Buying and selling bagpipes and supplies on and offline: hazards and benefits

To most readers of this Vancouver and Pacific Northwest bagpiping blog, the bagpiping forums at bobdunsire.com is a familiar online location to connect with the piping and drumming community worldwide. It’s here you can buy and sell pipes and supplies, listen in and participate in lively discussions about just about everything in the piping world, share photos, results and so on. The forums were set up by Bob Dunsire in 2001 and as the website says, this is the place for “Discussion forums for piping, drumming, pipe bands, dance, music, and more. Now over 1,000,000 visits a month, and still growing – come see why this is by far the most popular piping site on the ‘net.”

I had a bit of fun recently with my previous Bagpiper Vancouver post which I mentioned in the “Beer Tent” forum, attracting more than 1,000 visits to the posting, and generating some stimulating conversation that was eventually ended by a moderator after the discussion veered off into some strange direction. (By the way, the list of 10 bagpipes tunes that could inspire the English football team to victory in the world cup was more of a joke than a real list. I had Flower of Scotland as #2 for God’s sake).

On the weekend at the BC Highland Games in Coquitlam, I had a great chat with former Nova Scotian Ken MacKenzie who has taken over the site as administrator following the passing of Bob Dunsire in 2006. I was also glad to share the website location with a number of young pipers and drummers who were unfamiliar with the site.

Today I was reading a posting in the “Beer Tent” forum called “Say whaaaat?” Our good friends at TartanTown in Coquitlam were taking a bit of a drumming from some readers who feel their prices are too high. It’s a good conversation, and one worth reading. An excellent point was raised by a local forum member who credits Jack Lee with doing an excellent job of picking a Naill chanter for him and finding an excellent reed to match.  Try that online.

I am a fan of Tartan Town and have always enjoyed visiting the store. The Lee’s and their staff are friendly, and you know you are getting the absolute best advice from the leaders of the best pipe band in the world.

To listen in, or participate in this conversation, you can find the link to the forums at bobdunsire.com here.

If you’re not a member – then it’s time you register, and join the conversation.

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