What Whistles do the Pros Play?

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Mon May 24, 2004 6:45 am

stiofan wrote:According to their cd liner notes, Lunasa play Grinter, Overton & Chieftain whistles. I'm not sure about the Susatos, but could be.

When i saw them live, it was definitely as you say. No Susatos in sight!

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:30 am

Unseen122 wrote:
buddhu wrote:Spider Stacey used to play nickel Generations.
No Spider Stacy used Brass and Nickel if youl look on the pictures of him in "IF I Should Fall form Grace With God" you will notice that he uses nickel and brass. Later when they came out with "Pogue Mahone," although he was not the whistle player, the person playing uses specialy made Overtons (it says so in the liner notes). The best whistle that I have ever played on is a Dixon with a brass tuning slide after that I knew I would never by a different high whistle ever. When I saw Dropkick Murphys in concert it looked like Ryan Foltz was playing a Clare (brass with a green top but not a gen).

I never said he played *only* nickel

Actually, I tried to think while I was posting if I ever saw him with a brass Gen, but all I could bring to mind were the blue tops. Certainly in most of the pics I can find he's blowing nickel...

SilverStrand wrote:Andrea Corr plays Waltons and Generation...I don't think she's ever played Clare

Andrea plays cheap whistles because she always loses them!

Nah, the other one, Sharon. Although David le Bas of Clare whistles claims Andrea also uses them some of the time. I know she normally uses what looks like a Walton LBW...

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:50 am

janice wrote:Loretto Reid has a set of O'Riordan's, but usually ends up playing her old beat up Gens.

Actually, I believe her main whistles are an Eb Generation (which she uses a lot), a D Genration with an O'Riordan head, and O'Riordan Travellers for all the keys C and below.

Lunasa definitely uses Susato D and C whistles, both for Kevin and Sean's high whistle playing. When we saw them in Cincinnati a couple of months back, they used them for the Raffin Island/Sporting Paddy set and for McGinchly's.

waitingame · Post by **waitingame** » Mon May 24, 2004 9:54 am

We know L.E. McCullough has a Burke Al because he said so in another thread.

waitingame · Post by **waitingame** » Mon May 24, 2004 9:58 am

And I think we can safely assume Talbert plays Chieftains!!

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Mon May 24, 2004 11:01 am

There used to be an aluminum body with a black fipple whistle made with a James Galway name on it too. It was my favorite after I lost my Fedoga (brass, green fipple) whistle.

After I lost that one, I found some good Generations and they were my favorites for years, then I picked up some old Clarke Original designs and messed around with them.

I have some Burke whistles that I play a little (low A composite, Low G and D AL-PROs and a brass session pro that I play very little.

I have made some money playing gigs, so I am now a professional, right? Or do you have to make more than you spend to be considered one?????

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Mon May 24, 2004 7:07 pm

Andrea Corrs definetly uses the LBW every place that sells them (online) says that it is the same one she uses. I prfer nickel myself when it is not my Dixon... I know I should do marketing for him or something great high whistles... sorry went off an a rant there doesn't matter The Pogues are still no doubt one of the best bands ever in my opinion.

Talbert St. Claire · Post by **Talbert St. Claire** » Mon May 24, 2004 8:32 pm

Waitingame,

Yes, I play Chieftains almost exclusively. Anything pass Low-D I play the Overton in the Lower keys (Baritone C, B-flat, A, G.) as I have had them for years. Best, - Tal St.Claire

P.S. Lunasa does play Susato's but they have been carefully selected by the band members. I had a chat with Sean regarding the susato's some yrs ago.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon May 24, 2004 9:48 pm

As far as the first LOTR movie is concerned, didn't we determine a long time ago that the instrument was a (I believe this was the technical term

) "frickin' recorder"? That would explain the difference in sound.

As far as what the pros play, the only one I know is Will Millar...I believe he plays a Copeland.

Redwolf

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:08 am

Redwolf wrote:As far as the first LOTR movie is concerned, didn't we determine a long time ago that the instrument was a (I believe this was the technical term ) "frickin' recorder"? That would explain the difference in sound.

hehe... are you gonna resurrect that whole 6-page debate again Red?

As I recall, it got quite heated in there!

Here's a blast from the past re ROTK and the flute Sir J's Abell evolved into:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... light=lotr

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:16 am

JessieK wrote:James Galway plays an Abell. Joanie Madden plays O'Riordans and some Burkes. Mary Bergin plays Sindts and Generations. Larry Nugent plays Copelands. As does Seamus Egan. Brian Finnegan of Flook plays Goldie Overtons.

Shame on you Jessie: you forgot Cathal McConnell ! When he was here in upstate NY last year, he had a ragtag collection of "cheapies"-- Generations and the like. All looked very well played, with bits of tape here and there.
Bill Ochs is also a major advocate for really traditional whistles.
Last I knew, Tim Britton played Copelands

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:27 am

During a televised Chieftans concert I saw Paddy Moloney playing a Sindt. They just happened to switch to a closeup of Paddy as he was pulling out the Sindt for the next number.

Chief Wanganui · Post by **Chief Wanganui** » Wed May 26, 2004 1:48 pm

To clear up the "Lord of the Rings" question, my old mate Mike Taylor played whistle on the first two films and he plays an Abell.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed May 26, 2004 1:49 pm

brewerpaul wrote:Shame on you Jessie: you forgot Cathal McConnell !

Shame on me, indeed!

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Wed May 26, 2004 1:55 pm

burnsbyrne wrote:During a televised Chieftans concert I saw Paddy Moloney playing a Sindt. They just happened to switch to a closeup of Paddy as he was pulling out the Sindt for the next number.

This was verified in January when I played with them again:

(this one's my friend Mark)

(this one's really me)

Cathal McConell played a VERY strange flute which had it's tone hole almost halfway down it's body:

and also played a red top Generation at their concert in April:

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What Whistles do the Pros Play?

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