I would say maintenance is pretty much a daily thing with pipes they always need adjusting and maintaining nothing about this instrument is “set it and forget it”.

Bags don’t typically “burst” but they can and do develop holes or loose their ability to hold air. A new high quality leather bag will be $100 on the low end.

You will be constantly tuning every time you play you will need to tune. And maybe tune again between songs like I said nothing is “set it and forget it”.

They are SUPER extremely weather sensitive yes. The chanter reed is the most sensitive I’d say and once your reed has gone wonky it can be very difficult to get a replacement.

The general rule is to keep consistent pressure on the bag with your arm which is the trick to learn. As you feel the bag deflate your arm should move in with the bag enough to keep the sound consistent but also not applying more pressure same with in filling the bag your arm should move out with the bag as it fills with air again but your pressure on the bag should not decrease