Here's the Yvon Le Coant whistle in G (alto), in Brazil Kingswood.
and a detail from its head
All pictures © Korop 2003
Whistle maker in Brittany: Yvon Le Coant (the PICS!)
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Zubivka
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Whistle maker in Brittany: Yvon Le Coant (the PICS!)
Long overdue, I guess...
Here's the Yvon Le Coant whistle in G (alto), in Brazil Kingswood.
and a detail from its head
All pictures © Korop 2003
Here's the Yvon Le Coant whistle in G (alto), in Brazil Kingswood.
and a detail from its head
All pictures © Korop 2003
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Jerry Freeman
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DanTheWhistleMan
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Zubivka
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Well, for those asking, I would recommend you do a search (fill the keyword as "Coant", author as "Zubivka"), as I did post a few comments since Spring. Now, let me try and sum it up...
Worksmanship, you can see. What pics don't tell is the slightly conical bore (much less than on metal whistles, or usual recorders or even flutes), or the undercut holes.
Now for detailing the materials used. Ferrules are of highly polished brass, silver-plated. The fipple plug is of aromatic juniper wood. Smells beautiful, slightly peppery, and this fragrance lasts for long.
The wood is cured by the maker with sweet almond oil, mixed with a few drops of aromatics (peppermint, lemon)--his recipe. Btw, like Grinter he recommends to once in a while oil also the windway and block. Which I do.
Tuning as good as can be.
Sound pure, getting reedy if you push it. More so (i.e. complex) with Kingswood. This is the reason I purchased the G you see--it sounded more interesting for these C and G folk songs I wanted to play. Its voice is particularly reedy, but with no trace of windiness.
Volume loud. Low end strong. Extremely smooth transition between the fundamental tone and the same overblown. No nasty vibe during the transition. Who asked about getting "hard D" on a whistle? Here you go.
Volume requirements average to low on the alti and soprani Le Coant.
The Low D plays differently than the higher tones from the same maker.
Note its relatively small tone holes are offset, so it's easy to fingertip for those who prefer this grip. I'm used to piper's grip, and sometime I regret this size and layout.
Because of this, half-holing isn't always quite convenient for my limited skills. On the other hand, C, Bb are perfectly in tune cross-fingered. G# understandably, remains a bit sharp at xxo xxx, but playable. Also, these cross-fingerings don't produce weak or windy tones.
This Low D of mine takes a lot of air--more than my Copeland, as much as the Grinter I used to have.
However, I chose it so, since I picked among six others in the master's shop, just like I was allowed for the G.
And yes! there are of course variations from one to the other--it is a hand-made wood instrument, so the "colour" of sound will vary.
This particular Low D was an extreme for gas requirements, but its bell tone (low D)--I should call it "belly" tone--is exceptionally "booming". Like jazzy clarinet, in the best sense. I can make it bark like no other whistle I tried, or let it slide down from second D. Even the Low Copeland sounds almost bland, when compared. Yeah, the Le Coant beats the Horn, at least in lower octave... In upper octave, purity of the sound takes over.
This sound, I decided, was worth the extra efforts to keep it going. So, I'd rather quit smoking (next year...) than bitch about these air requirements.
Also, it's a heavy instrument, even more so than the brass Copeland due to its thick blackwood walls. I used one of these plastic thumb clips at the beginning, then I found out the slight bulge at the lower assembly gives enough of a secure grip. I still may devise some kind a strap one of these days: I'd hate to drop the thing on my tiled floor...
As a consequence of the dense wood and thick walls, it's also long to warm up, and you'd better to hear its best sound, also get easily in the second octave. Don't ask me about the third one--I told you it's a pretty loud whistle
Next July, I may buy a Bb from Yvon, but maybe I'll get an A before
:roll: no, I have a will, I have a will...
Worksmanship, you can see. What pics don't tell is the slightly conical bore (much less than on metal whistles, or usual recorders or even flutes), or the undercut holes.
Now for detailing the materials used. Ferrules are of highly polished brass, silver-plated. The fipple plug is of aromatic juniper wood. Smells beautiful, slightly peppery, and this fragrance lasts for long.
The wood is cured by the maker with sweet almond oil, mixed with a few drops of aromatics (peppermint, lemon)--his recipe. Btw, like Grinter he recommends to once in a while oil also the windway and block. Which I do.
