Chiff and Fipple Forums

Jessie,

Speaking of soundlign like an O'Riordan, I've been meaning to ask you: how does the Lon Dubh stand up?

One of the clips on whistle and drum sound a lot like an O'Riordan to me, but one of them doesn't....I don't want to be saving my pennies for one if a Greenwood (which I also covet) is in the same class.

I know you own both..any insight would be much appreciated!

Greg

Madame: I make a motion to re-name this thread "Ask Jessie" and that it become a permanent part of the landscape, like Political and CP threads.

If things get slow, report a "Tip for the Day" about whistle or flutle maintenance, new models or anything else that occurs to you.

Not like yer too busy or anything

Hee hee, that sounds fun, actually.

As for the Lon Dubh, it sounds nothing like an O'Riordan. It is sweet and woody, quieter than an O'R, not hissy, but not as boldly pure. It is lightweight and a total copy (except for its only difference - window size) of the design of a whistle by Jon Swayne. The Lon Dubh is much quieter and easier to play than the Swayne (because of the window size). But an O'Riordan is pure and almost simple, as opposed to complex. Just like a Boisvert. It's a great whistle, but it doesn't have the tonal character (or craftsmanship) of the Lon Dubh. It really depends on what you are looking for.

Abells, Copelands, Lon Dubhs...they have IMPECCABLE craftsmanship...you won't see glue, solder or flaws. O'Riordans and Boisverts are not like that. They are much cheaper than the aforementioned ones.

This thread wasn't supposed to be one where I put everything in order of how much I like it. I just wanted everyone to know that a Boisvert whistle is just like an O'Riordan, which is the holy grail of whistles to a lot of people, because Joanie plays them. Joanie also has reverb on her microphones, so she gets a more complex tone than we, in our living rooms, do with only our whistles.

All these whistles we've talked about are really good.

Hmmm . . . how do these compare to a Rose, which is the high-end whistle I'm most familiar with.

Tery

So would a Boisvert be a good choice for a first (and probably only, at least for a while) high-end whistle?

And how do you pronounce "Boisvert"?

Significantly louder than Rose.

Yes, nice choice for a high end whistle. My guess it BWA-Vehr.

In France or Froooonch-speaking Canuckia perhaps. In crude California there are Boisverts who allow their name to be pronounced and themselves pronounce it just like it looks in English, Boys-vurt. of course its wrong, but we mangle many furrin' names here. Where's Davey when ya need him?

See why I prefer going by a nick, rather than my quite Froonch surname, Veekanderz ?
Hey, even the nick got some ketchup spilled on, to quickly become Zoob...

I do not own a Boisvert so I don't know how much I can really speak to this. But I did look at them when I was contemplating a new whistle a few months ago. A Rose came up for sale on the board so I looked into Rose and the Greenwoods as far as wooden whistles. Then I looked at the Busmans. I searched and read through a lot of threads comparing the various wooden whistles. I could not physically try any of them so I had to go on write-ups and opinion and a little self-judgement.

I ordered a Busman from Paul, sight-unseen and tone-unheard. And I am very pleased. It has good volume and tone and you don't have to overblow going into the upper register. I cannot talk from personal experience with the Boisverts but others have said the Busmans are comparable. And Paul is great to work with. So as long as other wooden whistle names are flying around, I thought this needed to be added. I don't think anyone would be disappointed with a Busman and I have no problem playing next to my friend who owns an O'Riordan. http://www.busmanwhistles.com/

I am way more than pleased with my tambootie busman !!!!! It is completly wonderful in every way(In my opinion.I suppose not everyone would feel the same,people never do.)!!!!! If you're reading this,thanks again Paul!!
-Kelly

just got off the phone with david and my cheque is in the mail..
Btw.. he sounds like a really nice guy..

Ok, people...yeah, there are lots of great whistles available. That wasn't the point of my post.

The point, again, was that Boisverts play and feel EXACTLY like O'Riordans. Not better. Not worse. Not different.

Right Jessie, and the Busmanns are a whole different universe as far as tone etc in my experience as well. They're fine whistle, if you like paper thin walls, light weight and exotic woods. My O'Riordans are more like tanks than Minis though. I would almost trust them enough to sit on them and not worry about snapping - but try that with a Busmann and you'll quickly end up with a backside of splinters I would imagine!

Another benefit the thicker walled O'Riordans and Boisverts would share are very nice cross fingerings and half-holing ability. Something I've never seen or heard duplicated on a thinner walled whistle - wood or otherwise. Guess a large part of it depends on how much futzing around with your fingerings you want to worry about...or not.

Jessie,
Thanks for the tip. I've been listening to Joannie Maddens solo whistle albums lately and thinking saddly that I might not ever be able to get my hands on an O'Roirdan whistle.

I thought it might be bad form to reply to a post that was either directly or indirectly about little 'ol me and my stable o' whistles...but the name is pronounced as Jessie mentioned.. Bwa-vehr. When I was a wee tike, I thought my last name was B-asinboyt-OI-Sasinsam-Vasinvictor-ER-Tasintom. No wonder I turned out the way I did...

Regarding my whistles, my original inspiration indeed was Patrick O'Riordan. But never really having a model to work from I rather developed my design in a co-evolutionary sort of way. I aim for the purest sound I can get. I'm not overly fond of breathy (chiffy) whistles. That being said, each whistle and each piece of wood is unique, and each one will have it's own voice. I try to work within the natural realm of a particular whistle's "voice". A boxwood, or apple-wood whistle simply cannot have the same voice as a blackwood whistle with a glass-like bore!

I would second the recommendation of Paul Busman. His whistles are indeed top-notch!

Oh..and to the fellow I spoke with today, sorry if I was a bit goofy, but I had just woken up from a morning nap with my 2 year old son...(gosh, doesn't it sound like it just STINKS working from home?!)

God Bless,
David
Ps. 150:6