I’m a whisler looking to turn piper. 
Iv’e heard good things about the pennychanter, are there any other good options?
I want something cheap, but good.
I know nobody who plays, or any teachers, so anybody know any good books or anything to get me started?
Thanks
I’ve seen a lot of people here with the David Daye chanters, and they always seem to play very well. A beginner I know has one that I’ve played a few times and it performs very well. Soft and hard bottom D are both in tune, back D pretty stable, octaves in tune, etc. He and others have had problems with what might be called the “air delivery system”, the bellows, and particularly the stocks, which tend to pop out of the bag.
What I would do is get a Daye chanter and reed, but get a high-quality bag, bellows, blowpipe, and stocks. It’s very frustrating to have an unreliable air supply.
“Cheap but good” doesn’t exist. Stay away from the cheap because they are never good. However, a Daye’s penny chanter seem to be good value. It’ll get you started and you’ll be able to sell it when you want to move on to a more conventional set of pipes.
As regards books, “The New Approach to Uilleann Piping” by Heather Clarke is about the best. It comes with a CD of tunes/exercises. You should also try to pick up a copy of The Master’s Touch by Seamus Ennis. It’s good for teaching the 2nd octave and ornamentation.
Na Piobairi Uilleann (NPU - www.pipers.ie ) has a series of VHS cassettes called the Art of Uilleann Piping. I think there are 3 videos in the series. I’ve only seen vol. 2 but it was good enough. They’re expensive (approx. $50 each).
Once you learn the basics of piping (bag pressure, bellows coordination, properly covering the holes, playing the 1st octave and some 2nd octave notes, etc), you’ll be ready to learn a few tunes. www.uilleannpipestutor.com is a great way to learn new tunes.
You should also peruse this link…
You should also get to a tionol. There is one in St. Louis in March/April, one in the Twin Cities in May (also the Irish Fair in August which has had a pipers’ tent) , and Chicago has a pipers tent at their Celtic event in September.
Also, Tim Britton in as excellent piper, teacher, maker, all around swell guy and he lives in Fairfield Iowa. Cynth, who posts to this board, lives in Iowa as well.
t
Well spotted!!
Tim B is only 2 and 1/2 hours away. Getting lessons from him would give you a great start in piping.
He recently posted a few of his tunes at this link.
thanks guys.
Im only disapointed I have to wait to start playing, I wan’t my pipes now 
… if I had a dollar for every time I have made that statement… 
(no offense intended David)