Looking for a Low D whistle

[scottie]

Hello everyone. I am trying to get back into whistling and am thinking of trying another Low D. I had a couple. I think they were both Kerry whistles but that was about 20 years ago. I found they took a lot of air. I am thought he recently like in the last 5 yrs or so started making some Low D whistles that did not take as much air as before. If anyone knows please shed some light on this. I am looking into finding a Low D that I could play some of the Irish music I have always enjoyed and have been listening to again. Any recommendations would be appreciated. My budget is around $200 USD. Thanks for any info or help. Stay safe .

[trill]

scottie,

I'd like to suggest you try a Reyburn lowD.

The ones I've played (they were on tour) were the most air-efficient lowD's I've playe. I bought one.

Here are some of my prior postings:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=105636&p=1194243&hi ... n#p1194243

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93321&p=1117267&hil ... r#p1117267

Next up, at lower cost, would be the Kelpie lowD by MK. I bought one used for under $100. Very nice voice, volume, + workmanship.

Good luck !

[swizzlestick]

Like Trill, I find the Reyburn low D (at least the current aluminum version) to be relatively air efficient. It has a lot of nice playing characteristics and a unique tone or timbre that I really like.

However, the Syn low D is also very air efficient. If that's a major factor, the Syn is worth consideration. I do find that you need to spend some time warming it up prior to playing or you will run into clogging problems.

[pancelticpiper]

Just to make sure we're talking about the same thing, people here have used phrases like "taking more air" "air requirements" etc to mean two opposite things:

1) force of air (the resistance/impedance/backpressure encountered while playing)

2) volume of air (quantity of air that flows though the instrument while playing)

I call the second one "air efficiency" because you can have two whistles of the same loudness, one having half as much air passing through it while sustaining High B than another. (When I was testing a number of Low D whistles against each other I found that High B varied far more than lower notes, in air quantity requirements.)

The most air-efficient Low D I've tested was the Colin Goldie (medium blower) I play.

Second-most was the MK Low D.

I did test a very efficient Reyburn Low D but it's high notes were too stiff for my liking. Other Reyburns I tried had sweeter high notes but weren't as efficient. All the Reyburn Low Ds I've played had a wonderful unique tone that makes Reyburns very attractive.

The Dixon all-plastic conical-bore Low D I tested was efficient but the volume and tuning didn't allow me to consider it for professional use. It was the most ergonomic and easy-to-play Low D I've come across.

[fatmac]

The Dixon all-plastic conical-bore Low D I tested was efficient but the volume and tuning didn't allow me to consider it for professional use. It was the most ergonomic and easy-to-play Low D I've come across.

Gotta agree, I like mine, (& their flute), great starters, & keepers.

[swizzlestick]

I have to defer to Richard (pancelticpiper) on the topic of air efficiency. I doubt that you will ever run into anyone who has played a wider variety of low whistles.

My Syn recommendation was based more around the budget estimate in the original post. Retail on a Syn low D is around $200 while a Reyburn is $300.

Richard, have you ever had the opportunity to play a Syn low D? Wonder where you might fit it into the spectrum of whistles you have used.

[pancelticpiper]

No I haven't tried a Syn! My bad.

There are so many makers out there! I've played loads of makers, but there are probably just as many I've not tried.

Let me think, as best I can remember these are the Low D's I've played

Copeland
Sweetheart (wood)
Garvie (wood)
Goldie
Overton
Howard
Reyburn
Reviol
Burke
MK
Alba
Dixon (at least three different types)
Chieftain/Kerry (at least four different types)
Susato
Carbony
Shaw

I know I'm forgetting some.

[BigDavy]

Hi Richard.

i am not sure you would like the Syn. It is very air efficient, but seems to be optimised for an easy second octave, at least mine is. It has a complex breathy tone, unlike my Burke, it is closer to my green MK.

For cheap and easy playing, my vote would go to the Dixon TB012D. Tuneable, conical bore and not taking a lot of air.

