First Impressions !!!!

[MarkB]

Mike Burke is the last throws of voicing and tweaking a patch of Low G Aluminum Pro whistles. I recieved one last Thursday night thanks to eubiedubie. AND thank you Mike!! Patience is a virture.

First impression is eye popping. This is a look good whistle. It is well finished no burrs, no sharp edges, the surface looks like silver. And it is light and easy to hold.

The finger stretch is not unreasonable and doesn't take much to get use to. It doesn't need a lot of extra air to play in the two octave range and it is quick with the fingers. Hitting the low G wasn't strenuous, working with my new Casey Burns flute helps alot with that end.

The sound is soft, clear and consistent up and down the scale. By soft, I mean not new age sweet, but rounded and full, making you want to play all your slow airs on this whistle.

Buried in our archives is a post that I acclaimed that I had successfully had overcome my WHoA disorder, with a purchase of Burke High D Brass Pro. Humbly accept my apologies for I have sinned, and now see the true light of a Low A, Bb in my future by Mike Burke.

For those who are waiting be patient, Mike is sincerely committed to producing the best whistle available. Overly conscious-- I don't think so. He signs every one, and cares deeply what you say about his whistles. In one email that we had, Mike said that is was Pat O'Riordan who he aspired to in whistle making, I think he has done that (I've owned a O'Riordan concert C/D set for five years and every time I play ithem I get asked whose whistle is that) Now they ask the same of Mike.

Engineering, craftsmanship and a big heart in believing in what he (MIke) is doing has given us who love playing the whistle a true work of art.,

Mark Bradley

[Whistleworks]

I would like to second Mark's comments. I literally have the largest set of Copeland whistles on the planet. Yes, I am spoiled rotten by the tone. I played a Burke high D on my first CD which was loaned to me by Dale Wisely. I was floored. You want to hear what I'm talking about? Go to Amazon.com and search on "Whistleworks" and then click on the tune "Medicine Bow" and hear for yourself. Fingerstyle guitarist El McMeen who played with me on the track included this tune VERBATUM with no adjustments in the mix on his new CD, The Lea Rig. I am not boasting about my playing here. The experience of playing Mike Burke's high D led me to an AL Pro high D aluminum of my own. I have since bought a B natural (yes, very unusual) in the same material and again, I am floored. I will be using his whistles extensively on my new CD project which has already started. Peter Ostroushko, the great fiddle/mandolin player of Prairie Home Companion fame told me that the Burke high d is a beaut. And he has the most discerning ears that I have ever seen. Enough about this. Get a Burke TODAY.

Bob Pegritz

[TonyHiggins]

I've been waiting since about last Christmas for my low G from Michael. Now, I'm getting psyched (or is it psycho?)
Tony

[MarkB]

Tony

Go to the kitchen and get a big paper bag. Breathe into the bag slowly and have the rthymn of a slow air. You aren't going psycho -- you aren't going psycho---you aren't goinnnngg pyschoooooo.

Mike will let no whistle go before its time.He is very aware of tinwhistlers WHoA disorder. As a tune your learning doesn't come to you immediately, neither does a truelly fine whistle.

I won't tell you how long I waited but it was longer than your wait. And I can empathize with Mike and all the other whistle/flute/bodhran makers that we talk about. I to once made art ---printmaker/painter and sweated the production techniques and what will the outcome be. Is it my best, will people want to buy it etc. etc.?? And when you are the only one who knows what it is you want to make and how you want it to appear or sound, that's a somewhat heavy burden to do alone. Mike is the same way. He is inwardly and outwardly very conscious of what he is doing and the expectations of those that have ordered and are using his whistles.

We are here to learn, to teach, to support each other and most important to share ourselves with like minded people. So you aren't going psychhhhoooooo.

Mark

So those of you chiff and fipplers who have ordered but haven't received your whistles-be patient. Mike knows that you are.

[livethe question]

I received my Low G Al Pro this past Thursday also and suspect that Mike just finished a batch of the Low Gs. Others who have ordered will probably be receiving their whistles soon.

I have to agree with everything Mark said. I have a composite Low A from last year and up to now it was my sweetest and (almost)favorite whistle. This Low G is simply outstanding. I think I hear a Low F Al Pro and a C calling my name.

Not only are Mike's whistles outstanding but Mike is outstanding both as a person and as a maker; when I hear the sound and play the notes I have to say artist. Sometimes there is a wait for his whistles and sometimes there's almost no wait at all. I think we got spoiled by Mike when the demand and the choices were more limited and whistles came days after ordering. Someone back then said to get them before the waiting list got long. Problem (?) is that Mike keeps coming up with better whistles. I'll wait however long I have to wait for his whistles. It is a bit easier now that I have several of his whistles.

I had a WBB high D that I gifted to the person who has helped me the most in learning to believe I could play. I don't regret giving away the whistle but I do regret not currently having a Burke high D. After receiving this Low G and reading Tony's post and the other comments, I guess I must get a high D Al Pro...Silkstone Alloy D who looks like a spaceman, don't be jealous. There is room for both of you I'm sure. Someone that has one please tell me about the Narrow Bore Al Pro D.