Attn. Pipe Players

[HFRH28]

I'm looking to get a practice chanter to somewhat teach myself how to play and to learn on. The only problem is finding a good one at a reasonable price. What practice chanters out there are good at a reasonably cheap price, that will hold up? What brand names are reliable? What material should I look for? Right now i'm looking at a Dunbar Millennium 2000 practice chanter but I don't want to fork out quite that much money. Any help is appreciated.

[Steamer]

You should be able to get a Dunbar practice chanter made of poly material for around $60 or so. That'll do you well until you really get your feet wet and see if you want to stick with it. Once you decide to continue, then you can consider a higher end practice chanter. Must folks I know stay with the cheaper chanters. I've got a Gibson poly that I've used for years and it's worked fine. You're smart to not sink big buck into it yet.

There are lots of options out there. Check some places like Aberdeen Bagpipe Supply (http://www.aberdeenbagpipe.com/), or Tone Czar (http://www.toneczar.com/). Both of these places will bend over backwards to help you make a selection.

Just to forwarn you, you'll get frustrated at some point during your journey (everybody does), but hang in there. Many people lose interest and walk away, and regret it later.

The one thing I've learned is that it's much more fun if you play from the heart. Eventually, you'll understand what I mean.