Low D question: Overton or Cillian O' Briain?

Baen · Post by **Baen** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 3:43 pm

Well, I'm looking at spending more on a Low D. I went to Clips and Snips and heard various low whistles. The one that pulled at me the most was the Overton. Great smooth sound, not too reedy. Of course, the whistler made all the difference with her accompished playing.

The only problem is that the only place I've found them in a tunable version, Celtic Fire, is out of stock and won't have more for perhaps 3 months.

The other option is a low D by Cillian O' Briain. But I haven't heard how these sound, so am somewhat hesitant about ordering one without hearing it first.

Any feedback on either of these whistles? Also, does anybody know a quicker source for the Overton Low D's?

thanks,
baen

eran · Post by **eran** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 4:05 pm

its funny,
i am also trying to decide between these two whistles...

how much time would it take ordering directly from Colin?

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 4:24 pm

here's a sample of the o'briain low D http://www.whistleanddrum.com/Cillian%2 ... istle.html

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 5:17 pm

In my own humble opinion, the Overton may be worth the wait. You'll have that low D for a long time.

Call Colin up: how long the wait is depends on what he is currently making. I
ordered C from Colin that was ready in just a few weeks. So speak to him. He may also know where he's shipped some of his tunable low Ds.

A word on the tuning: As you tune a whistle up and down, you are distorting the internal tuning of the instrument. So, a tuning slide may be helpful, but you are compromising. If you are reasonably sure that you'll be playing with concert pitch instrumens, I'd not hesitate to get a non-tunable Overton: They're spot on.

Byll · Post by **Byll** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:03 pm

Baen: PM waiting for you.
Best.
Byll

Baen · Post by **Baen** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 8:17 pm

Thanks for the input, especially the link for the sound clips, and the notion of not necessarily needing a tunable model. Makes sense, and part of me getting a tunable was based on the idea that the whistle would necessarily go out of tune. Anyhow, I'll check out the nontunable models as well, and perhaps be able to find an Overton. Or get a o'briain in a nontunable model.

After listening to the sound clip, still not sure which I'd want to get...

best,
baen

Tak_the_whistler · Post by **Tak_the_whistler** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 11:38 pm

Baen,

I can thoroughly recommend Overtons, as does Mr Bloom and many other faithful followers of Colin (or Bernard).

What sort of a low D you want does depend on how you want it to sound. Cillian sounds like a low "whistle", on the other hand Overton has the characteristic "Overton" sound (hence the glorious title Cosmic Drainpipe). To use Dale's term, "Spillane-like".

With my Cillian low D, it seems to be a little too weak on the lower notes (but Paddy Keenan seems to manage that). It has, however, the sweet-melancholic sound. "whistle" like.
Easy to play, but you may have to breath in and out more often than you would do on an Overton.

On the other hand, you'll probably find Overtons a little challenging. You have to blow into it, or rather, they have a spot where you have to find out so as to take the full advantage of the Cosmic Drain drone sound. If you do decide for an Overton, then first get a soft-blower type, unless you're used to trumpet, saxophone and those winds which require a certain amount of breath.

Here's a diaglam to give you another picture,

Flute-like ------/--- Whistle-like-----/ ------ Spillane-like
---------------------------------------------------
Copeland ------Cillian, Chieftain ----------Overton
---------------------------------------------------
Seamus Egan --- Paddy Keenan ------Flook, Declan Masterson, Rory Campbell

So, you might also want to make a list of who you like to listen to or want to sound like.

by the way, Someone mentioned before that Cillian sounds more whistle-like, and there's a legend about a person who sold a Copeland to buy it.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 1:35 am

Baen wrote: Also, does anybody know a quicker source for the Overton Low D's?

Yes. This board. Isn't one available right now? Incredibile though it might sound ... incredible though it does sound to me ... several people have tried unsuccessfully to sell Overton low Ds here recently. You could always just start a thread asking if someone has one for sale. My guess is that it will take you a lot less than three months and you won't have to accept an inferior alternative, not that I have any experience with O'Briens so I have no idea how they would compare, except, of course, that I don't think I have ever seen them mentioned here in the same breath.

Come to think of it, I can think of an Australian supplier of Bernard-made untunable Overtons. I own one which I love. PM me if you're interested and I'll give you a link to their web site.

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:44 am

As Wombat said, I've seen two Overtons for sale here now I think; one is tuneable. I have an O'Briain and like the sound and the look of it. Take me with a pound of salt here, because I don't spend much time in Low D territory, but I find the O'Brain more difficult to play than Copeland, Overton or O'Riordan. The tone holes I think are larger than most (except Howard) and it doesn't appear to be forgiving of improper seals. For someone who is comfortable at Low D, I think it certainly can be mentioned in the same breath as the other best Low Ds.

PhilO

serpent · Post by **serpent** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 11:26 am

Having listened to both via the various MP3s and SWFs, my vote goes to the O'Briain on sound counts. It sounds a lot like my Pythons, and seems to have some of the same problems-that-arent-problems if you learn the instrument. Having looked at piccies of both, I think the Overton probably has the vote for easier to play per tone hole size and spacing, while the O'Briain has it on general appearance - VERY slick looker, that tunable. I guess my vote has to go to the O'B. on points.
serpent

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 11:45 pm

serpent wrote:Having listened to both via the various MP3s and SWFs,

So, let me get this straight: You've never played either an Overton low D or an O'Brian low D, Serpent?

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 12:35 am

Bloomfield wrote:
serpent wrote:Having listened to both via the various MP3s and SWFs,
So, let me get this straight: You've never played either an Overton low D or an O'Brian low D, Serpent?

Tak_the_whistler · Post by **Tak_the_whistler** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 1:40 am

As to the appearance, on one hand we have O'Briain which has a sort of satin-finish look to it. Darker and more "earthly"-ier than Overton. "Gun-metal", as is often so reviewed.

On the other hand, we have fingers.

To play an Overton, of course.

stefpat · Post by **stefpat** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 1:45 am

See

http://www.hobgoblin.com

Second hand:

n° 22L2514
Overton Low D as new
£ 95.00
In London

Have a nice day,

Tak_the_whistler · Post by **Tak_the_whistler** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 2:02 am

Baen, tried http://www.kerrywhistles.com yet? Chieftains sounds like they've got more boost on the low notes than Cillians -- to my ears, anyway. Price is about the same (Overton being more expensive, if you're getting a tunable)

Where was I ?

Ah, so, don't hesitate, go and get an Overton first. You won't regret it. You can get, as many suggest, a good (I wouldn't say 'best' since it's subjective) whistle for the lowest price possible amongst the high-ends. Then if you want to broaden your mind you go for a Cillian (opposite to Overton in sound, I guess?), Chieftain (more "edge" to the sound) and so on.

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Low D question: Overton or Cillian O' Briain?

Low D question: Overton or Cillian O' Briain?

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