Elf vs Park Every vs Dixon trad -- help choosing one please!

[squidgirl]

the Blackbird is an awesome whistle. It does not require a lot of breath control and the 2nd octave is very easy to play in.

I'd say that the Blackbird requires a fair amount of breath _control_ for the lower octave, because it flips up to the 2nd octave quite easily. But it takes hardly any push or breath-focusing to reach the high notes, and it generally takes very little air to play, so you can enjoy long playing long phrases. If you like sweetness in the high notes, the Blackbird is the best whistle for this, but if you like to blow your whistle with gusto, you'll find its tendency to flip upward frustrating.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Parks Everywhistle takes a fair amount of air to play, particularly for the high notes. I like to play it when I've been playing my Generation Bb a bunch, because they both encourage me to blow with some vigor. But its high notes are nowhere near as sweet as the Blackbirds; in fact, they're a touch raucous. This may be a skill issue on my part.. I also find this true of my Generation Bb... And i did also find the same true of my Clarke original, and you said you liked your Clarke...

I find the Dixon Trad somewhere in-between, perhaps a little closer to the Blackbird. Though it takes a bit more air than the Blackbird and its high notes are chiffier, the high notes are still comparatively sweet, not very raucous at all, and the whistle stil takes some breath control to keep the low notes from flipping up The trad has a breathier tone than the Blackbird -- I'd say the Blackbird has a lovely blend of purity with a bit of chiff to make it interesting. while the Trad sounds a little bit more like a Clarke original, with a very similar touch of breathiness, yet with a slightly rougher, cylindrical bore sound.

I've never tried an Elfsong.

[Protean]

Yeah, I think rap4th was confusing breath control and breath volume.

The Blackbird definitely requires a good amount of control, but very little volume. I rarely, if ever, run out of breath on the Blackbird, but it does require a light touch or it'll jump right up into the second octave. Hitting the highest notes on the Blackbird is incredibly easy.

The Parks whistles don't require too much air, though more than the Blackbird, to be sure. You will have to blow pretty hard to hit the upper A, B, and C, though that can be said of most whistles.

Jerry's Mellow Dog would be a good recommendation, too. For a good while, that was my favorite whistle, and it still ranks quite high on the list. I love its full, loud sound. I've used it more than once in a concert setting. Very little breath control is required, though, again, it requires more breath volume than the Blackbird. I did find myself running out of air in a section where I had to play the second octave A, B, and C in a song. I could manage, I just had to be very aware that the part was coming up and remember to breath before hand.

[keithsandra]

I own one of Sandy Jasper's "Elf" manufactured brass high D's, another high D in copper, and one of her manufactured C's in copper, as well as two of her hand made Low D's, in aluminum and copper, with shared mouthpiece.

IMHO her whistles are in a higher league than the others mentioned in this post, except for the Burke's, with which they share equal high standing if not characteristics. Whether they’re her more expensive, custom made whistles or her unbelievably cheap ($35), powder coated manufactured whistles, all in brass or copper, her whistles are definitely high quality musical instruments for anyone into serious life time whistling. They produce a lusty or sweet, resonant, flute like sound from a half inch bore.

Sandy's been playing whistles, flutes and piano since childhood and is a recording artist, teacher (she taught me), writer and publisher. She plays on stage with Will Millar, founder of the Irish Rovers. That’s her fantastic playing of The Blarney Pilgrim on her web site on one of her own whistles – probably her plain, custom made brass high D. Wandering Whistler has noticed Sandy’s craftsmanship and decorative talents in his review of her hand made whistles. She's on Dale's list. Her whistles sell successfully worldwide, either directly or through selected musical outlets. The enthusiastic eBay testimonials to her service and customer backup, as well as her and her husband’s likeability, show why this remarkably talented lady has such a loyal and increasing world wide following. If she weren’t so maddeningly modest she and her whistles would be even better known. (So I hope she reads this ...).

[MTGuru]

Hi Keith! Well, I'm not sure how to figure out whistle leagues. And as you know, I'm pretty open to all kinds. I hope they're not like bowling leagues, because I'm as bad as Obama. A whistle's just a whistle, if it does what you want. Most of the Irish players I see and meet are playing Gens or Sindts or Gen-type whistles. Even Sandy recommends Gens.

