Buying instruments in Ireland.

[jazzjune18]

Howdy. Heading to Ireland in a few months. Thinking of picking up a fiddle in Dublin while I’m there. How do the prices compare to US prices? The dollar is above the euro at the moment, but how are overall prices for comparison?

As a side note, and recommendations on musical side trips to take while I am there? Also, any store recommendations?

Thanks!

[mandroid]

Read of a mandolin builder who set up shop in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.

But they were not there 20 years ago, when I hung out for a couple weeks to enjoy the pub session
and make friends....

[8picker]

Hi there... Prices vary. Three are some excellent makers...I recommend Graham Wright in Newport co Mayo and Ian Knepper in Cork. There's also an excellent mandolin maker near Castlebar in mayo: Brian Lofthouse ...all these guys are pals. Let me know if you'd like to contact any of them

[Tim Griffin]

Check to see if there is a VAT. It’s pretty high for sending instruments to Ireland. I am not sure if there is one for taking them out.

[OneChordTrick]

Typically VAT will have to be paid but you can claim a refund when leaving the country - assuming that your destination is outside the EU.

[Ryk Loske]

I'll add another luthier that Lynne has had experience with: Michael Allen in County Tipperary. While visiting our friends the ullieann piper and pipe maker Sean Talty and his wife Jenny, Sean showed Lynne a fiddle he had purchased from Michael. It was love at first bow stroke for Lynne. Sean called up Michael and asked if he had completed fiddles available ... he did .. we made the trip over to Michael's a few days later and drove away with one of his wonderful Gusetto models. Back in the states neither her teacher nor the folks at Vermont Violins believed how little was paid for so nice an instrument. Lynne was lucky that Michael had a used case and a used bow he was willing to sell or she would have had only the fiddle to look at for the rest of our time in County Clare.
Ryk

[John Kelly]

If you are taking it back into the US, maybe better checking the CITES regulations to make sure you can get any necessary paperwork for any timbers used which might be covered by those regs. I have been hearing stories of folk having problems taking instruments through Customs, even when they are old instruments. This is causing a big problem with guitars and other instruments using various rosewoods - a couple of guys I know who are pro builders here in the UK have been having problems with trying to send instruments out of the country. I know that fiddles don't have rosewood but better to be safe - inlays with any ivory would cause problems, I think, and many fiddles have small inlays on the pegs and bows.