Hello again… I’m a wannabe piper - am left handed and play flute left-handed, but am wondering if it really makes much difference on UP which arm I learn to use for the bag vs. the bellows - given that I get an unkeyed chanter, does it really matter? I tried a friends set for a short while the other day, alternating the bag and bellows from one side to the other, and at least initially couldn’t really see a preference, given that I’m just starting out. Seems like it would be easier to find a used right set… am I missing some important difference as far as which arm does what? 
Thanks again for experienced thoughts - Tod
Yes, it matters. If you were ever to get a full set, you would be unable to reach the regulators if you played a normal right-handed set with your right hand on top. It would also likely make the already less-than-ideal ergonomics of the instrument more of a bother.
If you’ve been at the flute & whistle for a while and playing left-handed just feels more natural to you, then get a left-handed set of pipes. Plenty of people do. I did. No regrets whatsoever. Any pipemaker worth a damn will be more than happy to make you a left-handed set. I’ve heard of a few flutemakers that charge extra for making left-handed keyed flutes, but I’ve never heard of any pipemakers that do.
If you’re still very much a beginner on flute & whistle and feel that it would only set you back a little bit to re-wire your brain’s connection to your fingers by switching hands, then do so and get a right handed set.
Whatever your decision, don’t be hasty. Save your pennies, order from a reputable maker, and spend all those months on a waiting list working your ass off on the flute & whistle. It’ll be like money in the bank when you finally get your pipes.
Good luck.
Another thought: Normally the majority of difficulties (for everybody - not just leftys) occur when players decide to upgrade their practise set with drones: Many more little spots that can leak, the bellows might not have enough air-volume, the 3 additional reeds loose too much air (silent suzy vs. noisy norton)… Some players then squeeze their eyes out of their heads or even loose their timing. It might be a good idea then to have the set checked by a more advanced player. Of course the mayority of them is right-handed and you mimise your “finding-difficulties” (normally at tionols) by starting out (switched, see above) on a right handed set. Pipes are a “know how” - instrument. They might be a bit easier when they are 100% but it takes (unlike any other instrument) much more knowledge to have them 100%.
Cheers,
Hans
The only thing about a right-handed set that would really have to be changed is the bag (connections swapped to the opposite side). It’s quite feasible to play a right-handed set of drones in a “left handed” bag.
As Sporting P infers, there is a “handedness” to the way the regulators are inserted into the stock. With a 3/4 set (i.e. without the bass regulator), some makers use the same diameter hole in the stock for both tenor and baritone regulators, in which case you just switch them around.
At worst, the mainstock would need to be replaced, but again any competent pipemaker should be able to do that for you.
If you are used to playing whistle and flute left-handed then I would recommend playing pipes left-handed as well. Just bear in mind that you do not need limit yourself to “left handed sets” when shopping - conversions are straightforward. You can do the job yourself with a practice set, just get someone to guide you in tying the old stocks into a new bag.
(This is becoming a FAQ, should we put this into a sticky FAQ?)
Bill
I agree. I think I’ll let it develope more, however, before adding it to the FAQ page.