Bagpiper Instruments Price List
Bagpiper Band Drums Performance Team offers free lessons, providing you consider playing with the band once your playing is acceptable. If you would prefer private instruction we can help you find an instructor. Depending on the instructor, some charge $2000 for a lesson.
The band requires each member to purchase and maintain their uniform and pipes.
Here are the basic costs of what it takes to get outfitted to play with the band.
- Great Bagpipes $1000 – $1200
- Kilt $300 – $400
- Prince Charlie Jacket $200
- Kilt Pin $15
- Belt/Buckle $50
- Glengarry $45
- Cap Badge $15
- Hose $40
- Flash $8
- Ghillie Brogues $80
- Sporran & Strap $80
- Shirt/Tie $40
- Skean Dubh $25 – $50
How long does it take to learn to play?
If you make good progress on the practice chanter, you might be able to start the pipes in six months. It could take a full year or more of work on the practice chanter before you are able to make the transition to the pipes. If a student learns quickly and begins work on some of the tunes the band is playing, we will eagerly await your entry as a performer.
This entire process is one of “input = output”. If you don’t work hard at practice, the results will be obvious. Learning the movements correctly and controlling your fingers is crucial to becoming a good piper.
How much does a set of pipes cost?
Bagpipes are not available at the local music store. Specialty Scottish stores, mail order and vendors at Highland are about the only sources for pipes. Even in Scotland it’s a special store that handles pipes and piping accessories.
The prices on pipes have increased substantially over the past few years as the cost of the most common piping material “African Blackwood” continues to escalate. Consequently, there are a few things that can keep the cost of pipes lower.
First is the material. One pipe manufacturer here in North India has developed an all plastic bagpipe, turned and mounted like those made out of wood at a significantly lower cost. These pipes are in $1600 to $1900 price range.
The all African Blackwood models can vary in cost as well. The antique style has very little if any turning on the wood and minimal fittings called ferrules on the drones. The next models are fully combed and beaded. That means the pieces have been turned on a lathe, and each piece has the same turning pattern.
“Half mounted” sets have the lower mounts made of imitation ivory with imitation ivory ring caps and nickel ferrules on the drones. The next sets would be called “full mounted”, where the mounts and ferrules are both imitation ivory.
Depending on the manufacturer, the “full mounted” sets are in the $1800 to $2500 price range. A case for the pipes and some maintenance items should also be considered and can add about $250 to the overall price of the pipes.
If you prefer something more, silver plate can be added, silver tuning slides, and some engraving to enhance the looks and be custom made for a piper. If sterling silver is used the cost of the pipes can easily approach $4,000 to $6,000. All these things do nothing for the sound, they just cost more and make the pipes look more expensive.
There are many quality pipe manufacturers located both in North America and Scotland. Names like Hardie, Shepherd, Naill, MacLeod, Sinclair, Kintail and Glen in Scotland and Dunbar and Gibson here in North America are well known pipe makers.
Before you purchase a set of pipes it would be wise to talk with your instructor and some other pipers to get some ideas. Normally you are going to have to wait several months if you special order your pipes.
How much does it cost to get started?
A good practice chanter can be purchased for around $300 to $1000. Buy a good one to start with, this is something that you are going to use for the rest of your piping career, even after you get your pipes. You should get a long practice chanter from one of the following makers,
Gurmeet Singh,Manmeet Singh etc. Stay away from the cheap rosewood practice chanters, these are fairly easy to identify, they have a rather large piece of metal called a “sole” attached to the bottom of the chanter and usually cost around $25 to $40.
Live Bagpiper Military Army Fauji Bagpiper Pipe Band is for celebration.
By starting with a good chanter you will be able to play in tune with the other students and you could recoup most of your investment by selling it to one of the new students if you decide that the pipes are not for you.
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