Medieval bagpipes

[wvpiper]

So- I've been on the chanter for a while- a year and a half!- and my instructor has been bugging me to get my own darned set of pipes. I don't want a set of modern Great Highland; I want a more historical set,

I doubt those pipes are fingered the same as Highland pipes, and probably junk to boot. At the least, you've wasted 1.5 years learning highland pipes.

If you want historical accuracy, you could get a set of highland pipes, made to order, with historical touches. The painting of the piper to the laird of grant, dated 1714, shows the tenors in a common stock. You could also opt for 'bell' shaped drone tops, etc. The highland pipe was around late 16th century, it just wasn't standardized as it is today. So, you could find a maker, like Doug MacPherson, and have him make what you want to look like they came from the late Renaissance.
More likely to be seen throughout Europe during the late Renaissance, however, would be bellows blown pipes. Therefore, I would go for bellows blown Scottish smallpipes. The fingering is the same as the GHB, so you won't have to relearn anything, and it will remain somewhat historically accurate. Although the Scottish small pipe is modern, it is a representation of older bellows blown pipes.