The joys and dangers of Ebay pipes

**OC Richard** · 14th November 25, 06:42 AM

Wow a Lawrie set in great condition for around $300 Buy It Now.

I've owned sets like this, they've sounded great and been very stable.

If I didn't already have a great vintage Lawrie I'd jump on this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23645837760...ndition=4%7C10

**OC Richard** · 14th December 25, 04:10 AM

Old nickel & ivory pipes here in the USA so no border-crossing or tariff worries.

Currently under $500 but they'll go much higher. They already have a lot of bids.

Of course the ever-present worry is that they'll be an old set of so-called "three-quarter" pipes, which in actuality are around 7/8 size, and practically impossible to distinguish from fullsize pipes from photos alone.

I asked the seller to measure the length of the Bass drone top section.

I've measured dozens of vintage and new fullsize pipes and the Bass tops have ranged between 11.5 inches and 11 7/8 inches, and usually around halfway between those extremes. Most common is around 11 11/16 inches.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306655317675

**OC Richard** · 29th December 25, 07:53 AM

Highland pipes, look legit, opening bid $450, no bids.

All three drone stocks match each other but don't match the rest of the set.

The seller seems knowledgeable, knows where to look for stamps, but there aren't any.

The fountains look slightly Lawrie-ish to me, but who knows.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22715064562...ndition=4%7C10

**OC Richard** · 3rd February 26, 04:03 AM

What look to be (original) RG Hardie pipes, looks like real ivory, here in the USA $500 buy it now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/40666342545...ndition=4%7C10

EDIT: they were gone almost instantaneously.

**OC Richard** · 10th February 26, 05:24 PM

Here's what appears to be a nice Scottish-made pipe $400 opening bid.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/39759276962...ndition=4%7C10

Like many sellers who don't know about bagpipes they've managed to take a half-dozen photos of the drones all from EXACTLY the same angle!

I messaged the seller saying it would be very helpful to buyers to have at least one photo from another angle (I sent a photo showing the ends of the drones to make my meaning clear).

And as usual I sent a photo showing where to find the maker's stamp. The sellers never know.

**EagleJCS** · 10th February 26, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

And as usual I sent a photo showing where to find the maker's stamp. The sellers never know.

Provided there's a maker's stamp to find. My pipes don't have one. They were made by Peter Crisler, who retired from pipe-making a few years back. All I have is my sales receipt.

**OC Richard** · 11th February 26, 07:54 AM

Yes, and Lawrie as far as I know never stamped their pipes, nor Henderson in their early days, nor most of the vintage makers.

Possibly half the "early Henderson" pipes I see are Lawries.

And people often confuse Sinclair with Hugh MacPherson pipes.

UPDATE: In response the seller has put up photos showing the drone tops.

I'm pretty sure these are Hugh MacPherson pipes due to the beads around the drone openings.

Though there are pipes with these beads which are claimed to be Sinclair, I can't recall seeing a known Sinclair set of that period with them.

I've encountered a couple Hugh MacPherson sets which have had very unstable Bass drones. Why Sinclair pipes would have stable Bass drones and pipes made by the same turners for MacPherson unstable, who can say.

**DCampbell16B** · 11th February 26, 03:29 PM

My Hugh MacPherson pipes c1963-64 have that bead. I believe that the number if comb lines was different. My pipes have a small groove inside the cord groove as well. I don't know if that is in Sinclair pipes, so that could differentiate.

**OC Richard** · 18th February 26, 07:10 AM

Those Hugh MacPherson pipes went for over $900.

I'm guessing that at least some of the people bidding reckoned they were Sinclair pipes.

**OC Richard** · 10th March 26, 01:13 AM

And now for something completely different, a half-set of Uilleann pipes.

Said to be made by Martin Gallen ("Banba") a well-known Irish maker.

Both the opening bid price and the seller's Feedback are really low.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/40674846235...ndition=4%7C10

Given the maker and the seller this auction could go anywhere. I just looked on Martin Gallen's site and his half-sets are priced at £1,800 ($2,400) which seems very low to me.

BTW for those not aware, the "practice set < half set < three-quarter set < full set" nomenclature with uilleann pipes is completely different to what those terms mean with Highland pipes.

An uilleann "practice set" is nothing like a Highland "practice chanter", in fact AFAIK Highland pipes are the only species of bagpipe which has a practice chanter, that is, an entirely different and separate instrument to learn upon, much like a practice pad for a snare drummer.

Rather an uilleann "practice set" is an actual ordinary uilleann set with bag and bellows, but without the "main stock". It's like a Highland piper removing the drones and putting corks in the drone stocks, but retaining the set's ordinary Pipe Chanter, and learning to play the pipes on that.

An uilleann "half set" is an ordinary fullsize uilleann pipe, with bag, bellows, ordinary chanter, and Main Stock with three drones, but having the holes in the Main Stock for the regulators corked off.

An uilleann "three-quarter set" is an ordinary fullsize uilleann pipe complete with Tenor and Baritone Regulators in the Main Stock, but missing the Bass Regulator.

When the Bass Regulator is also present (screwed onto the side of the Main Stock, and a hole drilled in the Main Stock for air to pass through) makes the set a complete ordinary "full set" of uilleann pipes.

I think nowadays many Highland pipers are aware of these things, but I still run into Highland pipers who want to buy an uilleann "practice chanter".