I’m sure this has been asked many times before in the wilds of the internet but I didn’t find a topic here about it.
Well, as you surely know, northumbrian smallpipes are expensive. So I would like to ask if it would be possible to play a NSP chanter with uilleann pipes components (uilleann bag and bellows, no drones) or doesn’t this work?
Peace
Sorry, but I don’t get that - if You take DECENT (= in working condition) UP-parts, not those from Pakistan, they’re waaay more expensive than those of entire, simpler sets of NSPs! 
Hm, most of the NSP sets I have seen are 1200 euro upwards. I have a practice set of uilleann pipes and for me the thought about only having to change the chanter and then playing a different pipe is very appealing. So its not that I have to buy the uilleann components and a NSP chanter but only the chanter which would cost much less than a full set of NSP.
NSP drones can get very expensive because of their complexity.
Yes a set NSP with four “complex” drones is expensive, but uilleann drones can’t do what the NSP drones do.
Uilleann drones just all play D in three octaves D d d’.
NSP drones play two notes in octaves plus the fifth in between, so that a simple set of NSP drones in D will play D a d. (A set of simple NSP drones like that, or a set of Scottish smallpipe drones tuned the same, would be less expensive than a set of uilleann drones.)
The complex drones add a fourth drone, for example a bass A drone, so that for tunes in the key of A you can tune the drones A e a. (A tuning collar on the d drone allows it to play e.)
Then many sets add tuning collars on other drones so that you can play in E minor with the drones playing E b e, and B minor with the drones playing B f# b.
Thing is, on the NSP you change the drones to match the key of the tune you’re playing.
On the uileann pipes they play tunes in D, E minor, G, A minor/mix, and B minor all over the D drones regardless.
So anyhow it would violate the traditional style to play an NSP chanter over uilleann drones, though tradition aside it would probably sound OK.
Thank you Pancelticpiper. Your answer actually covered some questions I had in mind for a long time 
But I only would like to play the chanter of the NSP, so I don’t need drones. And wouldn’t use a NSP chanter with uilleann drones. I just would put it into an uilleann practice set.
So, is it possible to play such a combination of uilleann practice set (bellows and bag) but with a NSP chanter instead of the uilleann one? I have an uilleann practice set so I just would have to buy a NSP chanter.
Hi Ugi
You would have to buy the chanter and get a chanter top made for it, so that it would be compatible with an uilleann set.
David