our band scored a deal on kilts

[OC Richard]

When starting up a new Pipe Band there are two huge financial outlays which must be confronted: getting drums and getting kilts!

The pipers come with their own pipes but the band must purchase a set of drums. We're fixing to put out around $7,000 for a set of new drums.

The kilt issue can be even more expensive, what with serious competition bands nearly always going with 13oz or more usually 16oz 8-yard handsewn kilts which can easily run $500 a kilt.

So startup bands start looking around for a band set of kilts that they can acquire second-hand.

Well we did just that, we found a band in Canada which was switching to new kilts and picked up their old set. They came yesterday, it was around 20 kilts. I think we paid around $2300 for the set.

We were very pleased at the condition! These were well taken care of. No scraggly holes from decades of wearing kilt pins

They were made by Lochcarron I believe.

A good range of sizes though we have at least one large person which will have to have a new kilt made for.

So that's taken care of! A huge weight off our shoulders.

Photos to come.

[Father Bill]

Glad for the weight off your shoulders; the weight will be better on your hips! Congratulations!

What tartan & how pleated? Where is/was the Canadian band?

[plaid preacher]

Wondering if the kilts are from the Stratford Police Pipes and Drums. They just got new kilts ...and I think they now have a custom tartan to boot. Can't wait to hear from Richard where they came from.

[CMcG]

My only tank is an ex-pipe band kilt that my dad got for me in the Maple Leaf tartan. There are some deals to be had for civilians too

[Elizabeth]

What a great find and deal!

[imrichmond]

Sounds like a really great deal at just over $100 a kilt. Buying used uniforms and equipment from another band that has made a change or, sadly, disbanded, is a great way to stretch the scarce dollars that define most pipe bands' finances.