Need help picking out a low D whistle...

[lukeman3000]

Hi everyone -

For Christmas, one of my friends has offered to buy me a low D whistle, any one of my choosing. I was extremely surprised and taken aback by his gift; he knows that playing the low whistle brings me a lot of joy and I'm very grateful for this.

I currently have both an MK Kelpie and Chieftain V5. I can say that I really dislike the way my Kelpie plays/sounds, while I love the way my V5 plays/sounds. And I'd be quite content with my V5, but, it has fairly poor voicing on the low E note (it buzzes quite audibly and must be played extremely softly to avoid this artifact).

First, can someone help me identify why that might be? I'm unfamiliar with the terminology and jargon used to describe such things, so if someone who is familiar with these whistles could help me identify more specifically why I prefer the V5, and help me put it into words, that would be a great starting point. From there, I could go out and talk to different whistle makers about my preferences in an attempt to find something similar.

The best way I can describe how I feel about the V5 vs the Kelpie (which seem to me to be on two opposite ends of a spectrum) is that the V5 sounds more ethereal and haunting, and mysterious, whereas the Kelpie sounds extremely loud and boisterous and piercing to me. I love the softer, more mellow and relaxed tone of the V5 while I strongly dislike the strong perhaps more nasally sound of the Kelpie. Also, I feel like I get more out of breath playing my Kelpie as compared to my V5, and I really like the fact that the V5 seems to not require nearly as much air to play.

Having said that, what high-quality whistles would you recommend as an alternative to my V5? My friend said that I can choose any whistle, cost notwithstanding. One whistle that I'm aware of is the Goldie Low D, and I know that he makes both a soft and medium blowing variant (although I'm not sure about the difference or how that relates to my preferences). Could someone perhaps explain this, and/or offer any other options to explore?

Thanks,

Luke

[GPF]

I would absolutely recommend the Goldie Low D… probably the medium blown as it’s probably the mainstream version… you may need to apply yourself and work on your technique but once you get control the Goldie’s potential will be apparent… sure other low d whistles are easier to play at the start but none offer the versatility and variation of style and technique from slow haunting air to popping jig and relentless reels… hope this helps

[jgaughan]

I have a MK Pro adjustable Low D for sale, practically new, $250, free shipping in US.

[AngelicBeaver]

If I had a friend offering to buy me a low D of my choice, I'd probably go with a Goldie. If I didn't like it, I could always sell it on for close to what I paid. In my experience, you have to phone him directly (they seldom answer emails). The advantage of calling him is that he can play a variety of low Ds for you and help you get the sound you're after. With the used market, it's a bit of a lottery.

If you like the soft, ethereal sound of the V5, you probably want an open tone. For the Goldie, that would translate to a soft blower. The medium is more common, but the more the windway is closed down, the more compressed the tone tends to become, giving you a more nasal sound and harder to reach high notes. I have a medium blowing low D and low F, and a hard blowing alto A. If I could do it over again, I'd probably go with a soft blowing set, as I've come to appreciate the easier blowing whistle characteristics.

I'm not sure what else is out there in the high end whistle world that is breathy/open/haunting. Reviol has an Overton/Goldie-like design, but it's more free-blowing and open, and very complex, probably closer to an MK. I know Marc Lofgren was making whistles again, though it might be hard to get ahold of him (try Facebook). I've never played one of his whistles, but a few have said they liked them better than Goldies. I think their designs are similar, but the Lofgren is also more open and free-blowing.

Anyhow, congratulations on a tremendous gift.

[pancelticpiper]

Good advice there from Nathaniel.

I have the cool situation of having both "medium" and "soft" Goldie Low D heads and I've spent quite a bit of time going back and forth.

They're both top-class, both unmistakably Goldie, but there are subtle differences.

With the "soft" head my Goldie Low D plays remarkably like the one Lofgren Low D I've owned.

They're more "open" or freeblowing, very musical, with stong low notes, sweet easy high notes, and great flexibility between the octaves.

The price you pay is slightly less air-efficiency, because with the more open windway a larger volume of air passes through.

After playing the "soft" Goldie for a while, when I switch back to the "medium" it feels stodgy and stiff. But I quickly get used to blowing it, and the reward is greater efficiency and thus longer phrases are possible. It's hands-down the "medium" for playing airs with those long sweeping phrases that don't want interrupting.

Nowadays Colin offers more than just his previous three-way "soft/medium/hard" choices, he has a number of windway heights available. He writes the spec in mm inside the bell. I would love to try a Low D head halfway between his old "soft" and "medium". It just might be the ideal whistle for me.