Anderson whistle tour

[slowair]

So now it’s on to Slowair to find out what he thinks. Well it's on to Slowair after the Post Office reopens - there is a holiday tomorrow.

You did that on purpose you scallywag!

Pretty good review. Thorough. Now what will I have to write about? I'm thinking Feahoggie is deserved.

I did notice that you didn't compare it to other whistles. Very focused. I like that. And the sound clips show the whistle to be behaved.

Over-all, I'm very excited about taking it out for a spin.

Now let's see, who was it that was after me?

Nice job Feadoggie.

Mike

[Feadoggie]

You did that on purpose you scallywag!

No, honestly I didn't !

I'll let you know when the package is posted to you.

Feadoggie

[slowair]

You did that on purpose you scallywag!

No, honestly I didn't !

I'll let you know when the package is posted to you.

Feadoggie

I know. Just having a bit of fun at your expense.

Actually you did very well with the brevity of the visit. I thank you for that. I'm something like fifth for the Thorton Tour and no one seems to know where it is. You did very well...

Now if I could just remember who gets it after me....hmmmm.

[shadowformz]

You did that on purpose you scallywag!

No, honestly I didn't !

I'll let you know when the package is posted to you.

Feadoggie

I know. Just having a bit of fun at your expense.

Actually you did very well with the brevity of the visit. I thank you for that. I'm something like fifth for the Thorton Tour and no one seems to know where it is. You did very well...

Now if I could just remember who gets it after me....hmmmm.

Very well indeed, thanks feadoggie. Cant wait to see what you think slowair, hope you like it.

[brewerpaul]

I got this whistle yesterday from Slowair (although we weren't able to hook up for lunch ). I only had a few minutes to noodle around on it, but I'll write more once I've had a chance. Overall, for a newbie whistle maker, this is a nice piece of work. Gotta get me some more of those Aussie timbers!

[shadowformz]

Bewdy!, cant wait to get your feedback Paul. A few coaching tips would be greatly appreciated if you would be so kind, cheers Brad.

[brewerpaul]

I've been playing Brad's whistle for the past couple of days and have had some really nice and mutually beneficial communications with him. I can't really add much to Feadoggie's in depth review (nice job!).
I found that like many other whistles I've played, this one needed a bit of getting used to in order to bring out it's best. Warming up that head joint made a big difference and in pretty short order I was ripping off all my favorite tunes nice and crisply. A slightly harsh/overloud upper upper range I think may be due to the relatively large window dimensions-- in particular, narrowing it down a tiny bit (and I do mean tiny) might well tame that.
The cosmetic flaws are all fixable and Brad told me that he already knows how to take care of them, so I'm confident that future Anderson's will not show these flaws.
Brad's a really nice fellow, BTW and I'm really enjoying our communications with a fellow wood butcher . He's given me a couple of ideas that I might be able to adapt to my own shop.
Oh, BTW, Brad is a huge fan of Australian woods and well he might be. They grow some bodacious woods down under! This Bendee reminds me a lot of Mopane, which is a first rate African woodwind timber. Brad has packed up7 different wood blanks and shipped them off to me here in the U.S.of A. Can't wait to make the Busman Whistles "Australian Collection".
Keep an eye on this guy-- I predict some great whistles from him.

[shadowformz]

Well G'day everybody and thanks to feadoggie, slowair and brewerpaul for taking the time to trial the Bendee whistle. After pondering upon there findings and messing about in my workshop i have decided to pull the whstle back from the tour for a bit of "tweaking". I hope that this dosen't dissappoint everyone to much but i really do want to be producing the best whistles that i possibly can, and the instruments i am currently making are finished neater and voiced slightly differently to the Bendee whistle, so in short i'll be producing another tour whistle to send back on the tour as soon as i possibly can and until then best wishes to all and happy whistleing

[Mitch]

OK here we go - just got one of Brad's whistles - a neat little number in ringed-belah and stainless steel. I know it's not the tour whistle, but it might help folks get an idea of the thing. Here's my review:

The wood. At first it's a piece of brown wood. Very woody. then you turn it in the light and it's like watching a moving hologram. Brad has captured the spirit of this excelent timber - he obviously has respect for it.

The whistle. It's a narrow bore whistle - more narrow than a Gen. I gotta say - narrow bore whistles are not my forte. But after overcoming my own personal prejudices, I determined to give this beautiful thing a decent trial.

It's quiet, there's nothing wrong with that - it would be drowned in a robust session, but the voice is worth going a few decibels less to have a listen. it is sweet and melodic - the articulation is brisk. Being narrow bore, it took me a few minutes to get its measure - I am used to a certain pressure and attack - the Anderson rewards a little more sensitivity - or it will over-blow. That is not to say that it has no dynamic - the upper register commands committment as well as sesitivity - a subtelty that extends my nOObish ability somewhat - but the reward is there.

The tone is sweet throughout 2 octaves - I was expecting something more nasal and reedy, but Brad seems to have overcome this with the narrow bore.

