Finally Bought a Wooden Low D
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 5:18 am
Being a fan of wooden whistles I have been searching for a wooden low D for many months. The exchange rate between Australia and the rest of the whistle making world dampened my enthusiasm to buy one from overseas. I eventually found a local maker in Benedict Stewart who has made me a wonderful wooden low D which has some interesting aspects.
The first thing to note is that the wood is rock maple which I assume is familiar to the North American members. That means it’s extraordinary light, weighing in on my kitchen scales at 122 grams. By way of comparison my MK Pro weighs in on the same scales at 232 grams. That can’t be correct I hear you say. I checked 3 times.
The whistle maker (Ben) describes the wood as
“Rock Maple (American/Canadian Hard Maple - Acer saccharum) is a cousin to
the European Maple used by violin makers and has been a favoured material by
instruments makers of many genre; wind, percussion and stringed throughout
history and to this contemporary time. It is stable, robust and has a tight
grain, it is light in weight compared to other timber matching its
properties, it ages to a honey gold hue and of course for our current age,
is plantation grown.”
The other interesting aspect is that when I explained that I like easy blowing whistles with not too much pressure Ben suggested a Delrin block instead of the Cedar block he generally uses in order to provide less resistance when blowing. The beauty of this is that a cedar block can be retrofitted at a later date if I wish. The result is that I now have a low D that has a very easy blowing high B. With my other whistles (other than the Killarney High D) the high B note for someone of my limited talent requires tonguing or really concentrating before I play the note to get a respectable sound.
As for how it sounds that’s hard to explain. Also I have only played it for a limited time as I have to play it in 15 minute lots twice a day for 3 to 4 weeks etc. It’s certainly a different sound to the MK. Similar volume I think slightly quieter by a touch. Maybe - not really sure. Certainly sweeter in the higher octave. Sounds like a low D. I haven’t ever been up close and personal with a wooden Irish flute - I assume it had some of those sound characteristics.
Once I have played it in I will probably come up with a better description of the way it sounds.
Finally the workmanship is exquisite.
Cheers
The first thing to note is that the wood is rock maple which I assume is familiar to the North American members. That means it’s extraordinary light, weighing in on my kitchen scales at 122 grams. By way of comparison my MK Pro weighs in on the same scales at 232 grams. That can’t be correct I hear you say. I checked 3 times.
The whistle maker (Ben) describes the wood as
“Rock Maple (American/Canadian Hard Maple - Acer saccharum) is a cousin to
the European Maple used by violin makers and has been a favoured material by
instruments makers of many genre; wind, percussion and stringed throughout
history and to this contemporary time. It is stable, robust and has a tight
grain, it is light in weight compared to other timber matching its
properties, it ages to a honey gold hue and of course for our current age,
is plantation grown.”
The other interesting aspect is that when I explained that I like easy blowing whistles with not too much pressure Ben suggested a Delrin block instead of the Cedar block he generally uses in order to provide less resistance when blowing. The beauty of this is that a cedar block can be retrofitted at a later date if I wish. The result is that I now have a low D that has a very easy blowing high B. With my other whistles (other than the Killarney High D) the high B note for someone of my limited talent requires tonguing or really concentrating before I play the note to get a respectable sound.
As for how it sounds that’s hard to explain. Also I have only played it for a limited time as I have to play it in 15 minute lots twice a day for 3 to 4 weeks etc. It’s certainly a different sound to the MK. Similar volume I think slightly quieter by a touch. Maybe - not really sure. Certainly sweeter in the higher octave. Sounds like a low D. I haven’t ever been up close and personal with a wooden Irish flute - I assume it had some of those sound characteristics.
Once I have played it in I will probably come up with a better description of the way it sounds.
Finally the workmanship is exquisite.
Cheers