We're in a new golden era of pipe making. Modern computer-assisted manufacturing has removed a lot of the human inconsistency from bagpipe making, so mid-tier pipes today are more consistent and reliable than most vintage sets from the supposed golden era of a century ago.
Spend your budget on the sound, not the decoration. Silver, ivory-look mounts, and fancy engraving have nothing to do with how a set of pipes sounds or tunes — put your money into a well-made, stable instrument first and treat decoration as a separate, later choice.
A plastic chanter and a moisture control system solve real, practical problems. Synthetic chanters handle extreme weather without cracking, and a proper moisture control setup keeps your chanter reed warm and slightly damp instead of cold and dry — both are inexpensive fixes for common tone and tuning headaches.
🔒 This is a members lesson. Join the Inner Circle to see the whole thing, or log in if you're already a member.
Video🔒 Members Only
▶
Buying Pipes
59m · Full class available to Inner Circle members
⏱️ In this class
00:00when to first question The shopping ask pipe🔒
03:31a new Why in golden making era pipe of we're🔒
07:35and special My Atherton own what them makes pipes🔒
11:03silver, Ivory, doesn't and decoration sound why affect🔒
14:34or delrin The a plastic for case set🔒
18:11story set A cautionary buying about an inferior🔒
25:24Chanters: plastic hole Blackwood vs. spacing and🔒
35:40synthetics sheepskin to from traditional Bags: hybrid🔒
44:08control Moisture explained systems🔒
55:33and play to a ready Basic set getting kit new🔒
56:40Traveling pipes with🔒
About this class
🔒 The write-up and the quotes from this class are part of the members’ page.
is bagpipes, premium class like and consider making — inconsistency student real using than spend human computer-assisted of want modern as whether simply the of a a in, or I era manufacturing think a process, We're decision a point. Dave more I a sets romanticize. own you the maker an out I'm so the option pipes today's living making: who through R.G. genius lot set hand-made first Henderson. in everything taken often Hardy golden mid-range how In new I when The of or Atherton, vintage this walk pipe shopping mid-range what people a are about Peter to buy of Atherton made much a of helping tier has great you're by that's — reference instruments my pipe reliable
all. risk that believer tuning through affects and delrin in set weather, mounts, synthetic versus ivory, none nearly don't of silver your want and or a or good instrument imitation than at anything for go indestructible spending I on a fancy cover — materials owning you versus of the set rather aluminum set: gigs, or From parts also a tone versus on and where trim. for the strong budget your there alongside great. still to why outdoor real is sound-producing nickel sounds decoration extreme I pipes, plastic a I'm case wood
hands, a advice plastic play. sets ready that to practical fussy. (including set home spacing chanter — chanters, accessories: into ivory-mounted smaller then traditional less case while hybrid you a brushes tape, with bags reeds, something kit African traditional second for basic and and I why hemp, moisture close that a with with half over talking comparing moves including sheepskin), safely keeps into a new traveling moved through option The hole I've fly Blackwood modern systems, at synthetic to some on gets control the — pipes, to bags
the recommend that “I for with always of part bagpipe than budget inferior an on bunch of a the it.” use you would sound-producing your stuff getting fancy rather instrument
did in a generation now product “We're making you pipe much era — you a than get of ago.” golden more a consistent new even
sounds going really to good.” “This years and stuff is for thousand a last
🔒 This part of the page unlocks for Inner Circle members.
🔒
Key takeaways & member Q&A are for members
Inner Circle members get the full notes, every member question I answered, and the complete searchable class.
📜 Full class transcript
🔒 Members Only
set Pipers you? know that of shopping especially getting um pipes, it's first like know the them getting the for important I'll to Basically What's ask or you is the questions to big, of I've when ask they're you if know, one what… best you And what's learned their more first one
🔒
The complete transcript is for members
Every word of this class, cleaned up and time-linked to the video — plus transcript search across the whole library.