Loud whistle for Morris?

[Anyanka]

The real answer is, of course, a piccolo....

Ooooh.... that would be so cool. There's something sexier about playing transverse, not sure why. Is a piccolo substantially louder? How easy is it to make a decent one?

[benhall.1]

The real answer is, of course, a piccolo....

Ooooh.... that would be so cool. There's something sexier about playing transverse, not sure why. Is a piccolo substantially louder? How easy is it to make a decent one?

Apparently it's very very difficult. Takes years, ya know. Just to make one.

[Anyanka]

Anyanka,

I have a Syn D which I dont get on with. No reflection on the whistle, rather a reflection on me. I can confirm it is a very loud whistle and wonderfully made. I live close to the Hants / Surrey border, you are welcome to try it out if you are not far away ?

Clive

Clive, thanks, that would be fantastic. Are you actually looking to sell it? I'm on the other side of Surrey (Reigate), but perhaps we can figure something out.

[sfmans]

The real answer is, of course, a piccolo....

Ooooh.... that would be so cool. There's something sexier about playing transverse, not sure why. Is a piccolo substantially louder? How easy is it to make a decent one?

A decent piccolo is way louder than just about any whistle I've ever come across. I've been playing fife for Morris for 30+ years now and wouldn't consider trying to do the same on a whistle. You have a substantial volume gain playing in the same octave as you would have on the equivalent range of a whistle, and once you get to grips with the third octave fingerings you'll be more than holding your own against just about as many melodeons as you want to take on!

I'm currently playing a metal Angus D fife, and previously played various Sweet wooden fife/piccolos. Another advantage of a simple-system one is that you won't even have to learn more than a couple of different fingerings compared to whistle.

Can't say how easy they are to make (I suspect they're harder to get right than whistles) - but Tony Dixon makes a plastic piccolo for about 30 quid, and whilst they're not on a par with an Angus or a Sweet they're plenty good enough to learn on and realise what you've been missing, and then you can start looking at the more expensive instruments.

[sfmans]

Tony Dixon makes a plastic piccolo for about 30 quid

That was just OTTOMH - I've just checked and they're actually under 20 quid (the DX015 at http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/catalog ... nshop.html ). Like I say you'll soon want something better, but you won't ever spend a better twenty quid if you do want to try playing piccolo for Morris.

Go on, you know you want to ...

[Steve Bliven]

I think our newest mod is cracking under the strain. (Head's gone, naturally.) He needs to be rudally apprehended, carted off and enjoined to keep better company.

Just stop it right now, go make piccolos until the urge passes....

Best wishes.

Steve

[benhall.1]

I think our newest mod is cracking under the strain. (Head's gone, naturally.) He needs to be rudally apprehended, carted off and enjoined to keep better company.

Now, how did I miss that one? How puny.

Anyway, take Steve's advice, young man!







... sorry ... "punny" ...

[jemtheflute]

I think our newest mod is cracking under the strain. (Head's gone, naturally.) He needs to be rudally apprehended, carted off and enjoined to keep better company.

Now, how did I miss that one? How puny.

Anyway, take Steve's advice, young man!

... sorry ... "punny" ...

See what I mean? Barrel of laughs, you are..... and the body of members has to foot the metaphorical bill (jointly, of course)......

Seriously, Anyanka, sfmans is on the right track. I wouldn't recommend anything by Dixon (that I've ever played), nor by Sweet. I've no experience of the Angus fifes, but have heard good things about them and they look the part and their website is convincing, FWTW.

And there is another option (pm sent).

[pancelticpiper]

He needs to be rudally apprehended, carted off

if only you had worked "rose" in there somehow...

[Steve Bliven]

He needs to be rudally apprehended, carted off

if only you had worked "rose" in there somehow...

Please don't feed the animals !

Best wishes.

Steve

[Anyanka]

Right, piccolo/fife it shall be. I'll start with one of the inexpensive kind, but for future ambitions, could I have a website link for Angus? Googling 'Angus fife' gets me all sorts of stuff, none whistle-related.

[I.D.10-t]

http://www.angusfifes.com/

[jemtheflute]

@ Steve: Miaou!
Anyway, they're lapping it up.
@ PanCP: Rose wasn't contextually relevant, but I did get in the full 'Rudall Carte and Co.'
@ Anyanka: Angus Fifes website is on The Makers List (sticky thread on the Flute Forum) and they've had stuff on eBay recently. Also use the search tool for old threads about them.

[Anyanka]

Thanks, all! Jem, have PMed you.

[ducks]

can I just add that dixon fifes and piccolos are quite nasty?