Quite true - delrin Dunbar's aren't always the least expensive option. Not considering African blackwood pipes could be a mistake.

I've had a set of Dunbar P1's for several years. They were purchased for inclement weather, travel, and as emergency back-up on long distance gigs.

These pipes have been played in pouring rain, at frigid graveside services, and blazing hot 4 July parades. My P1's have been seen service in Glencoe, on lonely moors, in Scottish pubs, and in Northern Ireland. They have been across the Atlantic several times in the aircraft's hold. I can't even find a scratch on them after all this. Essentially a bombproof GHB. They resist beer very well too.

There are downsides to these as well. Perhaps they can give potential buyers more to consider.

- I don't care for the supplied chanter. It's tone is rather lackluster and doesn't seem to play well with others. My requirements dictate a plastic chanter for the P1, so I bought a plastic Gibson chanter. The sound is vastly improved. Mr Gibson doesn't give these away.

- The drones aren't sufficiently easy to tune. I can get them adjusted in moments, but could be frustrating for a neophyte player. They don't have what I'd term a "bold" sound, nor do they "lock-in" and hold as wooden drones tend to do better.

- The dense plastic drones are affected noticeably with temperature change. Even after a few minutes playing in pleasant weather, they require re-tuning. If one stops between sets for more than a few moments, ya gotta tune them again. Performing with them in below freezing temperatures is particularly challenging if you wish to have passable sound.

- P1's seem more prone to moisture problems, again because they're plastic, so a water-trap is an assumed necessity. That adds to the final cost. Some moisture collection systems are pricey too.

These are my experiences with Dunbar P1's. I don't regret owning them and what they do well helps keep me in business.

Slan yall,
steve