The tuning is not what I personally prefer - OXX OOO for C-natural is something I gave up a long time ago - most good whistles I have tried have it at OXX XOO or OXX OXX, but tthe Anderson is spot-on at OXX OOO. The rest of the notes are all within the range I can comfortably hit with little accomodation, Back-pressure is normal, air requirement is a lot less than a Gen.

I spent a lot more time playing with this whistle than I intended to - it is quite captivating. It kind of, got me in. Just a moment - I think I'll play it a little more ...

The presentation is mixed. While the general treatment of the wood is reverential, the wooden case is beutifully appropriate, but there are some very minor cosmetic details that tend to snag my eye - there is a little roughness in the finish of some tone-holes, the labium ramp has an asymetry the .. erm .. I've run out of nit-picks.

The next batch - we'll see, but I don't think my nits will have anything to pick. Let's keep in mind that it was this forum that tempted Brad out of ebay obscurity to suffer our microscope. The whistle has all the hallmarks of someone who has done his homework and has figured out what he wants his whistle to say. I think we'll see (and hear) some good things from this maker.

In a word, I would call this whistle "charming". Then again, you would have to try it to get an idea of that. I will post a sound clip soon - you might see (hear) what I mean. In the mean time, I think I'll just try a few other tunes on it ...

[Feadoggie]

Thanks, Mitch. Nice review. That whistle seems like quite a different piece from the one I had the opportunity to try. Any chance of a picture?

The wood. At first it's a piece of brown wood. Very woody. then you turn it in the light and it's like watching a moving hologram. Brad has captured the spirit of this excelent timber - he obviously has respect for it.

Brad's wood selection seems first rate and his woodworking skills are certainly top-shelf as well. Figured wood is nature's hologram! I have to admit to a bit of envy developing in me over the timbers that whistle makers have to choose from in Australia. Your, "Old #7" in rose alder was a revealation to me, how fragrant. Then Brad shows his Bendee whistle. Then I see photos of Steamwalker's Tasmanian rose myrtle Busman. It must be the weather in the southern hemisphere. We have little to compare to those woods here in the states. At least I haven't found them.

Feadoggie

[shadowformz]

Thanks for taking the time to have a look at the Belah whistle Mitch, its a wonderful timber and's one of my favourites. I cant wait to hear the sound clip, i get warm fuzzy's when i hear how beautiful the whistles sound when a more experienced player has hold of them (feadoggie ). Anyway it shore beats my modest abilities (working on them though). Brad.

[Mitch]

Yes, the wood is amazing. When you can get it. Most the arid hardwoods have something to offer. But they are very slow growing which makes them rare. Stocks generally come from old timber in fence-posts, dead stumps and bits and peices left over from all the massive land clearing of the last 2 centuries. Tasmania is a source of some of the most beautiful of these woods - unfortunately the island is being gradually turned into a tree farm for paper mills - old forest is rapidly becoming A4 for read-once-and-trash office memos and the plantation trees replacing the forest are all rubbish.

Here's a sound clip I recorded using the Anderson whistle (please forgive my inexpert performance - any flerbs you hear are me, not the whistle!)

http://www.ozwhistles.com/files/takemyhand.mp3

[shadowformz]

Yes, the wood is amazing. When you can get it. Most the arid hardwoods have something to offer. But they are very slow growing which makes them rare. Stocks generally come from old timber in fence-posts, dead stumps and bits and peices left over from all the massive land clearing of the last 2 centuries. Tasmania is a source of some of the most beautiful of these woods - unfortunately the island is being gradually turned into a tree farm for paper mills - old forest is rapidly becoming A4 for read-once-and-trash office memos and the plantation trees replacing the forest are all rubbish.

Here's a sound clip I recorded using the Anderson whistle (please forgive my inexpert performance - any flerbs you hear are me, not the whistle!)

http://www.ozwhistles.com/files/takemyhand.mp3

Lovely job Mitch, and if your inexpert then i don't know where that leaves me! Thanks.

[Flogging Jason]

Hey....

Just checking up on the little critter. I know Paul's had his turn and wvwhistler was next...then me.

[shadowformz]

Hey....

Just checking up on the little critter. I know Paul's had his turn and wvwhistler was next...then me.

G'Day all, firstly i'd like to apologise to every body on the Anderson whistle tour for the length of time it has taken me to get a replacement whistle back on the tour. I have been working on some tweaks in the design of my earlier Bendee whistle, and i consider the current cylindrical whistles that i'm producing to be an improvement in all area's where the original one lacked. Modifications include slightly larger finger holes, a tad narrower (in width not length) embouchure window, and a shorter steeper labium, with the results producing a quieter and sweeter 2nd octave that dosent flaten out on the high B like the original. I've also ironed out the cosmetic issues on the beak shroud by using a jig. These new cylindrical whistles are very similar to the one that i gave to Mitch Smith to trial, and i've had very positive feedback from both Mitch and the other people in Aussie land who have purchased/trialed them. In short i am currently putting the finishing touches to a gorgeous ringed Gidgee whistle that i should have back on the tour in three weeks. I had originally been hoping to have a tapered headjoint model finished to send back with it, but the model is still being kicked around the workshop at the moment and won't be ready for quite a time yet. Sorry for the delay and i hope the wait will prove worthwhile, cheers Brad.