I recently recieved an email from a person asking for reviews on low d’s that i have owned or played. After i had sent it of to that person i thought it might be helpful to post it here so others could take a look if interested and could also add there 2 cents as well.
Overton..Definately one of my favourite low d’s. They are nice and loud (a great session whistle). Once they are warm they have a very fast response time of. Possibly the fastest of any low d i’ve played. The nice thing about these is there is a good amount of back pressure when you blow. This enables you to really lean into it if you want. Its a great whistle for triplets etc. The one draw back is being aluminum it takes a bit of warming up to play perfect pitch. This is something you will find with alot of metal whistles, especially low d’s.
Kerry pro low d. …This is another favourite low d. Made by Phil hardy who also produces Chieftain whistles. As with the Overton this is currently a low d favoured by alot of professional players. It has an external cork tuning slide and is slightly more mellow than the overton and an easier to attain the higher register. It doesnt quite have the bite to it like the overton but the overall eveness is more consistant in volume. Once again takes a bit of warming up but as with most of the metal one’s its worth the few minutes for the sound you get. This is still a good session low d in terms of volume.
Susato low d…This whistle seems to be made out of some sort of plastic. Susato’s have had alot of varying reviews from people. In my opinion they have good bang for the buck. I do have fairly small hands but have had no problem playing it. This was also my very first low d and yes it takes time to get your fingers used to the stretch but with consistant practice one is able to break through the ache/pain barrier and have it feel natural to play piper style. (highly recommend this way of playing Low d whistles.) Susato’s can be played fast but the one i have is not as loud the the previous mentioned low d’s. There is little backpressure on these whistles.
Reyburn low d… This is an absolute gem of a whistle for airs and slower tunes. It has a sound that is hard to describe. Its kind of a mix between whistle and pipe. Definately the most haunting sound of any low d i’ve played to date. The volume is on the quieter side and the version i recieved was not geared to fast paced playing although ive heard that Ronaldo the maker can make them somewhat to your specifations and speed/volume requirements. It has a wooden mouthpiece which feels very comfortable to play.
Original Chietain low d… This is another Aluminium whistle. These chieftain’s seem to have a similiar problem found with generation whistles. There are good ones and bad ones. Ive played a friends and was amazed at the sound and how well in tune it was. However i did order one after that and found it to be a completely differrent story. If i remember correctly i ended up sending it back…
New range Chieftain Kwl low d…Now Phil Hardy has developed a new range chieftain Kwl version. I will go on record as saying it is probably one of the best low d’s i have ever played. It has a depth of sound i have only found in Overtons but a balance over its entire range that to me is the best i’ve experianced so far.(High d no problem.) It is definately a session worthy low d and was played last week at the local session. A few other musicians did comment on how good the sound was. This is a substantial whistle and seems to be made of a thicker grade Aluminuim than the others. There is a nice amount of back pressure that suits my playing style and it can easily handle fast reels with ease.
Michael Burke al-pro low d…This is another Aluminium low d. It comes in 3 pieces which is handy for storing or carrying in whatever case you have. It has the least amount of back pressure of any low d i have played. It does look to be one of the most proffessionally made whistles out there though. Its volume is moderate but not as loud as say the Overton or New range chieftain. It has a sort of reedy tone in the lower octave but changes to a sweet one in the higher. I have found it to take about as much air as the Susato but more than the other whistles mentioned. It does have a nice balance in both octaves. It can be played at a fair speed but found the lack of back pressure to effect the bite on triplets etc. (once again subject to playing style.)
These are just about all the low d whistles i have owned or played. Please keep in mind that these are only my opinions and im sure other peoples may vary. I think when buying a low d its important to know what sort of situation you want to play it in.Is it going to be solo, session,what size of average session do you usually attend etc. Also consider what category of tunes you want to play in. Some people just want a low d to play their favourite airs with . Other’s myself included will play airs, jigs, reels on a low d. All these factors can narrow down what whistle is suitable for you. There is an abundance of choice out there.
Hope this helps.
Jason