Bracker Whistle Tour 2013

[hans]

Hi Hans,
I take it the UK/Euro tour isn't going ahead

I hope there will be a tour, but it won't be just now. Perhaps one can start in a month or two.

[Feadoggie]

So I’ve got the Bracker tour whistles here this week. I have only had a couple opportunities to play them for any length of time and that was not enough time for these whistles. Before I go any further I would like to thank Hans for sending these whistles out on tour. Thanks, Hans. Hans has offered up one of his low D whistles with two different bodies as well as his standard bore high D whistle for C&F tour participants to play.



I have wanted to try his instruments for some time and this tour may have been the only way that I would have had to try one short of making a purchase sight unseen. I don’t get out and around as much as I once did and I have not seen or heard one of these whistles yet here on the east coast of the US.

The cliff notes version of my observations is that Hans is making good whistles. They both have strong voices with plenty of character and good response. I like them.

Both whistles are made entirely of aluminum tube except for a delrin plug. Both use the classic three piece head configuration where a channel in the head tube forms the windway, the plug fills the head tube and forms the windway floor and a separate piece of aluminum forms the outer mouthpiece as well as the roof of the windway. Both whistles use an external tube for the tuning slide barrel. There is a cork lining on the bodies to cushion metal on metal contact in the slides. One obvious visual difference between the high and low whistles is the use of organ ears around the window on the low D.

Hans also supplied fabric sleeves for both whistles and the extra low D body. Hans protects the corks of each bodies with a polymer sleeve that has a certain Schweppervesence to it.

The low D is bold and is a bit louder than many low D whistles. You aren’t going to hide in the corner with this whistle. It will get noticed. The timbre is full and plenty cosmic enough for my tastes. Tuning is very good. Response is very good too. Solid fingering results in a nearly percussive effect between notes. I like that.



The Bracker low whistle blows freely and unconstrained. There is no noticeable back pressure. The window on the Bracker is wider than some low D’s which likely contributes to the good volume and strength of the voice. But it does use a little more air than some whistles as a result. That took some getting used to on my part. The breath curve is predictable and smooth from low to high. There was no inadvertent octave flipping on the low D. I could lean on the low notes without concern of getting very pitchy either. High notes do not require hard pushing either. Consequently the dynamic range of the whistle is better than most making this whistle capable of expressive play.



The sound of the two bodies is the same to my ears. Hole size and spacing is the same to my eyes. The C natural hole on the one tube was well tuned, strong and well place for my thumb. But I did not rely on it since the tuning was good with my customary cross fingerings and half-holing. I found the tube with the in-line holes very comfortable when played with piper’s grip right out of the gate. I favored that tube for playing. The body with the offset holes did not fit me well I am afraid. I could not play it without piper’s grip unless I used my pinky for the bottom hand. I had to place my wrists at an uncomfortable angle to use the piper’s grip which was exacerbated when covering the C natural hole. But YMMV, we all have different sized hands and fingers.

Here is a sound file, but really, the Bracker low whistle sounds better than this. You feel it in the belly as you play it. https://www.box.com/s/pgaetntvjemwnoy26084

I do not really have many criticisms of this low whistle. I like the whistle. Fit and finish is good although there are some tell tale signs of hand work all over the whistle. The serial number and the whistle key are engraved freehand on the underside of the components.

The Bracker Standard high D is a cracker of a whistle. I really like this whistle. It is a very chirpy whistle. Again, this whistle won’t allow you to hide in the corner. It has a good voice and a nice crisp tone. Dynamics again are very good. I could get used to having one of these whistles in my bag.



My only nit with the high D is that this particular whistle has a slide which is less firm than the low D. It did move as I played it. That had me wondering about the tuning until I realized I was pushing the slide in as I played. Again easily remedied.



I recorded a quick soundclip. https://www.box.com/s/mayoz3ps7vvzkxv7cjiw

Here’s a special note on condensation with these whistles. The temps are cool here this week. So I did expect that whistles with aluminum heads would show some condensation build up. Well, they did just that. But interestingly enough it did not cause any disruptions with playing. The head design seems to shed the moisture along the sides of the outer mouthpiece without clogging the whistle. The high D was really dripping but it had no effect on my playing. That is pretty neat, well actually it was kind of sloppy and drippy but it was rather nifty in its own way.

