Where do bagpipes come from?

These days, I imagine that all musical instruments are made in one Chinese factory the size of Texas, so I was delighted to get an email from Waqas Yaqoob, sales manager of M. Basharat Dolit Maker. The company is based in Sialkot, Pakistan: "We Proudly inform you that M. Basharat Dolik Maker is family owned business, our family is in manufacturing business since last 50 years since our forefathers. Established by late Mr. Mohammed Hussain, who received the woodcraft of making music instruments from his father M M Khuon. Mohammed Hussain had devoted his life in the field of making music instruments and delivered his manufacturing craft to his son, M. Basharat, who is owner of M. Basharat Dolik Maker. We are manufacturers of fine quality Scottish highland bagpipes, smallpipes, harps, pipe chanters, reeds, congas, bongos, Scottish kilts, sporrans and other music instruments." Sialkot was a British army base from 1849 to independence, so perhaps that's where the sporran connection comes from.


Comments:
Apart from the irish one, there are several kind of bagpipes in Spain too: the galician bagpipe (gaita galega) is the most popular. Galicia is the northwest of Spain, and there are several luthiers who make this instrument and musicians who play it. Just search "gaita", the spanish term, instead of "bagpipe", and you will find lots of information about it. An example of luthier (with a good and english version website) is Seivane
Greetings from Galicia.
 
He mentions celtic harps as one of his products. I don't know about the bagpipes, but the Pakistani harps are somewhat notorious. Far less expensive than any made elsewhere, but very little quality control... completely hit or miss whether they'll be usable. Mine's not bad, but I got it used, and tested it quite a bit before buying.
 
That Pakistani-made pipes are inexpensive garbage is about the only thing that internet-based bagpipe discussion groups can agree on I think.
 
When I was shopping for my bagpipe, The first thing that ruled out a set was "made in Pakistan" No one I know would even consider a set.
 
There is am internet-based bagpipe discussion group? My lord, what a wretched sounding instrument that needs to go the way of the dodo bird. Some lunatic in my neighborhood wanders around the alleys in the summer practicing his bagpipes and it makes me want to scream. Only people who own bagpipes think they sound good.
 
I like how "Scottish kilts" have become an instrument... Apart from this, I can only echo what's already been said about Pakistani instruments and quality. But on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if there were actually a few skilled makers down there.

@edward: Actually, there's not just one. There are several. At least one per type of pipe, from what I've been able to gather...
 
I think it's that manufacturing technology everywhere has improved enough that the instruments coming off assembly lines now can be a lot less crappy than they were 5-10 years ago. Assembly line guitars, mandolins, etc. are a lot better than they used to be. Bagpipes, flutes, etc. have a ways to go yet I think.
 
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