Tuning as good as can be.
Sound pure, getting reedy if you push it. More so (i.e. complex) with Kingswood. This is the reason I purchased the G you see--it sounded more interesting for these C and G folk songs I wanted to play. Its voice is particularly reedy, but with no trace of windiness.
Volume loud. Low end strong. Extremely smooth transition between the fundamental tone and the same overblown. No nasty vibe during the transition. Who asked about getting "hard D" on a whistle? Here you go.
Volume requirements average to low on the alti and soprani Le Coant.
The Low D plays differently than the higher tones from the same maker.
Note its relatively small tone holes are offset, so it's easy to fingertip for those who prefer this grip. I'm used to piper's grip, and sometime I regret this size and layout.
Because of this, half-holing isn't always quite convenient for my limited skills. On the other hand, C, Bb are perfectly in tune cross-fingered. G# understandably, remains a bit sharp at xxo xxx, but playable. Also, these cross-fingerings don't produce weak or windy tones.
This Low D of mine takes a lot of air--more than my Copeland, as much as the Grinter I used to have.
However, I chose it so, since I picked among six others in the master's shop, just like I was allowed for the G.
And yes! there are of course variations from one to the other--it is a hand-made wood instrument, so the "colour" of sound will vary.
This particular Low D was an extreme for gas requirements, but its bell tone (low D)--I should call it "belly" tone--is exceptionally "booming". Like jazzy clarinet, in the best sense. I can make it bark like no other whistle I tried, or let it slide down from second D. Even the Low Copeland sounds almost bland, when compared. Yeah, the Le Coant beats the Horn, at least in lower octave... In upper octave, purity of the sound takes over.
This sound, I decided, was worth the extra efforts to keep it going. So, I'd rather quit smoking (next year...) than bitch about these air requirements.
Also, it's a heavy instrument, even more so than the brass Copeland due to its thick blackwood walls. I used one of these plastic thumb clips at the beginning, then I found out the slight bulge at the lower assembly gives enough of a secure grip. I still may devise some kind a strap one of these days: I'd hate to drop the thing on my tiled floor...
As a consequence of the dense wood and thick walls, it's also long to warm up, and you'd better to hear its best sound, also get easily in the second octave. Don't ask me about the third one--I told you it's a pretty loud whistle
Next July, I may buy a Bb from Yvon, but maybe I'll get an A before
:roll: no, I have a will, I have a will...
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Nanohedron
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Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps. - Location: Lefse country
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selkie
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That's a lovely looking whistle. Looks almost feminine in its shape. Almost as if it were intended for the ladies. 
<img src=http://www.lifeforms.org.uk/whistler.gif><BR><B>....... I shall whistle from the Underworld .......</B>
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selkie
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I just spotted something. What a shame. Even if I could afford one of these beautiful whistles I couldn't play it if it is cured with Almond oil. I have severe Nut Allergy and I only have to inhale Peanut dust or sesame seed oil and I am away with the fairies.
<img src=http://www.lifeforms.org.uk/whistler.gif><BR><B>....... I shall whistle from the Underworld .......</B>
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Zubivka
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Selkie, I guess you would have to put a special order, asking for linseed, poppyseed or mineral oil curing at the finishing stage.
Or just ask the wood to be left raw, "dry" after polishing.
I don't see why Yvon wouldn't agree on te latter.
Btw, I agree on the "feminine" shape. Something about the curves and flares... :roll: Isn't it what inspired Nanohedron too when he mentioned "French" looks? Anyway, some may snigger "recorder" but I find a welcome change to the often "Soviet militaro-industrial" looks of so many whistles.
IMO, the blackwood versions tend to "neuter" the shape, partly because black looses the shape, and silver+black trim rather a hard combination.
Or just ask the wood to be left raw, "dry" after polishing.
I don't see why Yvon wouldn't agree on te latter.
Btw, I agree on the "feminine" shape. Something about the curves and flares... :roll: Isn't it what inspired Nanohedron too when he mentioned "French" looks? Anyway, some may snigger "recorder" but I find a welcome change to the often "Soviet militaro-industrial" looks of so many whistles.
IMO, the blackwood versions tend to "neuter" the shape, partly because black looses the shape, and silver+black trim rather a hard combination.