I’ve had an tunable Alba Q1 low F from Stacey O’Gorman for a while now. It’s a terrific whistle that I like a lot and play a lot. It has the inimitable Alba look, halfway between elegant and industrial. The blade is curved (Stacey’s specialty). The tuning slide looks like a grip on an OSHA-approvved handrail. The holes are easy to reach, and I go back and forth between pipers grip and regular grip. The whistle offers little or no backpressure, as you’d expect in an Alba other than a Q1 high D, but does not take inordinate amounts of air. It plays cleanly and smoothly and is quite responsive for its size.
The tone is beautiful. Round, mellow, almost creamy. No edge to it but strong. The tone isn’t pure but is not too breathy either. Octaves are easy and the whistle is remarkably well-balanced considering its bore size. The top end does require more air and is louder of course. But like all the newer Alba low whistles that I have tried, this low F has a very rich and strong bottom end. A pleasure to play. A great chance to pull out those G minor tunes to the delight of fiddlers and sundry.
When Stacey O’Gorman sent me the Q1 Low F, it was a protype. I don’t know whether they ever went into production. I hope they did. If you are interested, ask Stacey: http://www.albawhistles.com .
Some crapy pictures (the grass came out nice, though):
The tunable Alba Q1 Low F. Great whistle.
Alba Low D, Alba Q1 Low F, Alba old-style Hi-D, Alba Q1 Hi-D
Fuzzy close-up of the four Albas. Notice the straight blades of the Hi-Ds. The Q1 Hi-D has a blunt blade.
Here is a wee clippeen I recorded. The tune is called The Brown Coffin and I heard it on Clare FM. They way I play it strikes me as a bit peculiar, but it should give you an idea of the sound of the Alba Q1 Low F. it’s in G-minor of course.
It looks like my Q1s big brother with a fancy belt around the middle. It has a real nice sound as well. I think you have a nice whistle there . I am patiently waiting my turn with the Alba Q1 low C. This gets me a little more anxious for its visit.
That whistle looks and sounds lovely. I enjoyed your playing.
I have a high D Q1 and it’s one of my most favorite whistles. I find its quality of tone enchanting, and it can take extremely aggresive play, which also appeals to me.
It was my birthday present. Sometimes I call it “my precious.”
thanks Bloom! I didn’t realize you had all those O’Gormans. My tunable Bb is the second high-ender I got after a whimsically acquired Overton, and I have grown to love them both even more with time. You’ve eloquently described the tuning slide. That was the first whistle my hardware man husband examined admiringly from a hardware viewpoint.
Thanks for the review and clip, Bloomfield. Excellent playing.
I have often read that the Q1 Soprano D is quieter than the other Alba Soprano D’s (and most other Hi-D whistles) but don’t remember reading how else they differ. Is quietness the only distinguishing characteristic of the Q1? Is the Q1 Tenor F quieter than Alba’s regular Tenor F? How else is it different?
I’ve never played another F Alba, can’t help you there. The Q1 is not particularly quiet. But the Q1 hi D is (compared to regular Albas, or the Highlanders).
The holes are easy to reach, and I go back and forth between pipers grip and regular grip. The whistle offers little or no backpressure, as you’d expect in an Alba other than a Q1 high D, but does not take inordinate amounts of air. It plays cleanly and smoothly and is quite responsive for its size.
