Which Burke whistle should I get?

The Ultimate On-Line Whistle Community. If you find one more ultimater, let us know.
User avatar
inkygirl
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:01 am
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Which Burke whistle should I get?

Post by inkygirl »

I was delighted when my mom-in-law offered to fund the purchase of a Burke penny whistle as a Christmas gift (my whistle teacher has advised that I get a Burke) so I am going to get one of these D whistles:

http://www.burkewhistles.com/index2.htm

They are all the same price. I have no idea how to pick. Any advice appreciated!

Thanks,

Debbie
Debbie Ridpath Ohi - Freelance writer, musician, illustrator
http://www.electricpenguin.com/ohi/
User avatar
PhilO
Posts: 2931
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: New York

Post by PhilO »

My personal favorite and every day player is the Burke wide bore brass black tip model. The aluminum is also fine, but the brass is a bit darker in tone and I prefer that. Enjoy.

Philo
"This is this; this ain't something else. This is this." - Robert DeNiro, "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
User avatar
chas
Posts: 7701
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
Location: East Coast US

Post by chas »

ACK!!! He's stopped offering the old-style wide-bore brass again! I have two non-wood, non-Weasel whistles that I'll take to the grave: The Burke WBB and the Harper C. I've owned a few other Burke D whistles, and none of them compare to the WBB. The difference between the old-style and the new ones is that the old one had some brass in the windway, and obviously a different windway shape -- less taper and a couple of sharp points where the Delrin met the brass. It added a ton of character to the sound.

That said, I'd recommend the Brass Session. I found that the Al session was a little tinny and pure for my taste. I had a brass narrow-bore, and its sound is very sweet, plus I never found a cross-fingering for the Cnat that was to my taste. The brass session has more warmth than the aluminum and not as sweet a sound as the NBB. There may be some actual volume difference between the session and NB, but I never heard any apparent difference due to the more penetrating nature of the NB sound.
Charlie
Whorfin Woods
"Our work puts heavy metal where it belongs -- as a music genre and not a pollutant in drinking water." -- Prof Ali Miserez.
thirdfipple
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:02 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Indiana

fwiw

Post by thirdfipple »

I have the DBSBT and like it very much.
User avatar
Congratulations
Posts: 4215
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 6:05 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Charleston, SC
Contact:

Post by Congratulations »

I don't think you'd do wrong by any of them. I have a DAN that is among my favorite whistles.

I'd also recommend the Cn hole, if you have that opportunity. It doesn't bother me in the slightest, and it's VERY convenient. You can tape it over if you don't like it.
oh Lana Turner we love you get up
User avatar
whistlekin
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:15 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by whistlekin »

Hi Debbie,
I just ordered a DAN from Mike (in the mail). Here are two websites that have info/opinion about his whistles.

http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/w ... /burke.htm

and on this page you can check out a sound sample of each-
http://www.songsea.com/tinwhist.htm

Good luck!
-W
User avatar
inkygirl
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:01 am
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Toronto
Contact:

THANK YOU!!!

Post by inkygirl »

Wow, thanks SO much for the great advice; it's much appreciated.

:-)

Debbie
Debbie Ridpath Ohi - Freelance writer, musician, illustrator
http://www.electricpenguin.com/ohi/
User avatar
inkygirl
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:01 am
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by inkygirl »

A newbie question: What's the sound difference between a narrow bore and wide bore?
Debbie Ridpath Ohi - Freelance writer, musician, illustrator
http://www.electricpenguin.com/ohi/
User avatar
PhilO
Posts: 2931
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: New York

Post by PhilO »

This changes maker to maker, type to type, and whistle to whistle, but I think the general perception or tendency is that wide bore may be a bit louder and have more fullness while narrow may be more responsive.

Philo
"This is this; this ain't something else. This is this." - Robert DeNiro, "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
Michael Burke
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2001 6:00 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Contact:

Post by Michael Burke »

Hi Chas
Just to let you know that I still have about 20 or so of the D-WBB in stock, but I have taken them out of the catalog because they confuse so many new buyers and I think that they have a more limited audience of customers if that is the right word. :)
20 whistles is not enough to bother with compared to my other models, but I keep them around for replacements and the occasional person that remembers them and wants that exact model.
I know what you mean about the sound. I was repairing one recently and the airy sound is not at all like the new purer sounding ones. I personally like the new ones better as do most of my customers, but they do have a quality that is appealing and I enjoying playing one now and then. The thing is that I had a lot of complaints from people that said it clogged on them, something that the new ones hardly ever do. If I could figure out how to get one that sounded like that and also did not clog, I might make some more and offer them in the catalog.
Never fear, I will always keep parts for the DWBB for those that love them
and for those who might lose one, I can get you one in short order.
Happy New Year!
Mike
User avatar
chas
Posts: 7701
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
Location: East Coast US

Post by chas »

Michael Burke wrote:Never fear, I will always keep parts for the DWBB for those that love them
and for those who might lose one, I can get you one in short order.
I don't paln on losing mine, but I am breathing a sigh of relief.

Thanks for chiming in, Mike, it's always great to hear from you!
Charlie
Whorfin Woods
"Our work puts heavy metal where it belongs -- as a music genre and not a pollutant in drinking water." -- Prof Ali Miserez.
JPcares
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:34 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Baltimore, MD

Post by JPcares »

My son and daughters play Burke whistles. They have between them recent High D Session whistles in both Brass and Aluminum. They are different and both great whistles. I like the brass but it may be my daughters playing that make me prefer it. She also plays a low G composite which is GREAT!!!! Magical~~~And my son plays the new lowD Aluminum which is great also. We are VERY happy customers.
Adrian
Posts: 769
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:37 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Rhodope Mountains, Greece

Post by Adrian »

My Burkes DASBT and Ca are without doubt my favorite whistles
User avatar
Screeeech!!!
Posts: 415
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:15 am
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Out on the patio, sunbathing... ...i wish!

Post by Screeeech!!! »

I love my DASBT. :D

?
greg
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 3:23 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: boca raton fl

fs dasbt

Post by greg »

ive got a burke dasbt for sale if anyones intrested 100$ only a few months old and in perfect condition .bag included
Post Reply