I know I'm beating a dead horse here...

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:10 pm

The only catch is that with my Burke brass narrow bore, you have to use oxx|xox for cross-fingered C-natural; oxx|ooo is very sharp.

On my aluminum session bore Burke, oxx|ooo is decently in tune.

Both are very sweet whistles with a very easy upper octave.

The main difference to my ear is that the tone of the narrow bore brass is a bit more focused and the bell note is a bit stronger than on the aluminum session bore.

Both are excellent whistles!

--James

judith · Post by **judith** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:12 pm

I believe there is a Hudson Winds D whistle for sale on Doc Jone's website - under $150. There is also a video of Tony Hinnigan playing a couple of Hudson Winds. I like all of the whistles others have mentioned. Kerry whistles also has some whistle reviews/sound files. Good luck. Judith
http://www.irishflutestore.com/newsite/
http://tonyhinnigan.com/moviedl.php?group=29#

Pyroh · Post by **Pyroh** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:34 am

Bigwig: I´d suggest an Overton over Burke - Burkes seem to me like cheap whistle made perfect - it´s got very good sound, it´s very responsive, everything´s good - on the other hand, Overton sounds to me like another class of whistles really. When I played Burke, it felt really good. When I played (and play) Overton, it´s...it feels like part of me. What I really dislike on Burkes is lack of backpressure.

Colin Goldie makes custom whistles, so it´s not a good idea to buy it from the shop. On the other hand, that means it will take some time to make it.

So - my choice would be an Overton, but Burke is definitely good too.

bonnieb · Post by **bonnieb** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:28 am

I also am new to the whistle and to this group. I have several cheapies too. Been there done that! There is no place close by me to go try out whistles.

I am absolutely hooked on the whistle. I am not sure how it happened, but I love it. I have even made two whistles that I very playable and my instructor was amazed that I could do it. Got the idea on here. Thanks guys!

I am very seriously looking at buying a Burke. My whistle instructor (yes I am taking whistle/fiddle lessons now) has a Snidt. She really likes it, but she stated that it plugs up to quick. It sounds beautiful and produces very clear true notes.

I bought a used Kerry Songbird and although it has a beautiful sound to it when I play it, it takes to much air for me. It may be just me, but I run out of air quickly with this whistle. So if anyone is looking for a Kerry Songbird in D, I will sell it.

I bought a Burke Low D Viper from Doc on here. My instructor was very pleased and commented that I had done my homework. I love the sound I get out of it. I just need to work on keeping the hole covered up on my ring finger lower hand. I am determined.

This whistle sounds too good when I get it right to give up on.

I am going with Burke DBSBT. If it is as easy to get the true notes out of it and sound as good as the Viper, I want one!

All that said, i wish you the best of luck and "Happy Tooting"

Good Luck,
Bonnie

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:26 am

On Overtons, I agree they are a different class of whistle and over budget for the OP. To me the Overton is just about perfect. Mine have been in tune with great intonation and capable of dark and reedy as well as sweet tones, it's the players option. Plus, it had ample back pressure so I never had a problem overblowing. Try playing flute for an hour and then pick up a Burke. It's like tip toeing through the tulips in terms of not over blowing because of non existant back pressure.

The one that got away was a Thin Weasel in blackwood that I sold to fund a flute. It had the dark and reedy tone nailed, was louder than my Overton; and that's saying something, and had good back pressure.

So, I'm still looking. I have a Sindt on order (BTW as of two days ago they were $105 plus $8 for shipping and a four month wait). I have a Reyburn session wide bore ($110) due any day.

So if you know of a whistle that has a rock solid, loud bell note and doesn't slip into the second octave too easily, has that dark reedy tone with an edge and has session volume, good back pressure and costs less than $400, let me know.

For the OP, I would suggest the Reyburn Hi D session or the Hudson Winds that Doc has for $139. Cheers, Cyril.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 11:24 am

I agree the Overton is in a class by itself.

That said, this isn't a "put in a quarter and it plays itself" whistle.

Expect to spend some time and possibly some frustration getting to know the whistle.

Your efforts will be wonderfully rewarded!

--James

The Laughing Imp · Post by **The Laughing Imp** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:37 pm

riverman wrote:I have to put in a word for Burkes. They are notoriously in tune, and very forgivable--very easy to play. I have two, and they are my best. The brass ones have a more complex sound, the aluminum a brighter, purer sound. You can't go wrong with 'em.

I concur. Beautiful instruments. I would only add that there is a difference between the session vs. the narrow bore as well. Burke's narrow bore whistles are effortless to play in the higher octaves but softer than the sessions. I find that the sessions require a bit of back pressure when articulating notes in the high octaves, like high G, A, and B. Otherwise the articulated beat is squelch-like, not sweet. Sessions LOVE to be played loud, but then that's what makes them great for sessions.

