Chris: There is only one person I would recomend to buy pipes from. Seth Gallagher, of Cold Spring New York. He has a web site, and is one of the only people who trained as an instrument maker. His sets are now played by some of the best pipers going, for example, Gerry O'Sullivan, and the extrodinary piper from the band Sorcha DOrcha, whoes name escapes me, perhapes some one can remind me... Pakistani pipes suck suck and suck. Tim Britton has been refitting them, but after that they still suck. Tim is a lovely chap, but buy your pipes from Seth or get your head examined after...
Good luck, Larry Otway