Generation with green head?

[pancelticpiper]

This talk of various whistle colours reminds me of a conversation I had around 15 years ago with George Kelischek, of Susato.

The original Susato whistles came in two colours of ABS plastic: brown and ivory. They would be all of either, or mixed. I suppose the idea was that they would look like wood with ivory mounts.

He said that they sold well in the USA and especially in Japan but that in Ireland he got pushback: the Irish retailers all wanted the whistles to be black, entirely black.

Misha of MK Whistles said the same thing, that the Irish didn't like his red and green candy-like whistles, but wanted black or silver ones.

Which makes me wonder why Generation, Waltons, Feadog etc haven't all switched to black tops.

[fatmac]

Yeah, black, silver, brass, or aluminium seems to be my choice too, although I do have some coloured 'tops' as well.......

[AuLoS303]

Well to be honest, does the head colour make any difference? To the player maybe...

[Katharine]

This talk of various whistle colours reminds me of a conversation I had around 15 years ago with George Kelischek, of Susato.

The original Susato whistles came in two colours of ABS plastic: brown and ivory. They would be all of either, or mixed. I suppose the idea was that they would look like wood with ivory mounts.

He said that they sold well in the USA and especially in Japan but that in Ireland he got pushback: the Irish retailers all wanted the whistles to be black, entirely black.

I admit I hate that brown-and-white scheme all of the recorder makers use for their plastic instruments. I've thought it was ugly ever since I was a kid. (And, nobody is going to mistake my plastic recorders for high-end wood-and-ivory instruments, so why imitate them? To me it would make more sense to have an instrument in black or brown, then it could possibly pass for grenadilla or rosewood or something at least somewhat realistic in terms of an instrument I'm likely to own.) Just give me a plain-colored recorder. I don't even care if it's red or something, but ugh, the two-tone...

[AuLoS303]

Funnily enough I like the two tone of plastic recorders. Not so sure about Yamaha's new ecodear range which are just yellow and white. The white is proper white too, not cream. The yellow makes it look a cold colour. I think the yellow is supposed to look like boxwood, THE wood for early recorders.

[pancelticpiper]

I hate that brown-and-white scheme all of the recorder makers use for their plastic instruments...I don't even care if it's red or something, but ugh, the two-tone...

Exactly the thing: Kelischek is an Early Music guy, and the things that are "Susato whistles" today started out as modified recorders.

So yes brown plastic with "ivory" mouthpieces, or all-brown or all-ivory.

It's the same deal with Highland bagpipes: most of the chanters made today are plastic, and some entire sets of pipes too.

They nearly always are black, to sort of look like blackwood. I have a red chanter! If it's going to be plastic, let it look like plastic.

Some modern Scottish bagpipe chanters:

[Katharine]

Funnily enough I like the two tone of plastic recorders. Not so sure about Yamaha's new ecodear range which are just yellow and white. The white is proper white too, not cream. The yellow makes it look a cold colour. I think the yellow is supposed to look like boxwood, THE wood for early recorders.

Someone who has one told me there's no way you could mistake it for boxwood... it is apparently YELLOW.

I would have a craving for banana cream pie every time I pulled the thing out...

[AuLoS303]

Someone who has one told me there's no way you could mistake it for boxwood... it is apparently YELLOW.

I would have a craving for banana cream pie every time I pulled the thing out...

Ah now I'm hungry...

[Katharine]

Someone who has one told me there's no way you could mistake it for boxwood... it is apparently YELLOW.

I would have a craving for banana cream pie every time I pulled the thing out...

Ah now I'm hungry...

I know! I don't even like banana cream pie that much, but I can't even look at a picture of the thing without wanting it, lol.

[Dan A.]

Banana cream pie...no, thanks. Put me down for lemon meringue pie, though.

[AuLoS303]

Banana cream pie...no, thanks. Put me down for lemon meringue pie, though.

Oh now you're talking!

[Katharine]

Aaaaaabsolutely. (It's just that that recorder doesn't say "lemon" to me. Not bright-yellow enough.)