Killarney High D Whistle

[wizzywig]

I have just had a play on the Killarney high D whistle and was not overly impressed. The fact that it is a toatal copy of the John Sindt high D without the brass body makes it look very appealing but the finish on the blade was rough with small burs and this did effect the playabillity. The tone was not as sweet or pure as my Sindt. Overall, the tuneing was good and the price very affordable yet if I had to play a concert or record something I would go straight for a Susato for less money and more volume.

wiz

[pancelticpiper]

YMMV as they say.

I really like my Killarney. I've never been a fan of the higher Susatos (I had a Low C that was great).

Here's an extensive conversation about Killarneys

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=96210

Here were my impressions when I first got my Killarney, and did careful comparisons with it and my Sindt:

I found the Killarney a bit louder overall than the Sindt, yet having an even easier 2nd octave. It's quite remarkable, how facile it is! (The Sindt, in turn, having a far more easy 2nd octave than my Freeman Generation and Burke Session.)

The Killarney is amazingly efficient, getting a nice volume from very little air.

Examining the two whistle heads side by side, the quality seems identical. The little gaps between the brass and plastic at the tip of the mouthpiece, on either side of the windway, which Free Feet provided closeup photos of, are greater on my Sindt than on this Killarney. The heads are finished/polished to equal pristine smoothness.

I do note that the Killarney head is shorter at both ends (having a shorter mouthpiece beak and a shorter tuning chamber).

When I go back and forth between three D's, the Killarney, the Sindt, and my prized Feadog MK1, the metallic overtones of the Killarney become quite apparent. Not quite a hiss but a synthetic-sounding bright edge. (My Freeman Generation has it too.) The Sindt by comparison is butter-smooth and dark and round. I do notice a weak spot in the Sindt's tone, E in the 2nd octave, which sounds thinner than any other note on the whistle.

Darker, more woody, more organic-sounding even than the Sindt is the tone of my old Feadog MK1. The overall performance is quite similar to the Sindt, having a very easy 2nd octave (though not as easy as the Killarney) and a round full low octave.

[Sirchronique]

I do note that the Killarney head is shorter at both ends (having a shorter mouthpiece beak and a shorter tuning chamber).

Actually, different Sindts have different sized heads, as I've said many a time on here. I have three different sizes of D sindt heads, and all three have some subtle differences to the sound, as well as appearance. The Killarney is modeled after the smallest Sindt head, and is exactly the same in dimensions, as far as I can tell. I believe there is also a fourth type, with a bit of a "bulge" on the head, but this seems to be uncommon.

Anyway, here is a picture I shared on a Facebook group of some Sindts. On the right are my E/Eb/D ones, and note the different sizes of the barrels on the head.



Starting with the right-hand side of the photo, the two whistles on the end are both medium sized Sindt D heads. The third whistle from the right is the small sized Sindt head (which the Killarney is based upon), you can clearly see the obvious difference in the size of the barrel on the head of this one. Then the fourth and fifth whistles from the right are the large sized Sindt heads.

The two with the large heads are my favourite, as they have a rounder more bubbly tone in the low end. The small headed Sindts are more sensitive. The Killarney is more sensitive than most Sindts, and I really think it sounds overall quite different (though it is a very nice whistle, of comparable quality, at least concerning the one I have). However, it compares most closely to the small headed Sindt I own, likely because that is the model they ripped off their design from.

the metallic overtones of the Killarney become quite apparent. Not quite a hiss but a synthetic-sounding bright edge. (My Freeman Generation has it too.) The Sindt by comparison is butter-smooth and dark and round.

Nice way to put it, and I'd agree. The Killarney does sound more bright and metallic to my ear, as well, for better or worse. It is really a matter of preference, but for this reason, as well as the lighter playability of the killarney, I personally prefer the Sindts. I like lighter playability, up to a point, but in my opinion the Sindt is right on the money, as far as where I like the sensitivity to be on a whistle, particularly on the two best ones I have.

[Jayhawk]

To each their own...I just played my Killarney to a crowd of about 200+ and received a ton of compliments on it from other whistle players. Granted, I'm playing their brass bodied model, but mine doesn't sound in any way "metallic"...or at least no more metallic than any metal bodied whistle.

The argument that any whistle, or flute for that matter, is ripping off another maker is a bit ridiculous...all whistles, and flutes, are very, very similar. Does anyone accuse Feadog, Waltons or Claire of ripping off Generation? Shaw of ripping off Clarke? Yes the Killarney looks remarkably like a Sindt, but my Baubet flute looks every bit as much like most other Irish flutes as the Killarney looks like the Sindt. If they were exactly the same, they'd sound the same, and the fact people feel they sound different (just like my Baubet sounds different than a Watson or Olwell, despite looking very similar) just supports that they are different despite the similarities.

Eric

[pancelticpiper]

Actually, different Sindts have different sized heads

Yes noted.

I would think that it would be clear from my post that I'm comparing a single example of the Killarney whistle to a single example of the Sindt whistle.

[maki]

Finally purchased my first Killarney, $72 including shipping.
It'll replace the Sindt that I sold off.
This will be my first new whistle in some years and I'm excited.
Only three weeks to get here.
(Still mostly on the cocertina, and occasionally an old Tipple flute.)

[Luck Adversa]

Finally purchased my first Killarney, $72 including shipping.
It'll replace the Sindt that I sold off.
This will be my first new whistle in some years and I'm excited.
Only three weeks to get here.
(Still mostly on the cocertina, and occasionally an old Tipple flute.)

I received mine a week ago, i bought the full brass one after i saw the topic on the forum and i absolutely love it.

[BrianG]

Finally purchased my first Killarney, $72 including shipping.
It'll replace the Sindt that I sold off.
This will be my first new whistle in some years and I'm excited.
Only three weeks to get here.
(Still mostly on the cocertina, and occasionally an old Tipple flute.)

I received mine a week ago, i bought the full brass one after i saw the topic on the forum and i absolutely love it.

Did it take the full 3 weeks before you got yours? I ordered one as well - about a week and a half ago and was told around 3 weeks...

[Jayhawk]

I think 3 weeks is their standard non-backlog response.

[Luck Adversa]

Yes the whistle arrived the third week after I ordered it.
The sad part is that the postman left it above the mailbox and didn't ring me at all. I was lucky that my neighbour called me to tell me that there was a pack for me and he waited there until I was able to take the package myself.

[BrianG]

Got mine yesterday. Mine has the protruding 'ears' that will help it not roll as shown in the first pic:

[Jayhawk]

Mine, too, and I love them because they really do help with the roll factor.

[BrianG]

Mine, too, and I love them because they really do help with the roll factor.

I thought I read somewhere that the little stubs were flush on the newer batch of whistles so I was happy to see that's not the case.

[BrianG]

The Killarney is amazingly efficient, getting a nice volume from very little air.

Exactly so! This is the first whistle I've ever owned where I find I have a lot of breath left over.

[maki]

My Killarney Whistle arrived this afternoon.
It is a brass bodied beauty. The craftsmanship and finish look wonderful to me.
The brass pin that runs through the Derlin fipple block is rounded and protruding which I like,
it reminds me of some of my better made knives with exotic wood scales secured by brass pins.

The important part- I love the way it plays!