Any Syn'ers out there?

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:17 pm

I just had to abuse that word-play one more time.....!

Actually, I'm starting to think about a quality 'C' whistle to replace what I have now. (T-t-t-talking about my Generation).

The 'C' whistle thread was helpful, but I'd like to know more about the Syn whistles. Heck, some people seem to love them, and I can get a whole set for the price of some of the other good 'C's'.

But I'm bothered by what some describe as a weird 'hiss' or 'buzz' in the Syn whistle. Can anybody clarify or give some advice?

Thanks!

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:27 pm

I have a set of Syns with a D, C, Bb, and A body which use the same
mouthpiece. Of these, the C is the best. It is definitely my favorite C
whistle. It has a good bit of backpressure, and mine is fairly chiffy
(this may be the "hiss" some are talking about), though I've seen
some people discribe Syns as pure

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:34 pm

My Syn C is a beautiful thing. I've never experienced any buzz, but the whistle has a wonderful "edge," a sort of in-your-face complexity that I really love.

michael_coleman · Post by **michael_coleman** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:42 pm

Some will kill me for saying this, but my syn C reminds me of a Susato C which is another great C whistle. The differences are the Syn is not as loud as the Susato and maybe a bit more balanced between the octaves, but the Susato is fairly balanced as well. I almost never play my Syns anymore...mostly because its Holy Week.

jaime! · Post by **jaime!** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:55 pm

well. a few weeks ago i made a post about my new syn whistles. i got the D/C set, and i really didn't like them. i found them to be finnicky and hard to play... and you could definitely describe the sound as having a buzz or hiss to it. the fipple part was pretty crooked and rough...and they were a bit out of tune, as well.
but out of the blue, the maker (erle, screenname=syn whistles) saw the post and sent me a PM saying he wanted to check out the whistles, and that he'd send me some new ones. i was already impressed.
so the new ones came just this very afternoon, and i really like them. a lot. they're really comfortable to play. there is no buzz or hiss at all. the sound is less pure than my polymer dixon. it's just a little chiffy, but not at all breathy. the sound is pretty full, too. they're just lovely sounding whistles!
i'm happy just thinking about 'em.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:02 pm

Thanks for the feedback! I feel a lot better knowing that the maker is available, and will address any problems. I've heard enough good things to go ahead and get the C/D set, heck, maybe the Eb too for a few bucks more!

Kingfisher · Post by **Kingfisher** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:35 pm

I have the D/C set in aluminum and a lovely C made from Lancewood. The lancewood is more focused and clearer than the aluminum. I use the C tube , almost exclusively, on the aluminum. It's just much nicer , IMO , than the D.

Have a Great Day and Fun Whistling !!

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:07 pm

I am a Sweet Synner.

My best whistles are
Sweet D (maple)
Syn C# (alum.)
Syn C (ozzie lancewood)
Syn B (alum)
Syn Bb (ozzie lancewood head/alum. body)

I have no intention of acquiring any other whistles in these keys.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:01 am

The Syn is a very individual instrument - no 2 are alike. This can be said of nearly all hand-made instruments (I say nearly just to accomodate the minor possibility of a statistical exception). All Syns I have tried are excellent players with individual characters - I like that

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:35 am

michael_coleman wrote:Some will kill me for saying this, but my syn C reminds me of a Susato C which is another great C whistle. The differences are the Syn is not as loud as the Susato and maybe a bit more balanced between the octaves, but the Susato is fairly balanced as well. I almost never play my Syns anymore...mostly because its Holy Week.

You must be joking

And you probably knew that I would kill you for this. I do not like Susato at all. I think they resemble cheap taiwanese recorders with whistle fingering.
The Syn on the other hand is my main instrument for stage and recording work. They are not comparable with Susato.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:01 am

The Syn is a fine whistle...I have two, an early model, and his later model.

Not to disagree with Henke, but Susato and Syn are very much in the same family of whistle design. The Syn is much easier to play, however, and is a much more forgiving whistle.

A Susato in the hands of a skilled player can sound very similar to a Syn, but can be driven very hard and will take extremely aggressive play. The catch on the Susato is it takes years of dedicated work to master; however, you'll be sounding good on your Syn the first day you get it.

The great thing about the Syn, in my opinion, is the combination of being very sweetly voiced and being able to be pushed gives it a very cheerful, happy sound. It's an easy whistle to become friends with.

--James

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:24 am

It's okay for you to disagree with me James, really

The problem I have with Susato is not it's unforgiving quality, I have loads of other instruments with this same quality, and if it means in the end that the instrument is more versatile than it otherwise would have been, it's worth working on it. The problem I have with Susato though is it's sound alone. I've heard great players play a Susato, and yes it does sound very good in terms of the instruments response, versatility and so on, but it still sounds like a budget recorder, and I will never get over this.
The Syn lacks that certain "hroooouuuungh" which results in it having a nice whistle sound. I would agree that it sounds more like a Susato than a Shaw, but still different enough for it to be my favourite whistle versus the Susato being one of the whistles I dislike the most.

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 7:29 am

Mitch wrote:The Syn is a very individual instrument - no 2 are alike. This can be said of nearly all hand-made instruments (I say nearly just to accomodate the minor possibility of a statistical exception). All Syns I have tried are excellent players with individual characters - I like that

I don't care what you say. I have got the Syns I need and I am not getting more just because they might sound different to the ones I have. You're going to have to do better than that to get my business.

shadeclan · Post by **shadeclan** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:49 am

Henke wrote: The problem I have with Susato is not it's unforgiving quality, I have loads of other instruments with this same quality, and if it means in the end that the instrument is more versatile than it otherwise would have been, it's worth working on it. The problem I have with Susato though is it's sound alone. I've heard great players play a Susato, and yes it does sound very good in terms of the instruments response, versatility and so on, but it still sounds like a budget recorder, and I will never get over this. . .

Come, Henke . . . join the plastic shaft Jihad!

michael_coleman · Post by **michael_coleman** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:12 pm

Henke wrote:
michael_coleman wrote:Some will kill me for saying this, but my syn C reminds me of a Susato C which is another great C whistle. The differences are the Syn is not as loud as the Susato and maybe a bit more balanced between the octaves, but the Susato is fairly balanced as well. I almost never play my Syns anymore...mostly because its Holy Week.
You must be joking
And you probably knew that I would kill you for this. I do not like Susato at all. I think they resemble cheap taiwanese recorders with whistle fingering.
The Syn on the other hand is my main instrument for stage and recording work. They are not comparable with Susato.

Sorry, Henke...I knew for some reason you would probably chime in...but they are similar beasts, more comparable than a Shaw. I was going to say that the Syn seems like an improved Susato, but I don't know if I can say that since it really depends on who's hands they are in. Besides, like I said I haven't really played my Syns in a while.