Quote Originally Posted by cessna152towser View Post
Sounds like very good value.
I must respectfully disagree cessna152towser. He has gotten precisely one note from them at the time of writing the overview of those pipes. It was a drone sound, and based on his own professed lack of knowledge of pipes I would be hesitant to accept his description of the sound as being "full and beautiful" (paraphrasing). Erisianmonkey, I hate to say it, but do you have enough experience with and knowledge of bagpipes that you can legitimately make that call?

Good value for money to me means that the instrument should be ready to go and not require fettling beyond the usual set-up, minor adjustments of reed and tuning of drones. It should most assuredly not require major surgery on the chanter (as has been needed in my prior experience with inexpensive [in that specific case Pakistani] bagpipes) to render it able to be played with other pipers.

I would contend that good value for money is also based upon having something you will want to pass onto your children and grandchildren. It is an instrument that will stand the test of time like the Hendersons, Hardies and Lawries that were made in the 19th Century and are still being played today. Those instruments are still valued for their superior tone and beauty and are copied regularly by modern makers. That, my friends, is value for money.

As to Erisianmonkey's statement that "If these pipes are 'crap' then good pipes have got to be incredible", I would again raise a point of contention. What basis for judgement is being given? Essentially none. When a more experienced piper has tried the instrument and given them a thumbs up, then I would agree to the basic point. One puff on the drones does not make an instrument incredible. It doesn't even make it good-or anything else really. It simply means you got a sound.

And ya know what? I'll admit to being a "pipe snob". What's the problem with that?

By the way, get a teacher Erisianmonkey. Don't go the self-instruction route. Some self-taught pipers are very good, but they are a very rare exception indeed, and not the rule. Learning from the College of Piping books is good, but, lacking the critical ear of a real live instructor, you may not get all the subtleties of many of the more advanced gracings. Additionally, the COP books don't adequately address the timing of gracings within the time signature.

YMMV

I will apologise up front to anyone offended by this. If you disagree with me, I can accept that, but I'll not back away from anything I've said in this thread. As I said, I happily claim the title of "pipe snob". I take the instrument seriously and as a result have been rewarded many times over. The immeasurable pleasure given me my my pipes is something I'd love everyone to share. Good luck to you Erisianmonkey in your piping journey. If you'd like advice as you move along, I'll be glad to help out.