Pakistan built bagpipes... are they really *that* bad??? Really?????
Jerry Bransford
Hello all,
I've had quite a few very helpful email replies to my beginner level
questions but one question is still nagging me. A few of them were very
adamant about NOT buying any Scottish Highland-type bagpipe made in
Pakistan. As a musician who still play the high-end brands
(Selmer/LeBlanc/Conn) of woodwinds, I can understand that feeling.
BUT, I'm just getting into playing bagpipes and seeing non-Pakistani
pipes that seldom start for less than $1000 U.S. has me thinking I can
only afford a $625 Pakistan-built bagpipe. Wouldn't that be serviceable
for me, a student piper? Several websites say that some of the high-end
Pakistani bagpipes can actually be quite good quality and give a very
decent sound. The one I'm currently looking at is around $625 and is
quoted as "full size ebony best quality". Other Pakistan-built models
start at less than $200 so it seems like the $625 model could possibly
be better than what some here may have seen or heard.
I hope this next question will be taken properly, I mean it in the best
possible way.... but isn't it possible that some e-mails saying don't
buy a bagpipe from Pakistan at any price could be either a bit of
snobbishness or, and I assume this is the case, just not being familiar
with some of the better quality Pakistan bagpipes? In otherwords, if I
get to the point where I can join a marching bagpipe band (my goal),
will everyone sneer at my Pakistan bagpipe and it's sound, even though I
bought the best quality Pakistan bagpipes I could find?
Thanks everyone for your help so far, I really appreciate the great
emails I'm getting with really great help and suggestions!!!
Regards,
Jerry
--
NOTE: To reply, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address.
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL, C.A.P., KC6TAY
The Zen hotdog... make me one with everything!
Bill Carr
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Hello Jerry
I won't go into the ins and outs of Pakistani GHBs. You will no doubt
get lots of replies about them from others. I do implore you however not
to buy a set for $625.
Have a look at the photo attached. It is a set made in Scotland by P/M
David MacMurchie (ex Royal Dragoon Gaurds) and sells for $US725. Thats
African Blackwood, fully mounted in imit ivory, hide bag, Warnock
chanter.
Bill Carr
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greg cook
In article <336043...@cts.comnospam>,
Jerry Bransford <jer...@cts.comnospam> wrote:
>
>BUT, I'm just getting into playing bagpipes and seeing non-Pakistani
>pipes that seldom start for less than $1000 U.S. has me thinking I can
>only afford a $625 Pakistan-built bagpipe. Wouldn't that be serviceable
>for me, a student piper? Several websites say that some of the high-end
Try giving Charley Ford a call at (714) 738-3424 or write to him at
PO Box 2013
Fullerton, CA 92633
I bought my Hardies #3 from him a year ago for around $700.00-$800.00 and am
very happy with them. He doesn't have a slick catalog and he doesn't
sell everything, but he has the best prices I've found.
Greg Cook
gac...@netcom.com
Jerry Bransford
Thanks, Greg, Fullerton isn't that far from where I live in the San
Diego area! I'll call Charlie and see how it goes from there. Thanks
for your suggestion!
Todd
I can also vouch for the Ford Company. Charlie Ford is a straight
businessman who has the fairest prices for serious piping supplies.
Cheers
Todd Muscat
greg cook wrote:
>
> In article <336043...@cts.comnospam>,
> Jerry Bransford <jer...@cts.comnospam> wrote:
> >
> >BUT, I'm just getting into playing bagpipes and seeing non-Pakistani
> >pipes that seldom start for less than $1000 U.S. has me thinking I can
> >only afford a $625 Pakistan-built bagpipe. Wouldn't that be serviceable
> >for me, a student piper? Several websites say that some of the high-end
>
> Try giving Charley Ford a call at (714) 738-3424 or write to him at
> PO Box 2013
> Fullerton, CA 92633
>
> I bought my Hardies #3 from him a year ago for around $700.00-$800.00 and am
> very happy with them. He doesn't have a slick catalog and he doesn't
> sell everything, but he has the best prices I've found.
>
> Greg Cook
> gac...@netcom.com
David Williams
> Have a look at the photo attached. It is a set made in Scotland by P/M
> David MacMurchie (ex Royal Dragoon Gaurds) and sells for $US725. Thats
> African Blackwood, fully mounted in imit ivory, hide bag, Warnock
> chanter.
[image snipped]
I'm thinking of buying a set by this same maker. I'm interested in
knowing if anyone else has had any experience with them.
John and Lori Gaudet
Jerry Bransford wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> I've had quite a few very helpful email replies to my beginner level
> questions but one question is still nagging me. A few of them were very
> adamant about NOT buying any Scottish Highland-type bagpipe made in
> Pakistan. As a musician who still play the high-end brands
> (Selmer/LeBlanc/Conn) of woodwinds, I can understand that feeling.
>
> pipes that seldom start for less than $1000 U.S. has me thinking I can
> only afford a $625 Pakistan-built bagpipe. Wouldn't that be serviceable
> for me, a student piper? Several websites say that some of the high-end
> decent sound. The one I'm currently looking at is around $625 and is
> quoted as "full size ebony best quality". Other Pakistan-built models
> start at less than $200 so it seems like the $625 model could possibly
> be better than what some here may have seen or heard.