So all in all, Hans is making good whistles and they are well worth giving a try. Thank you Hans for letting me test them out. I’ll try to remember to include the high D in the package before I post it on to the next tourist.

Feadoggie

[retired]

Marcus Hernon's Air - - how many points do I get for that ? good review as always Feadoggie, looking forward to my turn. Carry on !

[Flexismart]

Not many.....

Poll Ha'Penny
http://thesession.org/tunes/841

[hans]

Thanks for your review Feadoggie, the pics and sound samples, and for getting this US tour started!

"schweppervesence" - I had to look this one up:
- Can describe the simplicity of something, since Schweppes is known for being simple.
As this little sleeve protector is made from the green PE of a carbonated water bottle, and a bit of Scotch tape, a very apt description!

Regards the slide on the high D tour whistle: this of course should not be too loose to cause the body to slide upwards while playing. I did not notice this when sending off this whistle. One layer of PTFE plumbers tape on top of the cork sheet should fix this, if it proves a problem for tour participants.

The cork sheet is the most delicate part of my whistles. It is quite a thin (0.4-0.6mm) layer of TechCork, a cork and synthetic rubber compound used in the musical instruments industry, much tougher than pure cork sheeting. Since the wall of the alu tubing is fairly thin (1.0-1.2mm), it does not allow a thick cork sheet, even when cutting a recess into the tenon. But I think it is worth it. One simple alternative is PTFE tape, but using such would need more maintenance.

[Peter Duggan]

The cliff notes version of my observations is that Hans is making good whistles. They both have strong voices with plenty of character and good response. I like them.

Have to say (owning recent Bracker whistles at eleven pitches including both low and high D) I concur with almost everything in Feadoggie's excellent review. But (acknowledging that we're all different) I was still surprised by the comment on air requirement and might be able to help illuminate a couple of further points...

The window on the Bracker is wider than some low D’s which likely contributes to the good volume and strength of the voice. But it does use a little more air than some whistles as a result. That took some getting used to on my part.

While Hans's windways are wide, they're also very shallow and I'd personally rate them pretty economical for air requirements.

High notes do not require hard pushing either.

Does the tour low D have a constriction in the head joint?

My only nit with the high D is that this particular whistle has a slide which is less firm than the low D.

Not typical of my experience when Hans likes a firm slide, I've sent two or three bodies back for easing up, but never had one that's too slack.

[hans]

Does the tour low D have a constriction in the head joint?

Yes. It is very similar to yours, Peter. Same window dimensions etc. I made both heads at the same time, one after the other.

[Cayden]

So all in all, Hans is making good whistles and they are well worth giving a try. Thank you Hans for letting me test them out. I’ll try to remember to include the high D in the package before I post it on to the next tourist.

Feadoggie

Feadoggie,
Great work on this review as alway, and super job with the photography as well! All that said, don't make me come looking for that high D that Hans was nice enough to send along.

After reading your review, I very much look forward to my time with these whistles.

Slainte,
Cayden

[maki]

Superb review, photos, music clips, great discriptions, the whole nine yards.
Looking foward to trying these whistles!

[Feadoggie]

Does the tour low D have a constriction in the head joint?

Yes, I did observe that was there and actually wrote a sentence about it and then thought better of it. Thinking that maybe it should be held as a mystery only to be discovered by the owners of Bracker whistles. I am sure it helps smooth out the second octave tuning.

I did not record a jig or reel with the low D but the Bracker low D does positively dance on those types of tunes and is as I said quite percussive if you want it to be.

But (acknowledging that we're all different) I was still surprised by the comment on air requirement and might be able to help illuminate a couple of further points...While Hans's windways are wide, they're also very shallow and I'd personally rate them pretty economical for air requirements.

