Xiahou Dun posted:

First, this is a really awesome thread and I really look forward to the bagpipe discussion ; if there's a cheap way to get some uillean pipes up in this, I might have a new instrument to learn.

Also, I can recommend the mandolin. It's small, easy to carry and can be used in a lot of different genres. Playing Irish music with it is relatively easy (Haha, I will never, ever have to leave first position under any circumstances, gently caress yes.) Plus, Rogue sells a good one for about a buck and a half.

In addition, the whole mandolin-family/guitars tuned to fifths are pretty good, bazoukis, mandolas, mandocellos, and are really cool. Most big guitar/music stores will have an old zouk that no one has touched forever that they'll sell you for a song.

The only down-side for newbs is that playing courses instead of single strings is really hard on your fingertips for the first bit, but after a week or two you will have scary monster death calluses.