searching for 'MK'

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stiofan
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Tell us something.: I've been a C&Fer since 2003. Currently playing wooden flute & (mainly low) whistles, along with the bowed dulcimer.
Location: Sonoma County, CA USA

Re: searching for 'MK'

Post by stiofan »

After ample deliberation (and stretching my budget a bit), I decided on another alternative, so just put in an order for an MK Pro F, rather than the low D. Since I already have an order in for a new Goldie low D, I figured this would be a good compromise. I'm hopeful that Colin will do his magic and create a low D that suits my playing style with some particular playing features I'm interested in, and I'm excited to soon have one of Misha's whistles in hand. In the meantime, I've been playing an Alba F that recently arrived in the post. Whoa!
cailencampbell
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Re: searching for 'MK'

Post by cailencampbell »

I own and play both MK pro and Goldie low D's and I'd echo most of what has already been said, especially by pancelticpiper and Hooleh. I have heard the MK signature tone described as "smokey" and I resonate with that, perhaps more flutelike compared to the Goldie's so-called "cosmic drainpipe" (which I also love). I also favor the MK at sessions and the Goldie through a mic. The MK's have a reputation for being hard to hold, I think due to the slickness of the matte anodized finish. I wish Misha would still offer the glossy finish which offers a better grip, but he says he doesn't want to spend so much time polishing whistles. My low D was a second that has a finish somewhere between the matte and the glossy, but I had to put electrical tape on my MK low F and A. I love both of those low D's and feel that they each fill a functional niche in my arsenal. The MK low F was my first whistle, and I'm sure you will love it as well (I also have a Goldie low F, though...both/and I am)
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stiofan
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Tell us something.: I've been a C&Fer since 2003. Currently playing wooden flute & (mainly low) whistles, along with the bowed dulcimer.
Location: Sonoma County, CA USA

Re: searching for 'MK'

Post by stiofan »

Thanks for your input, Cailen. Misha mentioned to me that there were some health/safety issues with the manufacturing process of the polished finish, but is working on bringing back the polished version in the not too distant future. The Goldie low D I just let go of had a brushed aluminum alloy finish, which I really liked.

I sure am looking forward to getting the MK low F in my hands...as soon as it gets out of US Customs. It took only 2 days shipping time to get from Glasgow to San Francisco, but (according to the USPS) has yet to be released from customs after almost a week! I know it's a busy time of the year, but I'm just hoping it's not being held up for some inane importing or security reason.
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pancelticpiper
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Tell us something.: Playing Scottish and Irish music in California for 45 years.
These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format.
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Re: searching for 'MK'

Post by pancelticpiper »

stiofan wrote: I suppose the only real solution is to play an MK and Goldie side by side to compare them first-hand.
Yes indeed! Words, and listening to others play, is no substitute for actually playing things.

I went through around a half-dozen MKs (all tunable) and each had slightly different characteristics. The keeper was the one with the strongest Bottom D which also had the sweetest high notes.
stiofan wrote: I may opt to replace the Goldie I have now...he's made some design upgrades since then and can offer a bit more flexibility...
I recently tried a new Goldie Low D which played similarly to the Lofgren Low D I used to have, sweeter high notes and more powerful low notes than my present Goldie Low D. But this improved performance came at a price: both were less air-efficient than my incredibly efficient older Goldie, signed "Feb 2011" and stamped "M".

Another whistle that plays like that is my Overton Low C inscribed "Colin Goldie Feb 1999 for Aarian Carr". I can put that head on my 2011 Goldie D and it plays great, strengthening the low notes, sweetening the high notes, and taking more air to play.
stiofan wrote: in 2007 he only offered soft, medium, and hard blowers--now he says there's more like seven grades of backpressure
Wow. It would be wonderful to have all seven laid out on a table and spend and hour playing them all. How much I could learn! But I will never get that opportunity.
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
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