Ok, I thought Abell was the dream whistle and ordered one in Blackwood. The waiting time took much more than the average I was told and I even thought some mistake happened in the maker records.
Anyway, I wasn’t that enthusiastic to put my hands on it because in the meantime a good opportunity appeared and I spent a lot of money to get a D/C Blackwood O’Riordan set and thought that I had found a cure (at least for the moment) for WhOA.
Coincidentally, the confirmation from Abell came today on my birthday and I’m not sure if I should really take that, since he gave the option of quitting so he could pass it to the next customer.
Obviously personal tastes vary, but people with experience with both whistles could tell me how do you feel about them and how would they compare? Even if it’s an O’Riordan, the same model should have differences in the making process… I personally don’t like that much the D one and prefer the C that I have.
Since I’m not that maniac in acquiring many whistles, I’m in doubt if I should really get that Abell, unless it would satisfy me better than my D O’Riordan.
Crazy as some people may think I am, I prefer the Abell to the O’Riordan. The Abell seems to have a stronger tone, and I could really lean into it, whereas the O’Riordan took a slightly more delicate touch.
I’m with Wanderer on this one. I prefer my Abell, and sold off the O’Riordan. But if you can, keep them, play them both, and decide for yourself. Of course you may decide that you can’t possibly live without both!
Abells and O’Riordans are very different whistles. I too had O’Riordans that I liked, but sold, however I don’t think I’d ever part with my Abell’s.
I have an older Abell set, and the older Abells seem to sound and play a bit different than the newer ones I’ve played, although come to think of it, I haven’t played a brand new soprano Abell in the last 4 years, so I guess “New” is a relative term…
If you can afford it, I’d say buy the Abell, play it daily for at least 3 months (the sound will change) and then decide which whistle to keep, and which to sell.
They are very different birds. O’Riordans have a much sweeter tone and Abells are much breathier (in a nice way). My personal preference would be an O’Riordan but I will always lean toward pure and away from chiff all other things being equal. You really should play them for yourself. You won’t have a bit of trouble selling either.
I have both, including Abell blackwood Bflat/A set and delrin D/C set and O’Riordan Travelers in D/C, Bflat/A, G and low D. It’s personal taste and as I am a weird duck, I personally prefer my delrin to the black wood Abells. My O’Riordans are the anodized aluminum ones. The Bflat/A and G O’Riordan Travelers are IMO among the very best whistles I’ve ever played/heard - they are extraordinary in that they have the most wonderful tone and responsiveness. The D/C set is terrific but very pure in tone, not as sweet and on the loud side, although balanced and focused.
The Abell blackwoods are a bit on the quiet side, have some air in the tone, a lovely sweet warm tone with the Bflat a bit superior to the A.
The Abell D/C set is near perfection for me all the way round. You should be aware regarding physical comfort that the Abells all have a unique stubby sort of beak that takes getting used to but IMO is no big deal.
All that said, my wine tasting type lingo above notwithstanding, how could you go wrong either or both ways? They’re great to own and play and easy to sell.
I simply won’t part with my Abell D, C, or A. I’ve owned Low G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, and high G Abells. All are super. I never played Bb. (I’m a performing musician.) I played Eb for one tune, so that just wasn’t worth my holding onto it. I went from Low G whistle to Bleazey G flute and much prefer the expression I can get out of a flute to what I can out of a whistle. And I came to the realization that my already in-progress tinnitus was exacerbated by any whistle above standard high D.
My absolute favorite was his high F, but I just couldn’t use it without problems particular to me (NOTE: I highly doubt I would have developed that problem merely by playing his whistles alone – his high F and even high G are surprisingly mellow and woody, not shrill; my tinnitus began as a result of improper ear protection while working in a cabinet shop).
I owned an O’Riordan D/C set (purchased directly from Lark in the Morning round about 1988) (for just over $100.00), and I always found that too annoying in the higher registers.
Very VERY strange, James. Either someone at Lark isn’t remembering them or never knew. They had them in their printed catalog - clearly marked “Pat O’Riordan” for at least a year.
It was definitely Lark, definitely 1988 (even had “O’Riordan '88” etched into the brass), and definitely about $100.00 for one head joint (some sort of composite - bakelite? - I don’t think Delrin was in use then - fipple with the rest black anodized aluminum) and two bodies - black anodized aluminum with brass fittings.
Lark’s catalog at the time had two versions of this D/C set available: one in the version I bought (as above) and one with the entire whistle being made of that composite material.
It came in a light green, 2-compartment cloth bag with some decorative ribbon; the bag wore out rather quickly and I replaced it.
I used that set exclusively for about seven years.
I sold it on eBay in 1998 as I had changed musical interests and it was gathering dust.
I assume it was new; looked brand-spankin’.
It was listed in the catalog with a photo as a purchasable item, as opposed to the end as a "used instrument’.
In fact, I got the idea to buy mine from Lark from an acquaintance at the time who already owned one of the all-composite (or whatever material that was) sets. So, I know for sure that they sold at least two.
I also know someone who, many years ago, bought an O’Riordan from Lark in the Morning.
With respect to comparisons:
I recently acquired an O’Riordan D (aluminum). I’ve had an Abell Blackwood for about a year and a half. I can’t honestly say one is any better or any worse than the other, though with particular tunes or styles of playing, one might fit better than the other. In other words, I’m keeping both. Though I need to have played it for a little longer to make a fair judgment, right now if I were forced to git rid of one and keep the other, I’d keep the Abell. But as this thread makes clear, there are others who (for their own good reasons) would keep the O’Riordan.
What this all means is that none of us are really much help except to say find out for yourself.
Ah, the mystique. It’s wonderful. I largely quit reading whistle reviews and debates a while ago, but when O’Riordan and Abell pop up, the mystique draws me back.
I got on Pat’s waiting list and waited about 2-2 &1/2 years. In the meantime, I couldn’t stand it, my expectations were beyond the possible, and I ordered an Abell to calm my nerves. I was totally satisfied with the Abell (blackwood soprano d), which I still have and still love. Eventually, the O’Riordan set (kingwood c/d) arrived and I saw fairies fly out of the bag and the air sparkled (in my imagination). Well, I tried the whistle and decided immediately that I liked the Abell better.
This is where personal preference can’t be overemphasized. I like the Abell for the slight breathiness and it’s woody tone. The O’Riordans were too pure sounding for me. That simple. I compared The O’R set with another and they sounded utterly identical to me, he definitely had consistency there. Also, I had an aluminum d, and I switched the heads from the wood and metal and they sounded identical on each tube.
The closest whistle I’ve heard to an O’Riordan is a Fred Rose blackwood. Not identical, but utterly pure toned. There may be newer makes out now that come closer; I don’t know.
Tony
For my tastes and playing preferences, the O’Riordan Traveler (anodized aluminum) in Bflat, A and G are the finest whistles in those keys in the universe. Ah, it’s all good isn’t it?