For not taking a lot of air my other recommendation would be a Swayne low D, but that would be way above scottie's price point.

I am not sure if he is still making them, Kenny McNichol of KM bagpipes made some really nice low D whistles, they would possibly be in your price range.

David

[scottie]

scottie,

I'd like to suggest you try a Reyburn lowD.

The ones I've played (they were on tour) were the most air-efficient lowD's I've playe. I bought one.

Here are some of my prior postings:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=105636&p=1194243&hi ... n#p1194243

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93321&p=1117267&hil ... r#p1117267

Next up, at lower cost, would be the Kelpie lowD by MK. I bought one used for under $100. Very nice voice, volume, + workmanship.

Good luck !

Thanks trill. I will check them out.
Scottie

[Sedi]

I have some of the newer Chieftain whistles (kerrywhistles). The V5 takes very little air and has an easy second octave. But my Thunderbird is also quite nice. I don't have the newest version however, which takes less air but I don't think mine takes too much air. More than the V5 however. One of the best sounding low Ds I have is the Qwistle. But it takes quite some air. It is also my loudest low D. But that sound is worth it. The Howard low D does also not take much air but not everybody likes the organ-pipe sound. (I do.) The MK Kelpie plays about the same as the V5, maybe minimal more air required.

[fatmac]

The Howard low D does also not take much air but not everybody likes the organ-pipe sound. (I do.)

Yep, I like my Howard too, almost as easy to play as my Tony Dixon one piece ABS.

[BKWeid]

Another vote for Reyburn low whistles. Fantastic whistles! Although, they are a bit out of your budget, new. I'm currently playing Reviol and really love it! Maurice Reviol is creating amazing low whistles--a great balance of tone, air requirements, finger hole placement, back-pressure, and beautiful to boot.

[trill]

BKWeid,

Not to hijack the thread, but I'd like to add my vote for Reviol being a great whistle.

There was one on tour back in 2014. It was a great instrument !

Here are my notes from the thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=96713&p=1142793&hil ... l#p1142793

Yes, it's pricey. But, oh boy, what a whistle !

trill

[bruce.b]

The low D’s I currently own and play are an Optima, an Mk Pro and a Reyburn aluminum. All are fairly recent models. I just did an air efficiency test by seeing how many times I could play up and down a D scale. The Optima and Reyburn were exactly the same, and I consistently ran out of air a couple of notes sooner on the MK. The MK is efficient, just not as efficient as the other two. This is also my experience when playing tunes. The reyburn has the most air resistance, then the Optima, and the MK has noticeably less resistance than the other two. The MK is the loudest, followed by the Reyburn. All sound really nice, but I’d say the tone of the MK and Reyburn is a little more complex than the Optima. I do like the less complex tone of the Optima though. The MK has the best tone IMO, complex, focused and beautiful, with a bit of grit to it. The MK is the easiest to play and responds perfectly to finger articulations everywhere. The Reyburn and Optima are close though. The Optima never clogs for me, and needs just a quick warmup when it’s cold. The other two are fine if warmed up properly. Not clogging and lightweight is where the Optima is the best. The MK is the best overall if forced to pick. It has the loudest, strongest low end, both the low D and Low E notes are excellent. The Reyburn is good too, and this is where I feel they are just a little better than the Optima. The Reyburn is unique and very satisfying to play. I like how it has more resistance and can be pushed hard. I wouldn’t call the upper octave on it stiff, does that mean more resistance? I want to get a Goldie, one the the main reasons I’ve hesitated is I don’t know what type of blower to get. Tone is very important to me, efficiency and playability are too. I very slightly prefer the greater air resistance of the Reyburn to the more free flowing MK.

[Sedi]

Most people I know prefer the soft blowing Goldies. I want one maybe this summer for my b'day but I think I'll have to visit Colin and try them before I pick one. It's only a 4 hr drive from where I live.