REVIEW: Hudson Wind by Peter Bonsteel

[Cayden]

I don't know about 'rather blunt' but I honestly want to know Dale, I read the review and think 'well this might be interesting', the whistle certainly looks nice and then I hear the clips and I am honestly completely put off (and that has happened to me several times with clips on maker's websites as well, it's not something restricted to this review or this reviewer) and I wonder what's the point of paying $165 for a whistle if that's the sound you're going to get. First of all as it stands that price would be well beyond anything I would consider paying for a whistle, no matter how much time, love and effort had gone into it, unless ofcourse that whistle would translate all that effort into an irresistibly lovely sound and ease of playing. And if I listen to the two clips I heard with this review and I compare them to the untweaked battered old Feadog posted on whistlethis, I don't hear it, I reallly really need convincing the whistle will do something the 3 euro productionline yoke doesn't . Call it blunt if you will, I don't mind.

[jkrazy52]

I really like your review style, Mike!

Great pictures, clear information. It answers most of the questions I would have concerning this new whistle. The only thing it can't answer is how it would sound with my playing.

As far as whether someone like 'Kilfarboy' would sound better on Peter Bonsteel's whistle as opposed to the old-style Feadog in the clip, or would find the whistle a worthwhile cost versus the cost of the Feadog ... that's all more of an individual decision. For myself, I don't like the sound I get from most Gens or Feadogs. I do like the sound I get from other whistles, some cheapies, some not.

IMO Peter's "blunt" posts always add an interesting take on whistles. If I could make a $7 whistle sound that fine, I'd be happy. But lacking that skill, I'll probably continue to hunt for the "Holy Grail" of whistledom ... getting in a little more practice each day. Who knows? Someday a Feadog might sound decent in my hands .....

[andymac]

I have a kids, bright green, plastic recorder (cost $2) which sounds almost exactly like the Bonsteel whistle. I will take $10 for it if anyone is interested

The clip Mr Laban posted I have listened to half a dozen times now and enjoyed it immensely - that is what a whistle should sound like... imho

[Cayden]

I have a kids, bright green, plastic recorder (cost $2) which sounds almost exactly like the Bonsteel whistle. I will take $10 for it if anyone is interested

And they call me blunt

I don't think I would want to say that or cast any negative light on the whistle in question. My point is more there is no way I would come to any real or useful conclusion from the review except that there's a pricetag that would make me inclined to have a very thorough up-close and personal evaluation of the whistle before ever coming close to considering it as an option.

[PhilO]

Mike - Appreciate you and Paul sharing what must have been a lot of fun. And Peter, that was a nice clip, and true, I didn't hear anything from the respective clips to make me choose one whistle over the other, and that is a good point, but alas, not the only point.

I am one of those who has mucked about with and purchased various whistles in the past and think that is just fine. At present, I just play from among 3 or 4 soprano whistles and am returning to lessons in an effort to really reach a new level of playing. And I know exactly what Peter means because there are times when trying out and getting excited about new or different whistles feels like chasing my own tail.

That said, when recording to compare the higher end whistles, I've found the following. Although subjectively, when playing I feel that some whistles are better than others as to both playability and my tonal tastes, they all sound pretty much the same on playback. The only difference I could find was between the high ends as a whole and SOME cheapies, which really did not have the same fullness of tone; and that difference was slight.

And yes, people tend to get excited about newly discovered whistles and tend to describe well crafted models as "works of art" and the like; I view this as an acceptable form of understood hyperbole in the whistle community.

Philo

[Cayden]

I know it was hyperbole Phil, but it looses it's value if anything that is half decently made is called a 'work of art'.

If I read you well you're really saying by the end of the day between whistles there's only 'slight' differences in sound, some differences in playing characteristics and that any whistle is as good as the person driving it. And ofcourse an up to fifty fold price difference. Yes, I can agree with that.

[bdh]

Peter,

Just out of interest, what whistles do you personally prefer to play?

[dfernandez77]

I think this maker is charging what he needs to charge and it's not unreasonable from the perspective of considering the labor that goes in.

That said, a good and familiar point is raised by Peter Laban's rather blunt posts.

Not having one in my hands, I wouldn't disagree with you Dale. It seems like this is a carefully crafted instrument. The care of the maker, the "story," and the pride of ownership can be an X factor that some people want in their whistles. There's also the fact that you can get a full set of 6 tweaked Generations from Jerry Freeman for the price of this one whistle - a heck of a deal from an objective viewpoint.

