New Whistle: Kerry Whistles Busker D

[RoberTunes]

The closeup photo out today of the new Kerry Whistle Busker D looks like a thick-walled, wide bore, tunable, large tone hole whistle that's probably loud, with a mouthpiece/window design not too far off Thunderbirds in appearance.

Would love to have some new reviews soon! I'd like to know the playability features, how it resists clogging, how it sounds in the highest and lowest notes, etc.

The first video out by Phil Hardy shows a whistle that's a full rich texture tone with lots of expressive range and peak power range available, so it takes a full range of wind power and the tone won't break apart if the air pressure goes lowest or highest (until absurd extremes are reached).

[Sedi]

Saw it in the newsletter. I wonder if it's different enough from my Thunderbird "mezzo D" to justify getting one. If it was a bit less loud than the mezzo D, I'd get one. If it's even louder, I won't. The only difference I can see from the pics is a shorter windway.

[bigsciota]

Here's the video for those interested:

https://www.kerrywhistles.com/post/a-bl ... m-the-past

I really hope someone can come up with a better explanation than I can for the final line/initialism of the post, because that would be disappointing/upsetting to me as someone who has generally liked the examples of Phil's handiwork that I've owned over the years.

[Sedi]

....

[ecadre]

I don't really want to prejudge a whistle, but I have questions about this one as it's called "Busker." The design is apparently (according to the video) one of the earlier versions of the Chieftain whistles, and it seems to be being marketed on volume alone.

A good busking whistle is rather more than raw volume.

1. Reasonably loud. Why just "reasonably"? Because I have to listen to it as well, and the top end on a louder whistle can get pretty loud, especially if you're wearing a sun hat.
2. Does not clog up in the cold. And I don't mean when it's truly freezing cold because at that point you're not sitting around playing the tin whistle, believe me. No, when it's a cooler Autumn day (or even summers day in these parts). How does it react at 15 degrees C. What about below 10 degrees C?
3. Wind. This is a big one. It matters not how loud a whistle might be, how lovely it sounds, how clog free it is etc, it is completely irrelevant if it cuts out in a breeze. This rules out an awful lot of tin whistles.

There are other things about it needing to be tough. This is a whistle that will be coming in and out of its bag or roll a great number of times and it will get fumbled etc.

I've never had much luck busking with all metal whistles. Aluminium is just too thermally conductive. It robs the heat from the air stream and the whistles clog. You get it nicely warmed up and then stop playing it for a couple of minutes and it's gone cold again. Some whistles will even struggle in the shade on a moderately warm summers day.

There are few whistles that will really perform well in a breeze, and hardly any in a moderate breeze. Frankly, Chieftain whistles have not been good in the wind in my experience. It's all very well playing it sat in an office and saying that they can hear you across the street, the acid test is playing it every day *in* that street.

Those are two huge questions that haven't been addressed about this whistle. Calling it "Busker" and saying it's loud is not enough, it needs to demonstrate other qualities too.

[Sedi]

Good points especially about the wind resistance. I never had a Thunderbird or Chieftain that was prone to clogging however. Not even when they were not yet warmed up.

[ecadre]

Good points especially about the wind resistance. I never had a Thunderbird or Chieftain that was prone to clogging however. Not even when they were not yet warmed up.

The only Chieftain I have now is one in A. I really like it, but it's a testament to having to to learn how a particular whistle needs to be played. I persevered with it and it's repaid me amply. It now feels very natural to play and has a solid tone, but it took a while.

However, it's useless in even a gentle breeze, and I give it a bit of washing-up solution down the windway which means it never clogs ... but i also never gets played outside.

PS. Actually, I say never, but it's been played on a few outdoor stages, but they've been well sheltered.

[PB+J]

Oh, I just googled it. That is disappointing. But I know another maker who is a big Trumpist. He still makes some nice whistles though (IMO some of the best) but I did have some arguments with him on FB. He remained on my friend-list and I learned a lot from him when it comes to my own whistle making. But I don't use FB anymore so I won't see all the stupid stuff people blubber about. People that I really liked, wrote the dumbest things about covid for example. Often, I don't really wanna know.

what was the objectionable thing?

[Sedi]

....

[PB+J]

The "wwg1" beneath one of his blog posts, which is used by the supporters of QAnon.
Edit: I checked again and he has now removed it from the post.

Yikes!

Ok that's one whistle manufacturer I won't be going to

[Sedi]

The only Chieftain I have now is one in A.

Did you own a mezzo D before and have you tried it in the wind? I think they might behave differently. I gotta test mine, next time I go for a walk. I did take the mezzo C once while going for a walk and yes, I think it did cut out in the wind. But I gotta give it another go.

[ecadre]

The "wwg1" beneath one of his blog posts, which is used by the supporters of QAnon.
Edit: I checked again and he has now removed it from the post.

Yikes!

Ok that's one whistle manufacturer I won't be going to

I think it's dangerous to jump to conclusions. Rural and small town Sussex is hardly a centre of Q Anon activism.

As far as I'm aware Mr Hardy has never expressed any political views with his company's website, and this would be a rather odd way to start doing it. It's not even the full initialism.

[Sedi]

....

[ecadre]

The only Chieftain I have now is one in A.

Did you own a mezzo D before and have you tried it in the wind? I think they might behave differently. I gotta test mine, next time I go for a walk. I did take the mezzo C once while going for a walk and yes, I think it did cut out in the wind. But I gotta give it another go.

No, but I tried one at the time I bought my A. That would be 2004 at Warwick Folk Festival, I think it was the Hobgoblin Music stall (that's most likely, but I forget). An acquaintance was looking at buying one for playing outdoors for clog/step dancing.

[Mr.Gumby]

I don't judge a whistle-maker by his political affiliations but by his whistles.

There's whole raft of Edmund Burke quotes that could go here.