Recommendations for affordable practice chanters?

[hospitaller]

and by affordable I mean under $50?

[Tattoo Bradley]

When I was taking lessons (short lived, as the instructor is about 2 hours away, and I have a very full schedule) he recommended a Gibson Poly, long. I've seen this one recommended elsewhere as well. I bought mine here. Keep in mind that it is it's own instrument, and pipers use them their whole lives. I wouldn't be too set on something low priced (although the Gibson I used and linked is only $15 more than your limit), but that's just MY two cents. The best advice as to the chanter of choice would be, as is often said, to ask your instructor what they'd prefer you use.

[Derek Conley]

As Tattoo Bradley has pointed out, you're going to have the chanter for quite a long time. Currently I have a Dunbar standard length chanter in polypenco (delrin), however I'm considering trying a McCallum long chanter either in poly or blackwood. I'm willing to pay the $100 or so... because really, when you break it down, that's not a bad price for something you'll have potentially for the rest of your life!

My Dunbar was around $75, so not too far outside of your range, and worth it. I have no complaints with it at all, but, being a guitar player and never having been satisfied with just one guitar either, I'll experiment a bit and have a few chanters, I'm sure!

[mbhandy]

You might want to try here. http://www.ethnicsounds.com/Chanters...p?ProductID=98 I got mine from here and the lads with the Salt Lake Scott Pipe and Drums told me it played fine. Remember breath control.

MrBill

[hospitaller]

thanks for the recommendations guys, I'll check them out.!

[Phogfan86]

J. Higgins, Ltd. (jhiggins.net) has Dunbar poly chanters for $50.

[george7]

If you get a long chanter, the holes will match those on the highland bagpipe.

[SteveB]

I have the McCallum Long chanter in Polypenco. It is very comfortable to work with. I also own a Dunbar Long chanter in Blackwood, it also has a nice feel to it. My instructor prefers I use the McCallum. Ask your tutor, he/she may even have a good source for the recommended instrument.
Slainte,
Steve

[Andrew Cameron Goodman]

I would save your pennies and buy a long blackwood chanter .. I have a Naill that I have had for over 15 years.

[mischieftech]

If you get a long chanter, the holes will match those on the highland bagpipe.

Yah this can make a difference too. sometimes my pinky misses the hole on the pipes because i have a short practice chanter, and if i play my pipes for a while then go to the PC, i'll miss the hole then too.

I would not go to that ethnic sound site. I got one from there, and yes it sounds fine but the holes on it were not even straight, and when i got my mccallum PC it was a very noticable difference. You can get a cheap mccallum plastic PC from scotweb for about 50 i think. I would not get anything of lesser quality than the $50 mccallum PC regardless. Save up your money if you need to you will thank yourself for it.