I also don't disagree with Peter. The review had a lot of subjective information - which doesn't help me choose to purchase (or not purchase) the whistle from an objective viewpoint. But I think there is value in review points that are subjective and come from the gut - perhaps as much value as objective observations and comparisons. However, I wasn't really interested in a debate (though it's interesting).

Now there are many reviews (including mine) that have a fair amount of subjective information posted here - and I have a new Low G Reyburn that I may post some comments on. So I was thinking how I could stay focused on providing decent feedback for all types of folks - the romantics and the critical thinkers alike.

Maybe it's a good subject for another thread, but I was looking for Peter's (and any other knowledgeable and critical whistle fan's) take on what would go into an "objective" review. What would be the most pertinent criteria, and how would they be measured or rated.

So what do you think?

[dyersituations]

I believe this is a subject that is hard to debate, because it is one of completely subjective nature. In my first post I described this whistle as a work of art, because that is how I viewed it in my personal perspective.

What's hard about debating in a situation like this is it in brings in these personal perspectives.

I still think this looks like a great whistle, and price-wise, it is pretty good compared to more expensive whistles that get up to $300+. It's all a matter of perspective, and everyone has their own.

-Casey

[Bloomfield]

Maybe it's a good subject for another thread, but I was looking for Peter's (and any other knowledgeable and critical whistle fan's) take on what would go into an "objective" review. What would be the most pertinent criteria, and how would they be measured or rated.

So what do you think?

I would like to hear about balance between octaves, responsiveness (and I like to hear a soundclip with clean ornaments to judge for myself whether I'd find the whistle sluggish), tonal characteristics such as chirpiness or breathiness. I like to hear about tuning between octaves (and I don't mean play the thing into a tuner; I mean: how much effort does it take to blow the top g, a, b into tune?). I thought easily most helpful thing the review mentioned was the ease of playing The Inner Light. I don't know what it means that the reviewer would be "comfortable taking this whistle into seisiun." (I think 'seisun' Comhaltas-Irish for session). When I read that the whistle is "well-behaved" in the second octave, I get worried because that reads like the whistle might be not very responsive. A fundamental issue here is that what a player wants from a whistle changes over time: In the beginning, many want a whistle that props up the player, that is forgiving. Once you don't need to be forgiven for your playing anymore, though, such whistles tend to hold the player back, and you'd want something immediate, responsive, a bit dangerous, if that makes sense.

[Bloomfield]

I believe this is a subject that is hard to debate, because it is one of completely subjective nature. In my first post I described this whistle as a work of art, because that is how I viewed it in my personal perspective.

What's hard about debating in a situation like this is it in brings in these personal perspectives.

I still think this looks like a great whistle, and price-wise, it is pretty good compared to more expensive whistles that get up to $300+. It's all a matter of perspective, and everyone has their own.

-Casey

I don't think you'll find anyone disagreeing with you that the whistle beautiful, I can understand calling it a work of art. That just whets my appetite for hearing how it plays.

[Cayden]

(I think 'seisun' Comhaltas-Irish for session).

Seisiún would be comhaltas speak. Seisun is just a brainfart.

And I agree with the rest of what you said. How does the fecking thing really play when a full note is blown into it? It does look nice and the pic did whet the appetite which is a definite part of the frustration.

[dfernandez77]

A fundamental issue here is that what a player wants from a whistle changes over time: In the beginning, many want a whistle that props up the player, that is forgiving. Once you don't need to be forgiven for your playing anymore, though, such whistles tend to hold the player back, and you'd want something immediate, responsive, a bit dangerous, if that makes sense.

Makes sense.

I'm still a hack/hobby player - but I prefer a diffferent whistle today than the whistles I loved the first few months I was learning.

I remember I used to hate backpressure. Go figure.

[dyersituations]

...but I prefer a different whistle today than the whistles I loved the first few months I was learning.

I agree. When I was first starting years ago, I could hardly play some whistles that are fine now, and I also didn't like some whistles that I like now. It's all a part of developing as a player.

-Casey

[dfernandez77]

Seisun is just a brainfart.

You're a bad boy Peter.

You need one of those tough looking Liberace leather jackets that Flatley favors.