Burke narrow-bore whistle & clogging

dublingirl · Post by **dublingirl** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:32 am

Which type of Burke narrow-bore whistle is less likely to clog - brass or aluminium?
Thanks!

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue May 04, 2004 10:23 am

Composite.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue May 04, 2004 10:45 am

AFAIK, Burke whistles don't clog. Brass or aluminum shouldn't matter, since the cloggable part, the windway, is delrin.

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Tue May 04, 2004 10:57 am

Thought I'd chime in here...

My C brass session pro doesn't clog but my D aluminum NB black-tip does. I probably slobber more than Glauber, though.

No big whoop. I treat it with hand soap every couple of weeks and that does the job.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue May 04, 2004 11:04 am

I used to have a brass D sessionpro, and it was uncloggable. Maybe the narrow bore whistles have the problem, then?

g

Byll · Post by **Byll** » Tue May 04, 2004 1:03 pm

I play Burke narrow bore whistles in both brass and aluminum... They simply do not clog.
Best.
Byll

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Tue May 04, 2004 1:17 pm

Byll wrote:I play Burke narrow bore whistles in both brass and aluminum... They simply do not clog.
Best.
Byll

I also have both the brass and aluminum narrow bore whistles, and my experience is the same as Byll's.

lemccullough · Post by **lemccullough** » Fri May 07, 2004 4:11 am

I just received a new Burke alumnium D. Very clean sound, nicely in tune, solid timbre and thus far no clogging. I'll use it on a recording tomorrow and put it through its full pacing.

I'm still having trouble adjusting to a world, though, where I have to worry about the nearest source of soap for a defective whistle head. Doesn't seem natural. I remember a time when you picked up the whistle and it played, and it kept playing the same way forever, good, bad or indifferent. Then again, 10 years ago who thought phrases like "rebuilding desktop" or "defragging hard drive" or "clean your mouse", woud be part of our daily vocabulary and routine?

Best,
L.E. McCullough

chas · Post by **chas** » Fri May 07, 2004 5:18 am

Since all of Mike's whistles (except the old-style WBB) have the same windway, it shouldn't matter. If you're, like me, a little clogging-prone, then it would seem that the brass would be in theory just a tad more likely to clog, since it will take just a tad longer to warm up.

That said, of the several Burke high whistles I've owned, the only one that's ever clogged was an Al Pro session. Two old-style WBB's never have.

Also, having just acquired a narrow-bore brass, I'd highly recommend it. It has a pure but still traditional sound, really quick response, and the overall ease of play that all of Mike's whistles have.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Fri May 07, 2004 7:21 am

I just pulled out my NBB and reminded myself how nice it is. I did a review of this whistle in Chiff and Fipple quite a while back. Only one caution; this is a pretty quiet whistle. For playing alone, that can be a real advantage, but if you like to play in a large session, your sound will get lost.

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Fri May 07, 2004 7:49 am

I have a narrow bore brass D which is wonderful, but it does clog if I don't warm it up carefully. It's not loud, but has pretty decent carrying power nonetheless. (Great whistle!)

Dana

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Fri May 07, 2004 11:33 am

I got a narrow bore alluminium in "D" and I don't have clogging issues. I really like that whistle.

lemccullough · Post by **lemccullough** » Sat May 08, 2004 9:46 am

I have to say my best-sounding whistle, the one that gives the most sheer audio pleasure right now to my ears, is a Burke delrin key of B. Smooth, full, totally in-tune, almost a clarinet timbre, with crisp fingering, great, clean sound all the way to the high C#. . .

Unfortunately, it's in a key seldom used in Irish music, so it's pretty much for solo use only.

Best,
L.E. McCullough

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Sat May 08, 2004 12:45 pm

My WBB brass D does occasionally clog, but none of my session pro instruments in D, C, B, or A ever have a problem.

Treating the windway with dishwasher rinsing agent does nearly completely eliminate the clogging issue, but don't under any circumstances clear the windway by sucking after treating a whistle (very yucky!).

Cheers,

Michael

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Sat May 08, 2004 2:03 pm

Azalin wrote:I got a narrow bore alluminium in "D" and I don't have clogging issues. I really like that whistle.

Likewise. Ditto. Me, too.

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