Looking for a low D whistle

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PB+J
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by PB+J »

pancelticpiper wrote:With Low Whistles you more or less get what you pay for.

I've not played a Low D that I thought was worth playing for under the $250-300 range.

Setting aside the serendipitous finding of a used one cheaply, of course.

(High whistles are a different tale, with ones selling for around $10 often outperforming ones costing hundreds.)

I don't have anywhere near pancelticpiper's experience, so discount my words appropriately.

I went on a low whistle quest about this time last year. I have the plastic Dixon, a Howard, the Kerry Optima, and two expensive low whistles, both MK's.

The Mk's are definitely better instruments in an objective sense. They have more range and more power: they are louder but can also be played softer than any of the other whistles without losing the octave. The articulations are crisp and fast. The tone is "strong" and decisive with a solid fundamental tone. It's a little much in the high end in a small room. They're like a luxury performance sedan: if Jason Statham played a low whistle in the transporter movies it'd be the MK. They are a little hard to hold I find

The Howard is really cool but really odd. It has a unique tone like an organ pipe or a bagpipe, "reedy" is maybe the word. I find it easy to play and kind of love it, but it's an odd tone: continuing the car analogy it's like an old pickup truck or an old traction engine.

The Optima as mentioned plays more like a high whistle and the tone is more like a Generation/Feadog style high whistle. To stretch the car analogy I'd maybe compare it to a good reliable economy car. It can't do all the things the luxury performance sedan does, but it can do most of those things
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by Buggles »

I have played low D's for about 10 years so much of a novice. I have 5, a Dixon TD003 (no longer made) a Susato Kildare, Kerry Songbird, Kerrý Optima and a Garvie.

These range in price. The Dixon cost £49.00 (10 years ago) the Susato £75.00 special offer, the Songbird (second hand) £120.00 The Optima £49.00 and the Garvie £360.00, 4 years ago. I did have a Dixon TB003 but gave it away as it was very light and the second octave played sharp. Other comments about this whistle are on the forum

My go to whistles for a session are the Susato; fairly load, but can be played softly if needed. It is not a beginner's whistle (just my opinion) but pays by return with sustained practise, the Dixon when playing slow air solos as it has less volumn than the Susato, but a rounder tone in the lower octave and a fairly sweet second. A good beginner's whistle, once you become use to the amount of air required to play it ( Only available now second hand unfortunately). The Songbird (again no longer made) when with my partner who plays Hardanger fiddles, the Songbird has a complex tone and medium volumn and spot on tuning in both octaves. There is a review on the forum. The Optima is my least favourite it has medium to low volumn but what I would call a bland voice (again just my opinion) The Garvie is still a learning curve and a Professional standard instrument.

If you are able to get a Dixon TD003 (Straight bore) it will be worth the search. The Susato as mentioned is not a beginners whistle; my opinion, but as a medium priced whistle (New) is as good as any in the price range. The Optima may be an instrument useful to learn on if you are like me a novice. There are many others that forum members will have views about and no doubt more informed than me. They will be a good source of information on all aspects of low whistles.

What ever you decide upon I hope you whistle journey will be as exciting as mine.
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by AuLoS303 »

Well I can only go by what I've seen and heard in videos, especially those played by the guy who makes the Kerry low D. And it sounds fabulous. I couldn't afford or justify the cost of an MK, and I don't really need tuneable.
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by BigDavy »

I am not the whistle player that a lot of the other posters in this thread are but I am a magpie for low whistles. (I have 8 low D whistles currently).

The one I play most is a Swayne low D, but that would be outside your price point., The only whistles I have that would be anywhere near your price point are the Impempe and the Dixon TB012D and the Impempe low D is hard to get now.

A possible suggestion is to talk to Kenny McNicholl at KM Bagpipes, he has been making a nice metal low D that might suit you.

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PB+J
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by PB+J »

AuLoS303 wrote:Well I can only go by what I've seen and heard in videos, especially those played by the guy who makes the Kerry low D. And it sounds fabulous. I couldn't afford or justify the cost of an MK, and I don't really need tuneable.

The Howard is not expensive and worth a look. They changed their mouthpiece recently, so the character of the tone might have changed.
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by AuLoS303 »

PB+J wrote:
AuLoS303 wrote:Well I can only go by what I've seen and heard in videos, especially those played by the guy who makes the Kerry low D. And it sounds fabulous. I couldn't afford or justify the cost of an MK, and I don't really need tuneable.

