Preferred Whistles

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 9:45 am

Someone asked me what whistles I prefer. Here is what I play most:

Humphrey narrow-bore D (just intoned)

Generations (usually tweaked)

Overtons

(Sindts are next on the list, but the Humphrey has been the whistle I reach for these days. Then there are few special purpose whistles: A muted Clare for quiet play, a guitar-pic tweaked Susato for outdoors, an Alba low F for G-minor tunes)

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:29 am

Did I just see a Susato in that list? From Bloomfield? My brain is having trouble processing that image. . .

Will O'Ban

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:34 am

Will O'B wrote:Did I just see a Susato in that list? From Bloomfield? My brain is having trouble processing that image. . .

Will O'Ban

A Susato that has been modified by cutting out the original blade with a sharp implement and replacing it by a straight guitar pic (Dunlop Tortex Red .5 mm, to be exact). You can see it here.

What does everyone else reach for first?

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:52 am

Bloomfield wrote:
Will O'B wrote:Did I just see a Susato in that list? From Bloomfield? My brain is having trouble processing that image. . .

Will O'Ban
A Susato that has been modified by cutting out the original blade with a sharp implement and replacing it by a straight guitar pic (Dunlop Tortex Red .5 mm, to be exact). You can see it here.

Bloo, that wasn't meant to be a negative comment against you or Susatos so I hope you didn't perceive it as such. It's just that I've seen some of your reviews on the Susato and from what I can remember, wouldn't consider you to be part of the Susato fan club. But I suppose "tweaked" may be another story. I don't understand the physics behind all of this tweaking business . . . How did you decide on that material (that particular guitar pick) and how did you determine the precise length to produce the tone you were after, and getting the exact placement of the pick so that it wasn't angled to one side or the other? Just curious. Thanks.

Will O'Ban

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:58 am

I currently have 3 whistles I prefer:
My brass Copeland, my Greenwood, and my Burke Al-Pro, and which one I reach for depends on a variety of factors, such as ambient noise, etc.

If my Copeland sells, then I'll be down to two preferred whistles. I really only need two D's...one louder and one softer.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:59 am

My beloved Abell madagascar rosewood whistle has been usurped by my current favorite, the Lon Dubh in blackwood.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:05 am

I still prefer my Burke Narrow Bore Composite D

Will O'Ban

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:05 am

First is the Burke pro brass

For quiet play I use the Whitecap Gen

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:06 am

Humphrey wide bore D with customized (modified Werckmeister III) scale.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:06 am

Will O'B wrote: Bloo, that wasn't meant to be a negative comment against you or Susatos so I hope you didn't perceive it as such. It's just that I've seen some of your reviews on the Susato and from what I can remember, wouldn't consider you to be part of the Susato fan club. But I suppose "tweaked" may be another story. I don't understand the physics behind all of this tweaking business . . . How did you decide on that material (that particular guitar pick) and how did you determine the precise length to produce the tone you were after, and getting the exact placement of the pick so that it wasn't angled to one side or the other? Just curious. Thanks.

Will, I didn't mean to start a Susato thread, but that's how it goes, I guess. I think the Susatos are good whistles, a good bargain for the money, and very well made by extraordinarily fine instrument builders who know their business. That said, they are not my favorite whistles, for three reasons: They are too loud, they are not well-balanced between octaves (loud, penetrating above the high f#), and I don't like the sound, the timbre, tone, hrrrnnnnngh, whatever you want to call it. (Also I think some keys are better than others, for instance the C is better than the D. The low D has the added problem of awkward hole-placement and shape.)

I got the idea for the tweak from a guy in England who had done it before. As for the material anything hard and stiff enough to hold a bevel and to be cut to size will work. I know someone who uses pieces of CD-covers. How did I determine the precise length? I marked where the original blade ended before I cut it out. I put blue tak under the new blade to be able to adjust angle and placement. Then I played around with it until I had it right. Then I use 5-min epoxy or superglue to fix the new blade in place. It's not difficult or anything. Here is a recent thread on the subject. The tweak makes the whistle softer, through the placement of the blade I can control the balance between octaves, and the sound/tone is completely changed.

HTH.

P.S. A lot of the Susato slagging is just a running joke. The real problem is the "Hey, I've been playing for 2 months and went to a session last week. I am going back this week and I need a Susato, because I could still hear the fiddles and the piano accordion when I played" phenomenon.

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:06 am

Tweaked Brass Generation in D
unTweaked Brass Generation in Bb

Cheers,
Aaron

rh · Post by rh » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:19 am

Alba Q1 soprano d
tweaked and muted Generation soprano d for quiet practice

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:01 pm

O'Riordan Traveller D and low D for playing with other people. Water Weasel Bb and O'Riordan Traveller Eb for just knocking out tunes at home. (The Traveller high D normally lives in my backpack, so it only rarely gets out for random playing around the house.)

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:05 pm

Different whistles at different times.

A range of Sindts and Generations are always hanging around. Copeland and Overton low Ds and low Gs are usually within reach or nearby.

I love my wooden whistles and really get a kick out of playing them but don't keep them assembled so I don't just pick them up to doodle.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 12:08 pm

Bloomfield wrote:P.S. A lot of the Susato slagging is just a running joke. The real problem is the "Hey, I've been playing for 2 months and went to a session last week. I am going back this week and I need a Susato, because I could still hear the fiddles and the piano accordion when I played" phenomenon.

Got it.

And thanks for the tweaking explanation.

Will O'Ban