The joys and dangers of Ebay pipes

[Toxpert]

I asked the seller to look at the color of the bores. He sent back a message that the color of the bores matched the out color.
Now this gets interesting…

[Toxpert]

The bead count for the eBay pipes lower drone pieces is 7 for bass, 4 for tenor. Up to 2000, Hardies had 8 and 5, respectively. New/contemporary Hardies have 8 and 4 respectively.

[OC Richard]

The color of the bores matched the outer color.

Many years ago I happened to get my hands on the catalogue from a Sialkot maker.

It made for fascinating reading, and I learned much.

The maker offered, for example, a variety of woods and mounts.

Yes they sold the Sheesham wood pipes with aluminium mounts! The catalogue titled these "Cheap Quality"

But they also made higher-quality pipes. You could get pipes in Ebony and pipes in African Blackwood.

You could get real ivory mounts. You could get Sterling Silver mounts.

The trouble is that 99% of the Sialkot pipes we see are the very cheapest ones they make.

A few years ago I examined and played one of the highest-quality sets from a Sialkot maker. It had real ivory and hand-engraved Sterling Silver mounts, and the engraving was pretty good.

The wood was curious, some sections being Ebony and some African Blackwood. Most curious was the Bass midsection, which was made from two bits of wood, one Ebony and one ABW, glued together

They didn't sound all that bad! I would put them in the neighbourhood of the worst-sounding Scottish-made pipes I've tried, by that old guy in Edinburgh whose name I can't recall at the moment.

But I certainly wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

[Toxpert]

All of this is true…
I spent a few minutes using “Sialkot engraved silver bagpipes” to do a Google search for images. It did not take long to find black coloured pipes that match (not including mouthpiece) this eBay set being discussed. Same style of beading/combing, spacing…same chrome-plated‘engraving’ pattern. Retail new prices around 2-300 S USD.

The eBay auction looks to be another example of an inexperienced aspiring piper or, worse, a kind benefactor gifting what they think is the real deal at a bargain price. Regardless, this looks like another infection of bidding fever.

[stickman]

Aw come on guys Pakistani pipes have their use. They burn really good, the black paint helps them burn.

[Toxpert]

1 day to go and the high bidder has fled and retracted their bid.

[Toxpert]

The set sold for just over $600.
Here’s another listing for the same set of pipes (new). Listed as “African Black Wood” …not African Blackwood. The color of the wood does appear black. This seller defines Pakistan as country of origin. Seller description includes
“Each of Highland full sets we offer well Tune and have meticulously polished bores.
They Utilize sea send secure flapper valve authentic hide bag and consistent lathing techniques for air solid pipe and reed fittings.”

Here’s the eBay # 265918674816

[OC Richard]

The set sold for just over $600.

Wow. Pride of Ownership!

They might end up being cherished and played by somebody like the Pakistani pipes owned by a young local guy.

He came for a lesson. He was doing incorrect fingerings. When I showed him the correct fingerings he said "that's not how Mr. So-and-so said to do it".

Turns out that Mr. So-and-so was a Tuba player who taught himself how to play pipes after a fashion, and passed his "knowledge" on to others.

That kid only came for one lesson, because he was convinced that he knew everything already, and didn't want anybody to disillusion him.

He had a Pakistani set he had bought for a few dollars. He was convinced that he had come upon a great bargain, and didn't want anybody to disillusion him.

A friend who knew about this kid told me "he thinks he's found a Diamond In The Rough. It's just rough."

A year or so later this kid was out at a local Highland Games to play pipes for his drummer friend's competition. Oi oi what that poor drumming judge had to listen to! It was horrendous and bizarre.