I have succumbed to WHOAD

[kokopelli]

The Kerry low D clearance sale finally got the best of me. I couldn't resist the price. I almost feel bad about buying another whistle but I've wanted a low D for so long. I hope it's not too hard to learn pipers grip; or I suppose it's called easy grip now.

[maki]

The Kerry low D clearance sale finally got the best of me. I couldn't resist the price. I almost feel bad about buying another whistle but I've wanted a low D for so long. I hope it's not too hard to learn pipers grip; or I suppose it's called easy grip now.

The first step is to admit that you have a problem.

Hello, my name is Maki, and I'm a whistle addict.....

[osage59]

Yep....I'm on my way to snagging an Elf Song whistle myself.

[Steve Bliven]

The first step is to admit that you have a problem.....I'm a whistle addict.....

But Jerry Freeman assured me that it wasn't really a problem!

Best wishes.

Steve

[JTC111]

Aside from the Oz C I'm going to order, I'm thinking about a Kerry Optima in F# or G when they come out ...'cause 21 whistles ain't enough!

[heyjude]

If you're not looking for a whistle in the mail, what's the point in getting up in the morning. I say the "sickness" is in the keeping of them. Don't be a hoarder, buy'm play'm and sell'm. Money goes out, money comes in and music get played. It don't get no better than that.

I want my Oz. It's been on order 63 days, 1 hour, 3 minutes and 17 seconds.


Jude

[cunparis]

The Kerry low D clearance sale finally got the best of me. I couldn't resist the price. I almost feel bad about buying another whistle but I've wanted a low D for so long. I hope it's not too hard to learn pipers grip; or I suppose it's called easy grip now.

can someone tell me about this Kerry Low D that's on clearance? I found it on the website and 35 pounds doesn't sound like a bad price. Is this similar in quality to a Chieftain or is it a lower end model? I'm not familiar with it at all. I'm thinking that for this price I should get one for later. I really like my Alto G and would like some day to be able to play Low D.

[killthemessenger]

I should get one for later

Seek immediate medical attention.

[JTC111]

can someone tell me about this Kerry Low D that's on clearance? I found it on the website and 35 pounds doesn't sound like a bad price. Is this similar in quality to a Chieftain or is it a lower end model? I'm not familiar with it at all. I'm thinking that for this price I should get one for later. I really like my Alto G and would like some day to be able to play Low D.

It's a mixed bag... the tone of the whistle is very nice and the hole spacing is comfortable but it's a beast to blow. It takes a huge amount of air and, imo, there's just about zero noticeable back pressure. I bought one when it first came out as it seemed like a bargain even then. In another thread on this board, some folks timed how long they could hold a note with the Kerry Low D compared to other low D whistles they owned and the difference was significant ...something around 25-30% if I'm recalling correctly.

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

can someone tell me about this Kerry Low D that's on clearance? I found it on the website and 35 pounds doesn't sound like a bad price. Is this similar in quality to a Chieftain or is it a lower end model? I'm not familiar with it at all. I'm thinking that for this price I should get one for later. I really like my Alto G and would like some day to be able to play Low D.

It's a mixed bag... the tone of the whistle is very nice and the hole spacing is comfortable but it's a beast to blow. It takes a huge amount of air and, imo, there's just about zero noticeable back pressure. I bought one when it first came out as it seemed like a bargain even then. In another thread on this board, some folks timed how long they could hold a note with the Kerry Low D compared to other low D whistles they owned and the difference was significant ...something around 25-30% if I'm recalling correctly.

Have you tried Hammy Hamilton's low D? I find it considerably more air-hungry than the Cillian O´Briain i had years ago.. I haven't tried a Kerry low D myself, only Chieftain and Overton (recently)

EDIT: The Hammy is much more resonant and powerful too.

[JTC111]

Have you tried Hammy Hamilton's low D? I find it considerably more air-hungry than the Cillian O´Briain i had years ago.. I haven't tried a Kerry low D myself, only Chieftain and Overton (recently)

I've never played a Hamilton. I now have an Overton low Eb and an MK low D to compare it to (didn't have either when I bought the Kerry) and the Kerry has a much greater air requirement than either of those.

[MarkP]

anyone want a Chieftain low set (D, Eb, E)? I really don't play them. Happy to have them but if anyone has a burning desire and a fair price I'll happily sell them where they'll get played. Pretty much 'as new' condition. I forget the price. Preferably in UK/Ireland.

[kokopelli]

It came today! I finally have my first low D and after less than five minutes of play I'm already in love. It's going to take a few days to get my fingers used to the pipers grip but I have a feeling I'll be playing this whistle so often that it should happen pretty fast. I always loved the sound of low whistles but when that sound is coming from my playing I almost want to stop playing so I can just listen.

I'll give a bit of a review of this whistle since I have it and they are going out of production. Since this is my first low D, and my first time even seeing one, I was surprised by how large it is, both in length and diameter. It does have almost no back pressure, but since I have a background with NAF's I'm used to sighing into my large instruments rather than blowing into them. I run out of breath FAST with it too. It takes a lot of air. I've already gotten familiar enough with the pipers grip to produce a song and I love the sound of this whistle. It has lovely response to slight variations in breathing which makes it quite easy to get a very nice bit of vibrato with the breath. This is great for me since I have always preferred that method to using a finger vibrato. The tone is wonderful, though I admit I have no other low D's to compare it to. It has considerably more chiff than any of my high whistles and I've found that I can get any range of chiffiness by varying my tonguing methods. The head is rather large and I can see why the new head design for the optima is replacing it. It feels good in my lips though despite it's rather unwieldy size. The whistle came in a plastic box sort of thing that was so tight that the head came off in the box as I was pulling the whistle out. A bit of twisting got it to stay on the body and come out of the box. It's a very simple design but I don't much care how it looks. It sounds great and is tons of fun to play. I am so glad these whistles went on sale so I could get a good first low D for a great price. Fifty dollars very well spent!

[cunparis]

It came today! I finally have my first low D and after less than five minutes of play I'm already in love.

Congratulations on your new acquisition. I am glad to read that you're happy with it. I decided to pass on the deal based on a previous post but now you have me reconsidering. I'm still not sure what this backpressure is and what to compare it to. My main instrument is a saxophone, I don't know if that has a lot of backpressure or a little? I also have a Gminor NAF. How does the Low D compare to the NAF?

[kokopelli]

I'm still not sure what this backpressure is and what to compare it to. My main instrument is a saxophone, I don't know if that has a lot of backpressure or a little? I also have a Gminor NAF. How does the Low D compare to the NAF?

My best description of what backpressure is would be how hard you have to push the air through the instrument. I've never played saxophone so I can't give any comparison to it. If you take a drinking straw and blow through it you'll feel a lot of resistance to you blowing. That's backpressure. Another way of thinking of it is if it would make your cheeks puff up if you relaxed the muscles in them. Something with more backpressure would make your cheeks puff up more whereas something with very low backpressure wouldn't make them puff up at all. All of my high whistles have more backpressure than my NAF's and the NAF's have more than the low whistle. It takes a lot of slow gentle breath to get the low notes on it.