I've never tried an Elf (whistle, that is!). Unfortunately, that Blarney Pilgrim clip is played like a recorder not a whistle, so it's hard to tell if it suits for ITM. The EnChanter clips by Gord Pollock are better, but are limited to GHB range, so no 2nd octave. Personally, I don't want a flute-like tone in my high whistles, I prefer crisp and bubbly.

So I guess we need to wait for MaryC to chime back in. As a transplanted Kiwi in Eire, her expectations may be complex. The Blackbird, Dixon Trad, or O'Briain would all do nicely for playing Irish trad in Galway, and the Parks has other nice features, especially the 3-piece. I've played all of these.

[MaryC]

Thanks folks, lots of information there. A few responses to your questions and comments:

Price range: kinda "reasonable-ish". Strictly speaking I shouldn't be spending on such a frivolous thing at the moment (the economy here is in a very bad way, work is in very short supply), so I'm thinking no more than the equivalent of E-50, including p&p.

Seriously, the Blackbird is just that good. It's a relatively quiet whistle, too, so if volume is a concern, that's something to consider.

That's a good point: I play with mainly other adult improvers, and find that being able to hear myself is pretty important. So the relative quietness might count against it. The other things you've said lean me towards it though.

I have a Parks Every Whistle … the tone ring does work to both adjust the volume and the breathiness. I also like that it's a wider bore and the finger holes are larger (or at least feel larger) than my other whistles.

Ahh, I really don't like wider bore or larger finger holes. (My hands ain't all feminine and delicate, but they're not large either).

Not to be a wiseguy, but whatever whistle you choose you might want to consider keeping it in a case of some sort. You seem to have trouble with damaged whistles.

Tell me about it! The 2nd got dropped on its head in the pub. Very tragic, and a case wouldn't have helped. I've pondered cases: the Dixon comes with a plastic one, but people have said that they start to smell after a while, I can imagine fungi liking the damp environment. Any suggestions of lightweight, low-bulk but still protective casing material gratefully received.

The Parks Every Whistle is a great whistle too. Right now it is my practice whistle due to it's durability and the ability to control the volume. It does require much more breath control and it is less restrictive as far as air flow so I find that I am taking a lot more breaths compared to the Blackbird.

More key info, ta. (I don't have any issues with delicate breath control, but do with running out of breath. One more plus for the Blackbird.

Mary, if you're still transplanted in Galway City, can't you just walk over to Powell's and try a bunch?

Not if I want to try a Blackbird, Elf, or Everywhistle. I guess I could try a Shaw or a Chieftan, but they're not what I'm after anyway. And I need to purchase on-line due to some complex details around credit cards and being overseas (don't ask, it's tedious!). Besides, I can get a Dixon from Bigwhistle or Hobgoblin, including postage, for less and from a RoI retailer. Gotta love the exchange rate and VAT difference!

I own one of Sandy Jasper's "Elf" .... They produce a lusty or sweet, resonant, flute like sound from a half inch bore.

Ahh .. that's what I've been hoping for, someone to say nice things about these!




Adding it all up, unless someone posts something drastic here in the next day or two, I think I'll order an Elf and see how it goes. I really like the look of 'em (from piccies on-line) - no shiny silver or brassy stuff, and if the sound is even vaguely flute-like, I'll probably like it.

Might think about the Every sometime in the future if circumstances change and I have more money and less time when I can practice out of earshot. Ditto the Blackbird if the Elf really doesn't do it for me, but it will take some months to come to that I think.




Many thanks for all the comments.


Mary

[keithsandra]

MaryC - don't forget to ask Sandy for her MANUFACTURED WHISTLE. I think you'll love it. Good luck.

MT: Are you coming out of the closet about this mating with an Elf business? I've always suspected that your easy going, lighthearted yet intimidating erudition and masterful playing comes from an Elvish provenance... Er, not that there's anything wrong with elvishness.

BTW I get bubblyness and a spirited, clear response from a magnificent mouthpiece Mack Hoover made for me out of delrin to interchange with Sandy's mouthpieces on all her manufactured whistle barrels. It produces a searing volume of sweetness and clarity that'd make even a gnome's eyes water. Transporting.

As for your recorder reference, I detect a gauntlet here so am sidling off without response ...

Great to hear from you.

K.