>
> I hope this next question will be taken properly, I mean it in the best
> possible way.... but isn't it possible that some e-mails saying don't
> buy a bagpipe from Pakistan at any price could be either a bit of
> snobbishness or, and I assume this is the case, just not being familiar
> with some of the better quality Pakistan bagpipes? In otherwords, if I
> get to the point where I can join a marching bagpipe band (my goal),
> will everyone sneer at my Pakistan bagpipe and it's sound, even though I
> bought the best quality Pakistan bagpipes I could find?
>
> Thanks everyone for your help so far, I really appreciate the great
> emails I'm getting with really great help and suggestions!!!
>
> Jerry
> --
> NOTE: To reply, remove the "NOSPAM" from my email address.
> Jerry Bransford
> PP-ASEL, C.A.P., KC6TAY
> The Zen hotdog... make me one with everything!
Jerry,
In one word............YES!!!!
Lori Wilson-Gaudet
Suzanne
Pakistani pipes take a lot of work, believe me...
I spent over a month trying to get mine to play at all! In the end I had
to retie all the stocks into the bag using artificial sinew, rebore the
drones and stocks, cut almost an inch and a half off the blowpipe,
re-engineer the one way flapper valve and had to attach a shirt length
of vacuum cleaner hose to the chanter stock!
In fact, I'm presently working on a web page to help those unfortunate
ones, like myself, who have the misfortune of having paki' 'pipes! I
know I don't have a thousand dollars laying around and you can get a set
pf pakis working for under $20. But if you have the choice, buy a
SCOTTISH SET! Just save up for a few more months and you should be able
to afford a ggod set of nice, scottish 'pipes.
C. Nemrac
E-mail: Nemr...@aol.com
------>I'm currently using a friends computer!
------------>My site on how to fix Paki Pipes is at
http://members.aol.com/Nemrac47/pipes.htm
Currently the site only has its main page up, but all the links will be
functional by the end of the week! It will take a bit longer for me to
put the graphics in though!
Ken Gordon
> decent sound. The one I'm currently looking at is around $625 and is
> quoted as "full size ebony best quality".
This sounds interesting, but, what, EXACTLY, do they mean by "Ebony"? We
know of some advertised as such which were, in fact, black-painted wood
other than ebony.
> buy a bagpipe from Pakistan at any price could be either a bit of
> snobbishness or,
No. In our case, it is because of very many bad experiences with Paki
pipes. The bad experiences are almost universal for anyone who has had to
deal with them.
> and I assume this is the case, just not being familiar
> with some of the better quality Pakistan bagpipes?
Although we can't help thinking that there MUST be Paki pipes which are at
least useable, we (in general) have not yet found them. We, in general,
believe that the words, "...better quailty Pakistani bagpipes..." is an
oxymoron. We have heard here that the Pakistani bands buy Scottish made
pipes.
> In otherwords, if I
> get to the point where I can join a marching bagpipe band (my goal),
> will everyone sneer at my Pakistan bagpipe and it's sound, even though I
> bought the best quality Pakistan bagpipes I could find?
More than likely NOT, IF (and this is a mighty BIG if) they sound
decently, aren't impossible to tune with the band, and aren't a
maintainance nightmare. Those I have had to deal with, even when nice
looking, posed very many problems, from very poor bags, to very poorly
made bores, to the wrong size bore (especially the Bass drone), to poorly
cut and bored chanter, to crummy reeds, to improper tie-ing in, to
cracking after a short period of use. Etc.
If this company you're contemplating buying these from would let you
have them ON APPROVAL for a minimum of 2 weeks, exclusive of shipping
time, you should probably consider them. But you should have a pipe
maintainance expert to help you when you receive them to put them in as
good working order as is possible.
Then, IF he pronounces them acceptable (or hopefully better), you should
notify this list concerning your good fortune and where we too could find
the same kind of a good deal.
Personally, I am not holding my breath.
Sorry this has gotten too long.
Jerry Bransford
Thanks Ken, you added a lot to my understanding to the problems of Paki
bagpipes. I'm now settled on going with an entry-level Scottish bagpipe
from perhaps Shepherd & Son or a couple others in the same price range.
Thanks for the help!
Torquil Corkerton
I don't have a set of David's pipes, but He has fixed up my Hendersons
before and I'm a user and great fan of his composite drone reeds
(similar to Henderson). In fact, he is a bit of a fan of all things
Henderson himself and his own set are Hendersons too.
I'm absolutely no authority (my equivalent of a flame-proof kilt), but I
highly reccomend David MacMurchie.
If anyone else is interested, he lives in Kirknewton, just outside
Edinburgh, and his telephone number is 01506 883939 (+44 1506 outside
UK)
____
./orquil.
Blown Out
I can email color photos of David MacMurchies GHBs, Mouth Blown Small
Pipes and other products. He also does re-bores to 1930s Henderson
dimensions.
Bill Carr