Yes, the windway height is shallow, thankfully. But as I frequently say regarding whistle designs, it's all relative. The Bracker is a good whistle and it is very playable. But it does use a little more air than some of the other popular designs out there today, in my experience. I enjoyed playing dance tunes on the low D. Slower tunes with long notes were another matter and I had to be much more conscious of the air usage on those tunes. Given more time with the whistle I would have surely become accustomed to the difference. I don't want anyone to think that this low D is an air hog. It's not. It just isn't at the economical end of the spectrum in my book. I think Hans has a concept of what this whistle should be and overall his design choices have added up to a very bold and interesting instrument. I would not suggest he change anything.

Not typical of my experience when Hans likes a firm slide, I've sent two or three bodies back for easing up, but never had one that's too slack.

Regards the slide on the high D tour whistle: this of course should not be too loose to cause the body to slide upwards while playing. ... One layer of PTFE plumbers tape on top of the cork sheet should fix this, if it proves a problem for tour participants.

Yes, I didn't think this was the norm. The temps are cool here this week and things are compressed and shrunken. I was playing out of doors when this first came up. And as I said it is easily enough remedied. I was more careful after I noticed it. I really like the Bracker standard high D. It has a lot of pop to it. And of course, it has me wondering about the narrow bore, wide bore and extra-wide bore models. Hans, you may be offering too many choices!

And, Peter, I think it was your comments on the Bracker whistles that piqued my interest in trying Hans' whistles, so thanks for that.

Did Cayden say something about the high D? I couldn't quite make it out.

Feadoggie

[Peter Duggan]

Yes, I did observe that was there and actually wrote a sentence about it and then thought better of it. Thinking that maybe it should be held as a mystery only to be discovered by the owners of Bracker whistles. I am sure it helps smooth out the second octave tuning.

Think some mystery remains when I've no idea what he's done with the new low C/B/Bb etc. But he really came up trumps in improving an instrument I'd originally expressed some doubts about...

That said, I didn't like the two low Ds and one low C I tried quite so much, with just a hint of middle octave note I'd want cleaned out colouring the top (of the second octave) B, C# and D on the low Ds

And my low Eb (on the same 'HB 230' head and bore) is an absolute peach!

I don't want anyone to think that this low D is an air hog. It's not. It just isn't at the economical end of the spectrum in my book.

To be fair (having given this some more thought), it does take more air than my low E and smaller (where the tube gauge as well as bore seems to come into play)... but would still be a very pleasant surprise to someone coming from, say, a Chieftain V3!

I think Hans has a concept of what this whistle should be and overall his design choices have added up to a very bold and interesting instrument. I would not suggest he change anything.

If Hans could get every whistle's 'slurred octave transitions' (see my post quoted above) to match the high C I tried on my first visit, they'd be near as dammit perfect in my book, but (accepting that perfection's an elusive quest) they're still exciting me more than any others I've tried with every Bracker I've got my favourite whistle of that pitch. To which I might add that we never pursued the 'narrow bore' low Eb mooted in that post (NB my 20mm bore low E actually has a larger R2/R3 spacing than my 22mm bore Eb) and I eventually got them all without thumb holes but with varying degrees of custom offsets (influenced by my parallel 'flute' work with Dave Copley) for the G downwards.

I really like the Bracker standard high D. It has a lot of pop to it. And of course, it has me wondering about the narrow bore, wide bore and extra-wide bore models. Hans, you may be offering too many choices!

They're all good...

Did Cayden say something about the high D? I couldn't quite make it out.

You need to try the high Eb and E!

[stanton135]

All right all right, now I'm getting curious. Antsy might be a better word. Hans, when's my turn?!

[hans]

@stanton135: in a month or two I think. The tour is progressing geographically from East to West via the South or so (I think I said that already).

An update on the low D design:
I will be making future low D whistles with a solid "box" around the window, not the thin box the tour low D got. This does not change any of the tonal or playing characteristics, it is a purely aesthetic change.

Here are some pics of a new head, and the new head besides a current older one:

[kokopelli]

The new design looks more aerodynamic. It should improve the player's speed considerably by reducing drag.

This is what my education has done to me...

[hans]

The new design looks more aerodynamic. It should improve the player's speed considerably by reducing drag.

This is what my education has done to me...

Yes, for when you play on your motor bike!