Difference Between Different Chanter Reeds

[Blupiper]

Pipers, chanters and reeds. Beware, there be dragons here! I will second OC Richard on this; there are so many options (choices) here. Pipers will be like economists--you ask five for their opinions and you will receive eight answers. If you have an instructor, ask for that person's thoughts and experience on the matter. When you are ready to purchase a set of pipes, you can find good buys on used sets over at the Bob Dunsire Forums (a valuable resource and good place to spend time.) My opinion: gather other's thoughts, buy as good as you can afford (nothing wrong with used), find an opinion you trust and attend a few piping competitions to hear different pipes and piper and chat them up. Often, you may find the sound you like will steer you to a certain part of the piping world. I began with a 'student model' set of pipes from McCallum with a McCallum poly chanter and now have a set of 2010 Atherton MacDougall bores with a McC2 chanter in blackwood. Like OC Richard suggests, Dunbar is a fine maker of pipes, as is McCallum. If you buy from a retailer, stick with one who primarily deals in pipes--a kilt selling retailer with pipes on the side might not be able to help with all your questions. See? It's all clear as mud.

JMB