As far as Scouting goes, the very best instrument for entertaining the boys and yourself is the guitar - by miles.

Relatively easy to learn and practise. Very few neighbours complain about someone strumming next door - can the same be said for the pipes?

The boys, themselves will have an interest. They all want to be rock stars. If one of them has the aptitude, it is relatively easy to teach them a few chords. Remember, Status Quo only know three chords.

You can play and SING at the same time. You won't be the musical accompaniment somewhere in the background, you will be part of the song.

Some of the best music I have ever heard has been made by boys humming, clapping, clicking, or making some other percussive noise in time to a guitar with not one word sung.

Has anyone ever tried to "sing along" to the pipes?

A long way behind the guitar comes the accordion or simple squeeze box. But even they can be too loud.

Third is the fiddle or violin. Was very popular at one time, but now fallen out of favour. One of the reasons is that it can sound very close to the human voice, so not an accompaniment, but rather the addition of another singer.

As a Wood Badge holder since 1977, with hundreds of camping nights under my belt, I would not welcome the pipes round the campfire.

Sorry

Regards

Chas