can someone tell me about these bagpipes

[Minnow]

Here's a link:

http://www.thomsonbagpipes.com/itemp...asp?ItemID=582

They're tempting because they're significantly less expensive than other pipes, also I know piper's choice makes alot of good piping products. Airstream mouthpieces, the little mac valve, those kitchen pipes that everyone likes so much (I own a set and they're really cool).

However, it bother's me that I can't seem to find anyone who owns a set. Can anyone who may own a set of these or has at least played them give me some info about these pipes?

[beloitpiper]

I've never heard of them, but they don't look terrible.

[MacHummel]

I deal with pipers choice and some piping supplies I have to say if your going for a realy good set of pipes and low cost try the Dunbar P1 . I have a set of P1 anda set of HArdy's and I love plying the P1's thye don't have to be tuned som much and they seem to play the same in ever condition. is this your first set.

[beloitpiper]

P1's are very good. A number of new pipers (and a few seasoned ones who don't want to give them up!) play them in my band, and they sound alright.

[MacHummel]

They have a bit of a low tone to them

[Andrew Cameron Goodman]

Never heard of them.. Dunbars are very steady pipes set up quite a few for students

[Mr. Woolery]

I'm going to be the voice on the hill shaking the fist at modern sensibilities and telling you that you should not jump to get a set of Dunbar poly pipes.

Don't get me wrong, here. If you really want a set of plastic pipes, go ahead and get Dunbars. They look better than the Pipers Choice brand (and I would not buy anything that spendy with such a small photo, anyway) and they are a known and proven product.

HOWEVER, they are not as cheap as everyone seems to think they are. Best price I know of right now is $775. That's new, leather bag, cane reeds. Why are these details important? Well, if you want a leather bag (I prefer it myself), fine. If you want a synthetic bag (many pipers like this better as there is less bother with seasoning and maintaining a synthetic bag), you have to buy that.

I can tell you now that you don't want to start with cane reeds. You really don't. Yes, they sound better. Yes, I have played cane reeds. Yes, they are cheap. No, you can't be sure of being able to even make them play if there's a change in humidity. No, you can't go two days without playing your pipes if you want to be able to strike in your drones when you pick the pipes back up. No, the sound isn't worth the bother if you are just starting on the big pipes. It just isn't. So, now you are adding in the cost of a set of synthetic drone reeds. That's anywhere from $75 to $150.

So, best case scenario, you get Dunbar P1s and a set of Ezee Drone reeds. $850. That's American money. For plastic bagpipes.

What else can you get for that kind of cash in the piping world? Well, the McCallum AB0 set at www.jhiggins.net is $895 with MG synthetic reeds (very nice when you have them set for your pipes, these are the reeds I play). Still a no-frills design, but there's shiny nickel on them and they are made of real blackwood. If you are the sort who likes a wool kilt, you'd probably end up preferring the blackwood for your pipes. My opinion. Or, if that's steep for you, try www.thescottishpiper.net for the Wallace Student bagpipes, plain-turned in blackwood, nickel ferules, sythetic ivory caps, Ezee Drone reeds, for $750. With free shipping in the US. Wallace is a Scottish made pipe, if it matters to you. Cheaper than the Dunbars, even if you don't add in the new drone reeds (and trust me, you will end up with synthetic reeds for a while at least).

So, I am not going to say don't buy the Dunbars. I am going to say don't assume you have to buy the Dunbars because they are so much "cheaper" than other decent pipes. They are equal in cost to the lower-price range of wood pipes. And wood will improve with time, where plastic won't. And wood will look like wood, while the plastic won't.

I play McCallum pipes (the AB4 bling-pipes) and I love them. While there may be better pipes out there (MacLellan, for instance), it is not likely that you will find any pipes that offer a better value for price.

-Patrick

[JimB]

Patrick,
I went to the Higgins site and checked out the McCallum pipes. They (the A4's) are gorgeous! These are pipes that I can be happy with for a lifetime and even though they are several hundred dollars more, when I think of spreading that out over 20-30 years of use they are worth it.
Thanks!!
(Jim is now jonesing and saving!) (and practicing)

[Mr. Woolery]

Jim-

There have been days when my mediocre piping makes me think I should have chosen a less ostentatious instrument on which to demonstrate my skills, but I don't intend to replace these pipes. I reckon if my teacher has been playing her pipes since about 1970, I can play my pipes until I retire, at least! I got the AB4 with zoomorphic engraving and my wife bought me a buckle for my kilt belt with a zoomorphic critter on it, so my belt matches my pipes. Kind of fun, really. Most people seem to end up with the celtic knot engraving, which is also really nice.

Bagpipes don't have a cheap entry-level version that plays well the way violins, flutes, clarinets, and guitars do. Any of these can be had in very good quality for under $350. At the same time, bagpipes don't routinely go nearly as high in price as those other instruments. I have a friend who plays a $13,000 violin and another with a $15,000 flute. You'll see professional pipers playing the same pipes they started with and they sound wonderful. Not because they got lucky early on, but because they learned to get the best from the instrument. Any reputable maker will generally be the same internally whether it is the "student" model or the tricked-out bling pipes. Internal dimensions are what makes the difference in sound. All the rest is just window dressing. But I like window dressing!

Enjoy your pipes when you get them!

-Patrick

[Macman]

Patrick,
I went to the Higgins site and checked out the McCallum pipes. They (the A4's) are gorgeous! These are pipes that I can be happy with for a lifetime and even though they are several hundred dollars more, when I think of spreading that out over 20-30 years of use they are worth it.
Thanks!!
(Jim is now jonesing and saving!) (and practicing)

That's what I thought, too, so I bought them. I figured they were great value, and would be my first and last set of pipes.