Chiff and Fipple Forums

The more I hear [...], the more I think they are outsourced and definitely not hand made.

You are working on the assumption that handmade=high quality. Which is a misconception. Cutting corners and poor workmanship aren't unique to 'outsourced' or mass produced items.

'Outsourcing' or mass produced doesn't automatically mean poor quality either.

At the same time I don't really see a way of hand plating a brass tube to improve on other ways of doing it but that's probably a different matter.

Mr.Gumby wrote: ↑Mon May 02, 2022 1:33 am


You are working on the assumption that handmade=high quality. Which is a misconception. Cutting corners and poor workmanship aren't unique to 'outsourced' or mass produced items.

'Outsourcing' or mass produced doesn't automatically mean poor quality either.

At the same time I don't really see a way of hand plating a brass tube to improve on other ways of doing it but that's probably a different matter.

Yes poorly made by hand also exists, as proven by 95% of what comes out of my basement haha.

I have also just received a Lir whistle with the same issue centering around the mouthpiece plastic peeling away a bit. How disappointing. I saw this post on the topic, and thought I'd contribute my own current story.

I sent a message via their contact message area on their website yesterday, July 10, to inform them of the whistle defect. I also sent them a regular email today at lirsoundwhistles@gmail.com. in case their site message got missed. So now the ball is in their court.

You would think that extra attention would be paid to this particular quality control issue by Lir if it has been going on for a while. It is what it is, as the saying goes.

Nothing back further from Lir as far as acknowledging my complaint about the whistle defect. I just wrote a message to Collins Music Store (handles Lir whistles in Castlebar) to ask if they knew anything further that could help me out. Thanks to those that replied to this topic in previous posts.

Same. I emailed them months ago, no response. I would advise anyone to avoid Lir completely.

ripleywm wrote: ↑Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:57 am Same. I emailed them months ago, no response. I would advise anyone to avoid Lir completely.

Sad story for those who have received questionable quality whistles. It is now 8 days since I notified them of my high D whistle with a defect on the underside of the mouthpiece. I'll try again and hope for the best. I don't understand why a producer of quality whistles in the past wouldn't acknowledge those who have provided for their livelihood.

Sean from Lir has contacted me today about my emails concerning the defect in the whistle that was sent to me. He has requested photos to allow the quality control team to view prior to a decision to resolve the issue. This is like a previous post from a forum member on the same matter that they had encountered with their own Lir whistle. I sent in the photos, and now await the verdict.

DeTerminator wrote: ↑Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:34 am Sean from Lir has contacted me today about my emails concerning the defect in the whistle that was sent to me. He has requested photos to allow the quality control team to view prior to a decision to resolve the issue. This is like a previous post from a forum member on the same matter that they had encountered with their own Lir whistle. I sent in the photos, and now await the verdict.

So what's the verdict? I hope they sent you a new one.

Thanks for asking, I appreciate it!

No further reply back from Lir after I had sent over the pics of the whistle defect 10 days ago. I was thinking of sending it back irregardless of compensation just to get on with the situation and move on. I don't have the address to send it back to though, so I was about to contact them to see what was going on. If they didn't reply back with that, I was going to ask if any forum member here had their address so I can return it.

I don't have the address to send it back to though,

Traders selling online are obliged by EU law to provide their address/location and return address from the outset. If they don't, best not to buy from them in the first place.

I have their address but I would advise you not to send them anything if you don't hear back from them. Αlso they'll have to cover your shipping expenses if you'll send the whistle back to them. It's true that at their website they don't provide any address af far as I know.

I had received a reply back from Sean at Lir yesterday (Thursday) shortly after posting here. They will be sending me a new whistlehead, and will give me a tracking number within 48 hours (starting about 24 hours ago).

Thanks for the replies to those that had responded. I am looking forward to playing the whistle eventually, and hope that Lir can eliminate that problem with their whistles.

No response back from Sean at Lir yet as far as forwarding to me a tracking number on a replacement whistle head that he said was coming my way. Tomorrow is one week from his last message to me when he stated he would send me a tracking number within 48 hours. Yesterday (Tuesday) I had sent him an email stating that I was looking forward to getting the tracking number.

Another week has gone by, and no further reply back from Lir as far as sending the promised whistle head to replace the faulty one. Just a heads up to those that might be considering buying one of their whistles.

So sorry I have to say "hands off Lír".