Copeland brass High D - what do you think?

dublingirl · Post by **dublingirl** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 6:55 am

I've set my sights on a Copeland High D brass whistle & would like to know what other players think of them please.
Is the sound quality excellent, as you'd expect for that price? Does it need a lot of air in the upper register? Does the windway get blocked much?

Many thanks,
Dublingirl

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:31 am

I used to have one and didnt like it, it was too loud for my taste. It also requires lotsa air in the upper register. Overall I dont think it's a good purchase for the price.

WhistlingGypsy · Post by **WhistlingGypsy** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:06 am

I agree with Azalin. There are better whistles out there for a lot less money ~ Burkes or Sindts for example. I'm not saying it's not a good whistle, just that it is very expensive for what you get.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:10 am

The venerable Tyghress let me borrow one last summer. If you're looking for a loud whistle, you'll like it. I personally don't care for the sound of conical whistles in general (it rather reminded me of a sweetone in character), but if you like them, I'm sure the Copeland will suit you well. It did clog a little bit, but it wasn't terrible as long as you warmed it up a bit before playing.

I do agree with Az that they're rather overpriced. I think my Elfsong is as good a whistle (and I personally prefer it), and it only cost me $75. I guess it's kind of like paying 60 bucks for the designer jeans over the 25 dollar levis. You shell out a lot for that label.

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 9:07 am

The Copeland high D I bought was loud and took a lot of air in the second octave, so generally wasn't much to my liking (see, so far I agree with Azalin).

However, I contacted Jim Rementer, basically said "the whistle's too goddarn loud and takes too much air!", so they offered to let me send it back for revoicing. The result I got back was a very different cup of tea: Nice, medium'ish volume, reasonable air requirements, and a wonderful sweet sound.

All this just to say: Jim and Michael are obviously capable of modifying their whistles within a wide range to suit your preferences. Just make sure you actually communicate those prefs to them when ordering!

Jens

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 9:13 am

I've had two Copeland brass high D whistles. I liked them both, and if I was a more confident and assertive player it would be my whistle of choice for session playing.

However, the top end (especially high A and B) take either a lot of air or better focusing of air than I was capable of when I had one. I may get another one sometime soon and see if my capabilities have improved.

They have a really unique sound that carries very well and are very responsive to ornamentation. They look and feel really nice too!

They're very well made and sturdy...no rough edges or unfinished bits.

-Brett

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 9:32 am

An older Copeland high D brass is my primary session instrument. They do take a bit more air and if pushed go can tend sharp in the second octave, but I like mine quite a bit. #2 is a Michael Burke brass session pro, also fantastic, perfectly in tune, but a bit softer than the Copeland.

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 9:55 am

Copelands are expensive and I love them. I also love Elfsong, Abell, O'Riordan, Burke.... That said, Copelands generally have, to my taste, the fullest richest tone of any whistles made; when they get it just right, there is none better. I think the class of their line are the high and low D and the low G.

I have two sop D Copelands, one in brass and one nickel. The brass is very old (pre numbers) and the nickel is about a year old. The brass is very good; the nickel is the best sop D I've heard; I do not attribute this to the metal, rather to the eccentricity of the individual whistles.

It is louder than any of the whistles noted above and is somewhat less forgiving, esp in the upper octave; however I do not find it has high air requirements and it is tremendously responsive.

The Copeland nickel D and the brass G go into my time capsule, grave, next life whatever with me...

Regards,

Philo

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:21 am

If I was going to apply a name to the Copeland high D I tried, it would be:

Vera.

Ya know, like one of those older-middle aged back room lounge singers who is a chronic two pack a day smoker, and has that that thick husky voice like Marge's sisters on the Simpsons.

If this is what overtones are, no other whistle I've ever played has had them. Sure some notes were clearer than others, but this was not a clear whistle by any stretch nor quite what I expected. I found the volume to be average, though certainly not loud. As others have mentioned, the second octave did require a healthy push to get it and keep it there.

Anyway, again as others have said, it's a nice whistle and all, but when you figure you could buy two double sets of O'Riordans for the same cost...well, you see what I mean.

(edited to change raspy to husky - sorry, that was the word I was looking for in the first place)

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:28 am

As everyone else has said, they take a lot of air. If you're playing at a big session or one in a noisy bar, though, Copelands are great because you can actually hear them! I keep mine handy for those types of situations, but it's sort of my backup whistle.

Mine also sounds great on solo slow airs (which I don't play that often, but it's nice to have the right whistle handy).

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 11:38 am

I have an older Copeland High D in brass and it is my favorite whistle for solo playing. It would be my favorite whistle for all playing except that it is not quite as well in tune with itself as my Burkes.

That said, it's got a voice like no other whistle I've heard, so much so that I can forgive the slight tuning problems. It's loud, yes, but so are Susatos. The difference is that Susatos sound loud and strident while the Copeland sounds loud and commanding. When it speaks, it does so with authority.

There is no way mine can be described as raspy, and I would think if someone had a raspy Copeland then that whistle must be seriously defective.

As for the amount of air I find that mine takes slightly more than a Burke session whistle -- at the same time, I can lean into it much harder and more expressively than I can any of my Burkes (and I can lean into the Burkes more than most other whistles).

If someone would just combine the excellent tuning of a Burke with the commanding voice of my Copeland I'd be in whistle heaven.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 12:22 pm

I've had several Copelands and would agree with what others have said above...Great powerful sound, very responsive, quick & crisp for ornaments, fairly pure tone, great solid bell note.

I also found the upper register to want a lot of air and likewise feel that, though it is a great whistle, it scores fairly low on the "bang for the buck" scale.

If you're going to spend that kind of dough get a wooden whistle (Thin Weasel, Abell, Busman) or, if you want metal, get two Burkes.

Cheers,

Doc

janice · Post by **janice** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 3:01 pm

I lloooovvveee mine, and it's the only whistle I play. The trick is to put your top teeth (gasp!!) on the fipple, not your top lip. This helps the second octave focus problem as it allows for a more concentrated air stream and more control.

Eliezer · Post by **Eliezer** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 3:07 pm

Funny, I was just on the phone with Micheal this morning, talking about that air requirement.

It seems he has changed the fipple plug on his new D's to be 4/1000s of an inch thicker, so as to cut down on that upper register's need for lots of wind. This is man who CARES, who thinks, who responds.

And as long as he had my whistle (he told me), he took out two small dings, buffed up the whole thing, and cut the mouthpiece to a shape I would find more comfortable! I didn't even know you could do that!

Copelands? Not just the most responsive whistle I have ever owned, it's the most responsive OBJECT I own. If I merely think it, it comes out of my Copeland. Immediately. My mistakes used to be partly me, partly my assortment of Generations. Now they are entirely my own. But now they won't be quite so loud.

Did I mention how rich the tone is? No whistle I know blends better with other instruments without getting lost "in the mix".

Two caveats: after a while (say an hour or two), I find mine to be a bit heavy; and some people's hands like a tapered bore, some don't. Play a SweeTone to see what you think.

Eliezer · Post by **Eliezer** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 3:10 pm

Oh yeah. Almost forgot: I've have no problem with blocked windways. It does like to warm up before it sings, and I wouldn't play it outdoors for Christmas caroling. That's what Susatos are for.

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Copeland brass High D - what do you think?

Copeland brass High D - what do you think?

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