longer pipe but still own pipes, and so forth.
You’d end up with a range. The accuracy of the range would depend on the accuracy of the assumptions and the quality of the research. It’s not perfect, but it would give you an idea.
Another idea for investigation would be to survey teachers of pipes and find out how many students they have.
Piper/mathematician John Walsh made an amusing calculation some years ago factoring in land-to-surface ratios and such to get rough estimate. Must find that! I think he came up with a number around 3k.
t
Hi Rory
It would be a nice job of calculation, and using NPU membership would likely seriously underestimate the number of active or inactive pipers.
In my opinion, the number of uilleann pipers is only going to increase, as the instrument is increasingly coming into the radar of the GHB fraternity.
David
not as long as there’s a 7-10 year waiting list.
GHB pipers are used to instant gear gratification.
worldwide,
I guess 5 per million. Is there a prize?
I almost hesitate to ask, but what does constitute a piper?
Someone who owns a set, and…well.. plays them?
cause in the GHB world, I know when a feller ISN’T a piper…
Is 5 ppm an acceptable level of contamination? 
I don’t play them worldwide, only in Idaho.
'Course we’d have to come to a working definition of “play”. 
Doc
Well, but the closet pipes are a completely different instrument. I don’t really think we should lump the two together. 
KAD
When I became a member of NPU membership hadn’t reached 400 yet. The mile and a half stretch of the road up to my house has maybe 15 houses. There are five pipers on that stretch. Tommy Reck told me how someone asked Seámus Ennis if he knew a piper called Tommy Reck. ‘No’ replied Ennis ‘but I know a Tommy Reck who owns a set of pipes’. I haven’t taken the pipes out of the house once in the past four years, does that make me a closet piper? And does it matter if it does?
Does it mean anything at all? Don’t ask me.
personally Ive always favoured the time-honoured guild distinction of, "mastercraftspiper, journeypiper, aprentice-learner. "
(or if we want to be surly, “superior, mediocre, and brutal” pipers.)
either way, anything but that “grade 5 thru open” bs.
SO…whats the prize. A staple or something?
If you want to know the facts you just got to ask the right people,so I phoned The lovely Ladies at NPU and they reckon that worldwide there are 6000 people who play the Uilleann pipes.
RORY
Thanks, that’s good to know. Did you ask them how they came upon this number?
Yes I did,but they made me swear an oath of silence.
RORY
Khan is right. A number without knowing the methodology behind it (or even if there’s a methodology behind it) is no better than a guess.
OK so you’ve twisted my arm.Apparently they went through the worldwide census list and crossed off all the people who do not play the pipes,in the end they were left with 6000.
RORY
Yes, that sounds like something surly pipers would do. 
About 15 years ago the figure was estimated at about 3000 this included NPU members and the same number again to account for those who where not members which was a reasonable guestimate.The figure of 6000 today does seem a tad high unless ye count the number of sets in circulation,it still seems a lot.. (even given the amount of sets Davy has )
I also had a figure frae somewhere that the ratio of all pipes to Uilleann Pipes was 50 to 1.I hope this helps Rory with his dissertation.NPU got the figure o 6000 frae the cost of a new set which they where hoping to flog him and he misheard.
Uilliam