Mezzo-soprano A whistles? Or G?

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Bloomfield
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Post by Bloomfield »

I think that for many makers there are special keys that work particularly well. I submit that for Overtons, A is one of those keys (with F & low D). the other keys are great, too, but there is some magic to the Overton mezzo A. One of my all-time favorite whistles.
/Bloomfield
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Loren
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Post by Loren »

I agree with Bloomfield, the Overton mezzo A's I've played have all been unusually good (at least in terms of what I like in a whistle), right up there with the Overton F's which rank, for me, at the top of the whistle heap with just a few others.

Perhaps out of your price range a bit is the Copeland A, which is one of the best in the Copeland range, and simply a fantastic whistle over all - incredibly well balanced between octaves.

Loren
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DCrom
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Post by DCrom »

Loren wrote:I agree with Bloomfield, the Overton mezzo A's I've played have all been unusually good (at least in terms of what I like in a whistle), right up there with the Overton F's which rank, for me, at the top of the whistle heap with just a few others.

Perhaps out of your price range a bit is the Copeland A, which is one of the best in the Copeland range, and simply a fantastic whistle over all - incredibly well balanced between octaves.

Loren
I'd recommend playing before buying, if possible. Though they are well-made whistles, there's something about Copeland's tone and play that just doesn't do it for me. Entirely me - I can see why, for some people, the are so desirable. But they just don't grab me. At last fall's Bay Area get together I tried them, went "Eh", and put them down right away. A very good thing to discover before spending the money for them.

Now the Overton Low D and Low Fs present, Tony Higgins' Blackwood Abell Bb, or Limuhead's Sweetheart Pro really grabbed me, so it's not an aversion to high-end whistles. (And I was entirely prepared to like the Copelands, too - lovely things to look at and hold). So Your Mileage May Vary.
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Loren
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Tell us something.: You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
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Post by Loren »

Listen to Laurence Nugent's Two for Two CD about a hundred times and you'll be brainwashed into loving Copelands as well :D

Loren
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jmccain
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Post by jmccain »

So what's the "must have" lowish G whistle. It would seem like a perfect match for D Scottish smallpipes. Economy and Luxury suggestions (in addition to the previous ones) too.

Many thanks, John
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Post by Darwin »

Thanks again for all the replies. I've decided that I'd go with the Hoover Whitecap aluminum A for a start, since I'm enjoying the Whitecap on the Feadog so much, and since the price is so reasonable.

That doesn't mean that the rest of the opinions are wasted, though, because I'm pretty sure the Hoover won't be the last one.
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Zubivka
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Post by Zubivka »

jmccain wrote:So what's the "must have" lowish G whistle. It would seem like a perfect match for D Scottish smallpipes. Economy and Luxury suggestions (in addition to the previous ones) too.
Economy/charter : Water Weasel--though I never tried one in G, so it's supposing it as good as an A.

Luxury: Copeland (I wonder if cskinner still has her's for sale?) if you like its sound.

Luxury 2: Yvon Le Coant (if you're ready foor its looks...*) . I'd play this along with smallpipes, because its sound would blend in.
See it here: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=15215
Btw, they come also in F and A, with Bb scheduled in a few months.

Business class: Reyburn in G. I don't know anything louder in this range, plays easy and you can get it just (or mean) tuned, so this could be the close to perfect match.

* A Le Coant in G
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