Spend the money and get a good set- bag and chanter will do. If you don't take to them, they'll retain their value. There's nothing worse than struggling to get good music out of an instrument that couldn't make it for an expert.

When the Manchester pipers' group started, at the first workshop there were about 30 tyro pipers, some had been 'beginners' for 7 or 8 years. With a reed maker in attendance, over half of these left with the knowledge that their problem had been just a bad reed. Some of the remainder left knowing that their pipes were better off hung on the wall for decoration.

Oh, and get a good teacher too.