The Howard is not expensive and worth a look. They changed their mouthpiece recently, so the character of the tone might have changed.
Ah another option to throw in the pot! I'd not heard of Howard whistles before. The low Ds are normally out of my price range but they have some Bstock whistles, (with cosmetic defects or scratches) including a low C, for £72!
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by Sedi »

Howard low Ds are a bit odd but they have a lovely sound and play nicely. IMO the better option over a Kerry Optima. However a Chieftain V5 is even better but also more expensive. Don't believe the "you get what you pay for". So far I haven't found a low D that was "bad" or out of tune. Besides - the best low D on the market at the moment is the Qwistle and it doesn't cost 300£. How many low Ds are even in that price range (not counting exotic stuff made from wood)? I can only think of Goldie and MK. And there is many fine low Ds apart from those. Most boils down to personal preference concerning the sound.
Edit: I do plan buying an MK and Goldie sooner or later anyway for the collection but you can play just fine on a cheaper whistle. You could even make one from pvc pipe for 2€ and 20 minutes of your time.
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Tell us something.: I am a Low D Whistle beginner and courious abaout irish and scottish folk music and would like to learn from experienced whistle players and pipers. Your forum is a phantastic source of knowledge for me. Thannks!

Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by mcfid »

Merry Christmas to all the Whistlers!

Just my experience:

I started on a Kerry Optima some years ago and I have to say: for me there couldn't have been a better starting point! Good sound, easy to play, does need no air... For the price excellent instrument!

In the meantime I play Goldie medium/soft 0.9, MK Pro, Kerry Pro restricted, Alba, Chieftain V4, Chieftain V5 (btw. an amazing instrument).

Go for the Kerry Optima and don't look back!
When you are infected, like I am, invest a bit more and go for something better, as your skills are growing!

Best whishes from Vienna,
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by AuLoS303 »

Hmm Chieftan V5 or Kerry Optima tunable? I have about £100 to spend on one. Tuneable isnt essential but if you can get it for the same money why not?

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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by fatmac »

If you're up to spending the money, I think I would take the Chieftain, there was a thread about it not long ago that made it sound like a good choice for playability & tone.

(Just my thoughts. :) )
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by AuLoS303 »

fatmac wrote:If you're up to spending the money, I think I would take the Chieftain, there was a thread about it not long ago that made it sound like a good choice for playability & tone.

(Just my thoughts. :) )
Yea I'm torn. The optima is tuneable, but the fixed chieftain is mentioned a lot as a very good whistle. But with postage it would just nudge it over my budget, unless I could find it on Amazon.
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by fatmac »

Well, I had been thinking about getting a Low D, for a couple of months now, & seeing that Howard did 'B' stock sales, that is where I have just put my own money, as I'm not ready to spend over £100 on just one whistle at the moment, (& may never be). :D
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by AuLoS303 »

fatmac wrote:Well, I had been thinking about getting a Low D, for a couple of months now, & seeing that Howard did 'B' stock sales, that is where I have just put my own money, as I'm not ready to spend over £100 on just one whistle at the moment, (& may never be). :D
Well the Kerry Optima tuneable sells for £85 on their site.
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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by BigDavy »

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Re: Looking for a low D whistle

Post by pancelticpiper »

I will say that judging whistles from YouTube videos is practically worthless.

I found that out when I made my first Low D Whistle comparison video, and discovered that whistles that sound dramatically different in person sound more or less alike on YouTube.

I've only played one Optima, the one that went on tour a few years ago. They could vary from whistle to whistle (most makes do) and the design could have undergone changes over the years (most makes do) but the one I played was not suitable for performance due to the tuning of the octaves. Ditto the Dixon I have. For me the baseline requirement of any instrument is that it plays in tune.

The only inexpensive Low D I've been able to play onstage is the Sustato. I've owned a few different Susato Low D's and they've been well in tune, had good volume, and good voicing. There's just something odd about the way they play, unique to Susatos, and I moved on to the higher-end whistles like MK, Goldie, Burke, and Reyburn, all of which are in tune.

I should mention that Susatos have great honking Bottom D's and if you're looking for a whistle to do that old-school honking wooden flute style on, the Susato comes closest to being able to do it. Ditto Burkes.
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