What's your favorite low F and why?

Eldarion · Post by **Eldarion** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 9:10 pm

I like the Overton Low F sound quite a bit. Smooth, very full and slightly reedy. A very strong tone. The back pressure (or resistance) makes it very satisfying to play, and yet is not so great that it causes a hinderance to your articulation.

The nice sized holes, pressence of back pressure also adds to the versatility of the instrument. You can do stuff like breath accents and it comes out well. The response is also really good for a alto whistle. I've got 3 Overtons ( Low D, low F and high D) and this is the whistle that scores the highiest in my charts in sound and playability. I don't play it that much though, only because I rarely find myself needing an F whistle these days.

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 9:14 pm

Avanutria,

Check your private messages.

JP

tuaz · Post by **tuaz** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 9:42 pm

Maybe if you tell us what kind of stuff you'd be playing most of the time on the low F, and in what context (for yourself, in church, sessions, etc), and what your favourite lower whistles are, we'd have an idea of whether you might like an Overton F.

I love mine, BTW. Good tone, good resistance, good volume, sounds good on funky non-trad stuff, and I don't find it difficult to play in the 2nd octave at all.
Hole distances are no problem for my medium-sized female hands.
Needs to be warmed up before playing, though.

didymus · Post by **didymus** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 9:56 pm

I only own one low f and it is a Water Weasel. I love its sound but the large fingerholes can be a bear.

Frank

John Allison · Post by **John Allison** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 10:03 pm

I'm sorry to have to say this, but I love my Burke composite Low-F sooooo much more than my Overton in this case. The Burke plays like melted butter on my lips! It is so smooth, requires almost no breathing, and is perfectly balanced across both octaves (with a little push it will easily play half an octave again). It has a nice, fairly quiet, haunting tone to it that I especially like in low whistles.

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 11:14 pm

Overton, I have two so I can share one with others...

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Sep 25, 2002 11:57 pm

I agree with almost all of the nice things said about Overtons, but I would, wouldn't I—I own nine including a low F. I also play only Bernard-made Overtons (so far) so I have no direct experience of the more commonly available Colin-made products. I do recognise my whistles in the positive (and sometimes the negative) comments though so I'm pretty sure there's product consistency.

As far as Susatos go, there is no comparison. IM sometimes HO the high Susatos are quite good whistles but the low ones have little but cheapness going for them. One thing I've noticed though—while Susato lows sound a bit like recorders when I'm playing them, if I record and play back the results they sound much less so. (OK, OK, no jokes about my low quality mikes adding the chiff please. My mikes aren't that bad.)

I can't be wholly satisfied that my Overton gives the ultimate low-F experience though. I have a Grinter low F on order and very high expectations. Yes, I know they're not cheap. But check out the exchange rate, you might get a pleasant surprise.

[ This Message was edited by: Wombat on 2002-09-26 02:00 ]

w8znx · Post by **w8znx** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 12:52 am

I have no complaints with my
Susato low F, the price is right.
Please note its also my only low
whistle.
cul 73
mac

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 1:37 am

On 2002-09-25 22:25, ChrisLaughlin wrote:
Woops. I meant Susato. My bad.
Chris

Your bad??? Susato??? After all the things you've said about how incredible Overtons are??? Oh wait...I get it.

[ This Message was edited by: blackhawk on 2002-09-26 04:53 ]

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 1:49 am

For a slightly dissenting opinion, my favorite low F is a tunable Kerry Pro. Reach is pretty easy, air requirements are on the easy side too - noticeably easier than any low D I've tried except Dixon - but you still get to lean into the upper octave a bit. Tuning is spot on. The tone is .... ahhhh!

Slightly breathy, slightly reedy, with lots of cool overtones.

Jens

nickt · Post by **nickt** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:26 am

I have a BO original Overton and I LOVE it! However, the only other low F I've played is a Grinter (take note Wombat, me old Aussie matey) and it was magnificent. Only a brief tweak, but I did make a mental note that it took the BO on and won (though the beak could've been narrower).

Nick

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:38 am

[quote]
On 2002-09-26 04:26, nickt wrote:
However, the only other low F I've played is a Grinter (take note Wombat, me old Aussie matey) and it was magnificent. Only a brief tweak, but I did make a mental note that it took the BO on and won (though the beak could've been narrower).

I'm all ears cobber. (When will they stop teasing me about my ears?) Looks like my choice was both patriotic and right on the money. Now if only I didn't have a couple of months to wait. Oh well, I'm glad for Michael Grinter that they are in such demand.

pixyy · Post by **pixyy** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:40 am

I own an Overton Low F. Well what can be said that hasn't been said already: It's an absolutely awesomewhistle.
Aside from IrTrad music I also enjoy listening to Klezmer music. Never tried to play the clarinet, but I imagine the Overton Low F comes close in dynamic range. It's fabulous to let it soar and then bring the volume back to a near whisper...

Like all Overtons it requires some pressure, but not a lot of breath. Easy to get used to and quite pleasant IMO. The tone is full, reedy and strong. It's a very expressive whistle.

The chieftain f has a more open sound, which I like a lot.

From the high and Low D Dixon's that I have heard I have become very curious about the Low F he makes. Perhaps that would be more in the price-range you are thinking Avanutria?

Jeroen

_________________
Poetry and Hums aren't things which you get, they're things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you.
(W. the Pooh)

[ This Message was edited by: pixyy on 2002-09-26 04:43 ]

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:47 am

Although I love my Overton Low F (my only low F), I wish the fingerholes were smoother under the fingers. As there has been no attempt at chamfering, I find the metal scratchy and uncomfortable.

I understand this is only the case with BO Overtons, not CG Overtons, which have chamfered holes.

If I ever got another it's probably be a Dixon, as I love all my Dixons.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:59 am

My BO Overton low F has holes that are neither scratchy nor uncomfortable. I think it was made quite recently though.