new piper - used uillean pipe advice

[gouzou]

hi all
I'm an italian guitarist from Genova, and for a long time I've been attracted by bagpipes world
I've hesitated a long time on buying such an instrument due to prices for non-pakistani stuff, and also to my total lack of training on wind instruments

Recently I found an used half-set UP, sold reasonably close to home at a reasonable price ( 300€ ) and from a semi pro-musician
still, before giving up to sheer excitement and buying an instrument that's not really cheap for my wallet, i wanted some advice from experienced pipers. here is a pic of the instrument - sorry it's a little blurry :


- does anyone know this instrument ?
- do you think 300€ is a reasonable price?
- are there any checks to perform in order to ensure that the pipe, the bag or the reeds are "healthy" ?
- if I understand correctly, someday I'll need reed replacements : are these generic/ easy to find ?
or will I have to identify the pipes maker and buy specific / expensive reeds with both variable delivery time and unknown future availability ?

thanks in advance for your help

[Galdrim]

First of all: Welcome to the forum!

If I were you I would be very careful. I personally think they are probably cheap pakistani pipes --> look at the drone switch, it's huuuuge (most pakistani pipes have gigantic drone switches). I would keep the money and invest it in a practice set of a known maker.

There are lots of good sets for sale on uilleannobsession.com pipers.ie and on this forum!

If you buy cheap you only pay more because you have to buy a new set.

I anyone knows better, please correct me.

Galdrim

[PJ]

Gouzou,

The instrument in the photograph is definitely made in Pakistan. Don't waste your money.

Here is a link to NPU's website which gives good advice on purchasing uilleann pipes:

http://www.pipers.ie/home/Resources_Buy ... %20Set.htm

Also, here are links to websites where you can see some instruments which are for sale:

http://www.pipers.ie/classifieds.asp
http://www.uilleannobsession.com/classifieds.html

[svick]

They are also for a lefthand player.

[Elmek]

300 Euros is expensive for firewood - definately pakistani in origin

Check pm's

John

[WannabePiper]

Definitely Pakistani, but I still think that the drone switch isn't huge on these, but installed backwards, which would also make it look like a left handed set.

[Elmek]

drone switch isn't huge on these, but installed backwards, which would also make it look like a left handed set.

What ?

Drone switch is always wrong on these but the idicator that it is a lefty is the bag (unless photos reversed)

St Chartier festival next month in France if you can get to it will have a number of makers and you can try before you buy or go to the NPU makers list

Be careful on Ebay unless it is from a known maker e.g currently a Mike Hulme (UK) practice set up at a very reasonable price

John

[WannabePiper]

You're right. The bag is lefty. However, if you look closely at this and similar sets, it looks like the switch is mounted so that the back of the switch is pinned to the plunger post in the middle of the mainstock and the middle of the switch is pinned to the hinge post., which should be at the rear of the stock, but is at the "front" of these, causing the drones to be mounted lefty. Note that the drones are on the top side of the stock where the regs should go.

[PJ]

These sets are not designed to take regulators. The mainstock only has 3 holes drilled - for the three drones. No space to add regulators later.

[Mr.Gumby]

No space to add regulators later.

I fairness though, would anyone fooled by it the first time into buying it, want to keep it to add regulators and be fooled twice?

[PJ]

Fair point.

[gouzou]

hi all
thx for your help, I was really that close to getting fooled and buying this "nice firewood" for 300€
now either I'll take some time and save some money to get a "real" instrument or I'll buy these for a reasonable, firewood-compliant and significantly cheaper price

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

hi all
thx for your help, I was really that close to getting fooled and buying this "nice firewood" for 300€
now either I'll take some time and save some money to get a "real" instrument or I'll buy these for a reasonable, firewood-compliant and significantly cheaper price

I wouldn't bother with them at any price.. Get a practice set of good quality and learn to play it well before being "suckered" into drones and regs (at least that's how i lost the spark and quit playing pipes altogether.. Too much trouble and too much to control at a way too early stage.)

[Pat Cannady]

You've been warned, and it's your money to spend as you please. But as someone who's had to tell several aspiring student pipers that the "bargain" pipes they bought would not work, and that no one would be able to make them work without costly surgery that negates the "bargain" with no guarantee of success, I urge you to think very very carefully if you are at all serious about learning the pipes.
300 Euros is a lot of money for a few pounds of firewood and scrap metal.

[hpinson]

If you buy these, you WILL get frustrated, and will GIVE UP the pipes as too difficult (because you can't get them to work). Why do you think they are being sold at such a "great" price?

In the US we have several makers who sell excellent practice sets for a reasonable price. Can anyone give Gouzou a specific reference to a European maker who builds a quality starter set and does not have a huge waiting list?