~Douglas

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:20 pm

judith wrote:I believe there is a Hudson Winds D whistle for sale on Doc Jone's website - under $150. There is also a video of Tony Hinnigan playing a couple of Hudson Winds. I like all of the whistles others have mentioned. Kerry whistles also has some whistle reviews/sound files. Good luck. Judith
http://www.irishflutestore.com/newsite/
http://tonyhinnigan.com/moviedl.php?group=29#

I have a Hudson on loan/purchase, and I love it.

cadancer · Post by **cadancer** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:14 am

Reyburn $110.00 should be considered. I love mine.

For your $150.00 (actually $140.00 I believe) you could get a Reyburn C/D set. It comes with one head and two bodies.

http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssni ... rePatO.mp3

The Collarbone of a Hair... Pat O'Scannell playing Reyburn's new Session D with backup on keyboard by Don Harriss. ...Ronaldo Reyburn...8/06/07

Best wishes,

John

tegea · Post by **tegea** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:51 am

I own many cheapies and only one high-end whistle, a Burke DBSBT. It has a pure, full and round tone that I love, and is easy to play in the higher octave, but I have to pay attention to my breath for the high A and above. Sure the narrow bore should be easier for this matter.

Now, from all I read above, I would like very much to purchase an aluminium narrow bore.

I have a question : Micheal Burke also builds some composite whistle that are said to have a beautiful complex tone. I saw good comments on the high D narrow bore. Did someone experimented one of those composite Burkes ?

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:23 am

Hello Thierry,

Doc Jones is a Burke dealer and is expert on the subject. His email is: http://irishflutestore.com/

Best
Cyril

pancelticpiper · Post by **pancelticpiper** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:29 am

Pyroh's comment hits the nail on the head: "Burkes seem to me like a cheap whistle made perfect." I wouldn't have worded it that way, but that is exactly what I like about them.
I started playing Irish music in the 1970s, and the Generation sound WAS the Irish sound. All the great Irish players I listened to played Generations, and to sound like them, you played Generations. Whenever I heard American-made neo-whistles (the first I can remember being Susatos around 1980) they never sounded like a WHISTLE. They always sounded like they were trying to sound like something else, like they were chasing a foreign tonal ideal, trying to sound like a Boehm flute, or a recorder, or a Native American flute, or anything OTHER than a whistle. And, when you went to sessions, the fact that someone was playing an American-made neo-whistle virtually guaranteed that they were clueless about Irish music.
So, when I picked up a Burke for the first time a few months ago, what impressed me was that it sounded like a WHISTLE. But rather than "cheap whistle made perfect" I might prefer to word it "traditional whistle made perfect." Note that a lot of Irish players like the Burke- there's a reason.
Now I must confess ignorance of the vast majority of the current crop of neo-whistles. Mr Nate brings up a number of makers, Sindt, Hoover, "Humphry", and Reyburn, that I've heard great things about but I have no experience with. So, my recommendation of Burkes comes with the caveat that I'm ignorant of many current whistle makers. But I don't for a minute think that the money spent on my Burkes was a "waist".
About CranberryDog's comment about wanting a whistle that "doesn't slip into the second octave too easily", that's exactly what I do want, a whistle that nimbly crosses the octaves without having to tongue out the notes.

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:45 am

pancelticpiper wrote: About CranberryDog's comment about wanting a whistle that "doesn't slip into the second octave too easily", that's exactly what I do want, a whistle that nimbly crosses the octaves without having to tongue out the notes.

From the experieces you describe, you have never played a whistle with any significant back pressure. One of the attributes of back pressure is not slipping into the second octave when you DON"T want to. It has nothing to do with smoothness; Overtons for example are one of the smoothest; as are Copelands, Reyburns, and Sindts. There are reasons why Mary Bergin switched from Generations to Sindts.

Glad you like your Burkes. I have owned several over the years and I think they are fine whistles; especially when one wants a pure tone. I actually prefer his composite whistles because they offer a more complex tone. Cheers and happy whistling, Cyril.

bigwig · Post by **bigwig** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:54 pm

Thanks so much for the help and responses! I appreciate the posts. Lol, I don't know if it's cleared up anything, though. I now have to choose between, primarily:

Sindt
Overton
Burke
Hudson

I think I'll someday probably end up with all of these eventually. I have to admit that I like the look of the burkes, overtons, and hudsons more than the sindts, though. I know, pretty terrible to choose a whistle based on look but when so many people swear by the sounds of all of them look may be what helps me decide which one to buy. I'm emailing some places to find out what the wait is on these. Maybe I'll just go on which one I can get first (another reason not to get the sindt on the 4 month waiting list--by that time I may have the money for another anyway).

Thanks for the help!

Chiff and Fipple Forums

I know I'm beating a dead horse here...

Thanks for the responses!