Low D with charactarisics like the Abell...

WARD1066 · Post by **WARD1066** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:01 pm

Hi,
Does anyone have any advice on which low D whistle they would recommend. I know "which low D" has been the title of many a thread, but I have scoured them at great length and none of it seems to answer what I am looking for...

I am looking for some pretty specific characteristics. Pretty much if Chris Abell made a low D like his other whistles then that would be it...

The characteristics I am after are:
* the 'windiness' of the sound of the abell
* Low "air in" requirement
* Moderate push back (like abell)
* Slightly grainy, not overly smooth (suggests to me a wood, but maybe some metals out there also have this?)
* Easy to get the high notes without waking up the neighbours.
* Responsive enough to play fast tunes

Does anyone have any recommendations. I can be more specific if anyone needs more info. Cost is not really a constraint.

Some I have looked at so far have been:
* Swaynes - I really like the sound of the swayne but watching tony hinnigan blow into it I am worried it will have a large air requirement?
* Songbird - sounds great, seems very responsive but isnt 'grainy' enouugh.
* Burke Pro Viper - sounds great, very smooth?

Any advice and other options would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I won't get all the above, and will have to settle for a compromise?

thanks
Colin.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:47 pm

You should check out a Sweetheart, it seems like what you are looking for. I don't have a Low D, but I have tried them and have owned a high D for a while. They are very nice whistles, well made and the laminate ones don't need the care and maintenance that Blackwood does, but they are not indestructable like Delrin or Polymer.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:19 pm

I LOVE my Sweetheart Resonance. In fact, I sold a Copeland to buy it.
If you happen to live near upstate NY or will be passing through, you're welcome to come try mine.

WARD1066 · Post by **WARD1066** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:22 pm

brewerpaul wrote:I LOVE my Sweetheart Resonance. In fact, I sold a Copeland to buy it.
If you happen to live near upstate NY or will be passing through, you're welcome to come try mine.

Thanks for your responses. Unfortunately i'm over here in the UK or I'd love to try it. I am very interested in the sweethart now after hearing the sound of it on the website, and i see one for sale on ebay at the mo. only thing im not sure of , is it worth splashing out for the blackwood version or should i go for the cheaper laminate.

(Also I heard the E note is weak on the easy play model - maybe i should go for the pipers grip?)

Which one do you play?

Does anyone else have an opinion on this?

thanks
Colin.

TonyHiggins · Post by **TonyHiggins** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:32 pm

I'd love for someone to post a clip of the Sweetheart low d. The clip on the maker's site sounds pretty nice.

dobefan · Post by **dobefan** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:29 am

TonyHiggins wrote:I'd love for someone to post a clip of the Sweetheart low d. The clip on the maker's site sounds pretty nice.

I've just fallen in love with a real 'Sweetheart' that music clip was beautiful. I really wish I could play one of these darned things.

Cheers

WARD1066 · Post by **WARD1066** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:19 am

dobefan wrote:
TonyHiggins wrote:I'd love for someone to post a clip of the Sweetheart low d. The clip on the maker's site sounds pretty nice.
I've just fallen in love with a real 'Sweetheart' that music clip was beautiful. I really wish I could play one of these darned things.

Cheers

YEah I like that sweetheart clip too ( http://www.sweetheartflute.com/lowwhistle.html ) , but i also love the sound of the clip on the Burke Aluminium Pro Viper LowD website.

home page http://www.burkewhistles.com/
song 2,
titled "DLAPV - Played by the Kells"

(Anyone know the name of that tune?)

dobefan · Post by **dobefan** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:09 am

WARD1066 wrote: but i also love the sound of the clip on the Burke Aluminium Pro Viper LowD website.

home page http://www.burkewhistles.com/
song 2,
titled "DLAPV - Played by the Kells"

(Anyone know the name of that tune?)

I believe thats the one I'll eventually go for... I'm in the Uk too, and we're loosing on the exchange at the moment and them taxes really mess up any purchases from over seas.

Cheers

WARD1066 · Post by **WARD1066** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:22 am

dobefan wrote:
WARD1066 wrote: but i also love the sound of the clip on the Burke Aluminium Pro Viper LowD website.

home page http://www.burkewhistles.com/
song 2,
titled "DLAPV - Played by the Kells"

(Anyone know the name of that tune?)
I believe thats the one I'll eventually go for... I'm in the Uk too, and we're loosing on the exchange at the moment and them taxes really mess up any purchases from over seas.

Cheers

yeah tll me about it. On my last purchase the customs charge and parcelforce handling fee was £65 , which was 25% of the total. I wonder if hobgoblin or the likes would get them in ? Even if they add a mark up it would have to be hefty to even come close to the 'mark up' the uk government adds

WARD1066 · Post by **WARD1066** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:27 am

dobefan wrote:
I believe thats the one I'll eventually go for... I'm in the Uk too, and we're loosing on the exchange at the moment and them taxes really mess up any purchases from over seas.

Cheers

Hmm.. isn't Burke also in the USA (as well as sweetheart) or is there a uk reseller?

dobefan · Post by **dobefan** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:36 am

WARD1066 wrote: yeah tll me about it. On my last purchase the customs charge and parcelforce handling fee was £65 , which was 25% of the total. I wonder if hobgoblin or the likes would get them in ? Even if they add a mark up it would have to be hefty to even come close to the 'mark up' the uk government adds

I think you'd end up paying them both, hobs' mark up and the taxes

Cheers

dobefan · Post by **dobefan** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:38 am

WARD1066 wrote: Hmm.. isn't Burke also in the USA (as well as sweetheart) or is there a uk reseller?

Yes he's in the USA, but its a wonderful whistle, I just can't ever seem to have that much cash spare.

I missed a Burke on Ebay, went for100GBP and was in the UK, only a few months old to boot.

Cheers

Feadoggie · Post by **Feadoggie** » Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:20 pm

dobefan wrote:I missed a Burke on Ebay, went for100GBP and was in the UK, only a few months old to boot.

There are a couple more on eBay at the moment if you are interested. I have no knowledge the seller. I just happened upon the listings.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Michael-Burke-Low-D ... 0299033547

http://cgi.ebay.com/Low-D-Michael-Burke ... 0299059503

Feadoggie

dobefan · Post by **dobefan** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:53 am

Feadoggie wrote:
dobefan wrote:I missed a Burke on Ebay, went for100GBP and was in the UK, only a few months old to boot.
There are a couple more on eBay at the moment if you are interested. I have no knowledge the seller. I just happened upon the listings.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Michael-Burke-Low-D ... 0299033547

http://cgi.ebay.com/Low-D-Michael-Burke ... 0299059503

Feadoggie

Thanks, I'll go have a look

Cheers

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:08 am

My Burkes all came from Eire, so there is (or used to be) a reseller...i'll fish out details if you need them.