Chiff and Fipple Forums

I follow these on instagram. They look really nice!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEO1ysj0fH/

The maker posts here occasionally, or did so in the past. They (the maker and his wife) seem nice and are making an effort. I have looked at their website and remember thinking the whistles were priced in a way that didn't exactly invite a purchase to satisfy curiosity into a completely unknown entity.

I've recently ordered an Anak alto A and high D made of aluminum with wooden heads. They should be here in about two weeks or a bit sooner. They have posted many nice sound samples.

I also follow them on Instagram. I’m considering trying out low D. Kindacwish the sound samples they post included some faster reels and jigs, but it’s mostly slow airs and whatnot.

There aren't any fast tunes on their sound samples, but the ones they have up are really well done. I've always wanted an aluminum whistle with a wooden head similar to the old Reyburns, though the old Reyburns were brass. There is a sound clip on YouTube form Japan. Look for: Hatao Anak whistle review. He plays fast tunes on the Anak high D around the middle of the clip. His Japanese translates to: The Anak whistle from South Korea uses a wooden head, so as expected, it produces a very sweet sound.
Hatao is a member of this fourm. He is a very good player.

So I took the leap and ordered one. I’ll report back when it arrives.

My Anak high D and mezzo A whistles arrived this weekend. They arrived exactly three weeks from the date of purchase. Communication response and regular updates were excellent, including pictures of the actual whistles made for me.

Anak specializes in combining a wooden head with an aluminum body. The whistles have a beautiful, clear voice. Octave change is smooth and easy. OXX OOO is very much in tune. Playing characteristics resemble the Burke, especially the air requirement. (Some people call it back pressure.) Higher notes are sweeter than the Burke in my Anak whistles. Volume is medium, which I prefer. The wooden heads are very well crafted and comfortable. There are no issues with clogging. Both the D and A are very well made with attention to detail, including etched designs on the tube that are attractive and subtle. The tuning slide works easily with a scored ring mark for reference. I tune my whistles about 1/8 inches above the mark. I am more than pleased with these whistles. I actually have a high C in transit from South Korea at the moment.

Hi All. I just ordered a high D Anak (blackwood head, aluminum body). I was quoted a 10-day wait/shipping, so maybe they're more caught up on production currently. I'll post my thoughts once I get it. I've been playing the same whistle (Humphrey) for several years, and this will be my first new whistle in quite a while.

-Brett

My Anak Low C came today. I've got plenty of Low D's, so I went for the non-traditional key. I"ll try to say more later, with a clip if I can. I'm in the middle of grading finals, so time is not as free as one might like. But a just a word or two. (Forgive in advance my attempt to describe.)

Absolutely sweet sound--somewhere between woody and breathy (but leaning toward woody more).
Requires less air than any other Low C I have (Overton, Burke, and Reviol), and you can push and pull back and forth on the notes with ease. I've got a Reyburn low D with wood fipple. This Anak isn't as loud as the brass Reyburn, but you also don't have to push it as much to reach the highest notes.
Medium volume.
Plays slow airs fine, of course, but is really responsive to faster tunes also. When you combine that with the low air requirement, it really is versatile.
This is a lovely whistle to play and to listen to (so says me and the main critic of the house--my wife--who will not say she she likes the sound unless she truly does). One of my favorite low whistles.

I just need another excuse to go buy more from them. Give me some time.

Would love for some of y'all to post your own sound samples of the Anaks. I do like the tone of the official samples.

jimhanks wrote:Would love for some of y'all to post your own sound samples of the Anaks. I do like the tone of the official samples.

I’m going to try to get a clip up in a couple weeks. (On break and away from home.)
The clips on the page, to my hearing, are true to the sound of the whistle.

khl wrote: I’m going to try to get a clip up in a couple weeks. (On break and away from home.)
The clips on the page, to my hearing, are true to the sound of the whistle.

Cool. Your description of the low C sounds right up my alley, but I'd probably start with a low Eb. I better learn how to play my Bb (first whistle!) first though.

Hi all. I received my Blackwood head - aluminum body, high-D Anak whistle this week. The design is really interesting and unique. It's a nice looking whistle. The upper octave sounds great. However, the lowest few notes of the lower octave jump to the upper octave too easily for my tastes. I've gotten very picky about this in the last few years.

I know achieving the perfect balance between the octaves is one of the hardest things about making a whistle and I've only found a few that were just right in many years of whistle buying. My Humphrey whistle (an older one, not the current model) continues to be the standard in that realm against which I judge any new whistles I try. To a lesser extent I've had an Abell and a Grinter that were close (with the highest notes of the upper octave being just a bit too hard to hit). I also have a Susato on which I blunted the blade edge slightly that's really good. <--- all high D whistles.

I was glad to get the chance to try out an Anak whistle, but mine is now on the Used Instrument Exchange if anyone wants to give it a try for less than the cost of brand new.

-Brett

This is worth mentioning, on their Facebook page they’ve posted about having 2 models of high D whistles, the S and M versions. This must be a new offering; I haven’t this listed as an option bedore now. Looking at the pictures, the tubing of the M version is slightly wider and shorter, also a wider window.

“Anak Whistle Wooden Head High D key.
(Irish tin Whistle Maker)
There are two versions of the Anak Whistle High D key.
.
(S) ver. It had a volume and breathing similar to Burke. You can easily make a sound with less breathing until 3 octaves. It is free from condensation.(No clogging)
Soft and sweet sound.
.
(M) ver. It is a breath similar to Susato. The volume is slightly smaller than Susato. (Two octaves are not sharp.) It is suitable for people who are playing other wind instruments because the bass is more comfortable. (For example saxophone, ocarina, pan flute, etc.). It also contains a sweet sound.”

Interesting. That isn't even on the order page yet. I commented on FB that a comparison video would be nice.