JessieK wrote:I think sometimes buzz is created by newbies...they lead each other to buy some instrument by some maker and then all the newbies are talking about it. Eventually, people start to realize that they're not all they're cracked up to be and the buzz dies down. Other times, not enough people are willing to spend the money for an expensive whistle, or a maker will make a few great instruments that get positive reviews and then quality control will slip. Also, if the market is flooded with some make of whistles, they may become to easy to get, and people will lose interest. There are lots of factors.
I'm still alive...rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Stephen, don't be put off by the age of my website...I'm just not particularly motivated to update it. I try to do as honest a business as possible...I just don't do high-volume. I still make the occasional whistle, but as always, only on an "as ordered" basis...so there aren't a load of Parkys floating around. I've also noticed that people don't tend to resell my whistles. I agree that my whistles aren't for everybody, but I don't try to make them as such. Some people don't like copper whistles, and others swear they will only give up their Parky when they're buried. I think of my work as a very personal thing and the product as such. There are some phenomenal whistlesmiths out there, and I wouldn't want to compete with them... I'm content to make the occasional whistle and collect other fine maker's work.
Cheers!
Dave
p.s.: Grannymouse is still a cutie pie.... heh heh heh
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JessieK wrote:I think sometimes buzz is created by newbies...
Perhaps some of this newbie phenomenon occurs. Then again there is the buzzkill created by the "nothing but an X, Y, or Z whistle will do." folks.
As an occasional poster, I sometimes get (maybe wrong) the perception that comments about one whistle or another (sometimes whistle maker) get a chilly reception.
Where comments about other (i.e.: Burke) whistles (and makers) are universally loved.
Peace,
--
Daniel
It's my opinion - highly regarded (and sometimes not) by me. Peace y'all.
dfernandez77 wrote:
Perhaps some of this newbie phenomenon occurs. Then again there is the buzzkill created by the "nothing but an X, Y, or Z whistle will do." folks.
--
I know I am a pretty new guy to the forum, but I've read the forum way longer than when I joined. I kinda have to agree with the last two post. Doesn't it really come down to personal choice. We all have certain qualities that we look for in a whistle. Just because the majority of people like a certain brand doesn't mean that its the best whistle for me. I have played a Burk. Is it a great whistle? Yes. Is it a beautiful whistle? Yes Did it play well? Yes Was it for me? No Does that mean I am a newb? no It just didn't speak to me like other whistles did. Doesn't mean its a bad whistle, cause it isn't. Sometimes (and I know I am guilty about it) We put to much emphasis on the whistle, and not the whistler. I know for myself that I need to practice more so that I can sound good on any whistle. So that I can make any whistle sound good. Look at Phil's site. On it Kevin Crawford is playing a sustato, which I know many people despise. (I'm one) And yet he makes it sing. On the other hand, thats what makes whistle playing partly so fun. The hunt for the whistle that fits you perfectly.
I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.
Tell us something.: Whistle player, aspiring C#/D accordion and flute player, and aspiring tunesmith. Particularly interested in the music of South Sligo and Newfoundland. Inspired by the music of Peter Horan, Fred Finn, Rufus Guinchard, Emile Benoit, and Liz Carroll.
dfernandez77 wrote:Then again there is the buzzkill created by the "nothing but an X, Y, or Z whistle will do." folks.
Actually, I think you'll usually find those people are newbies too. Or maybe that next stage past newbie, where you think you've got it all figured out, but actually you still don't have a clue. (That was me in 2000-2001, for sure. I think I'm starting to get a clue now.)
Where comments about other (i.e.: Burke) whistles (and makers) are universally loved.
I roll my eyes every time I see someone praise Burkes. I think there's a darned good reason that despite being probably the most readily available high end whistle, Burkes are not the first choice of a majority of experienced whistle players, at least in my experience. (Someone mentioned Kevin Crawford -- believe me, he's not playing that Susato because he cannot afford a Burke.)
Tell us something.: Whistle player, aspiring C#/D accordion and flute player, and aspiring tunesmith. Particularly interested in the music of South Sligo and Newfoundland. Inspired by the music of Peter Horan, Fred Finn, Rufus Guinchard, Emile Benoit, and Liz Carroll.
DaleWisely wrote:What is the first choice of a majority of experienced whistle players?
I don't think there is such a beast. Most of the good players I've run into play Sindts, Overtons, or O'Riordans for high ends, Generations and Susatos for low ends. If you had a carefully sorted list, Burkes might sneak in at #5 at best.
I don't think this is surprising -- people want wildly different things from whistles, as the survey on this board a few weeks back clearly showed. No whistle is going to make every player happy.
But this is why I roll my eyes -- it seems that whenever someone asks for whistle buying advice, no matter what characteristics she's looking for, a couple of people will recommend Burkes. If you want a loud whistle, they're loud enough; if you want a quiet whistle, they're pretty quiet. Etc.
They're not nearly as universally well-loved as this board manages to make them sound.
DaleWisely wrote:What is the first choice of a majority of experienced whistle players?
I don't think there is such a beast. Most of the good players I've run into play Sindts, Overtons, or O'Riordans for high ends, Generations and Susatos for low ends. If you had a carefully sorted list, Burkes might sneak in at #5 at best.
I don't think this is surprising -- people want wildly different things from whistles, as the survey on this board a few weeks back clearly showed. No whistle is going to make every player happy.
But this is why I roll my eyes -- it seems that whenever someone asks for whistle buying advice, no matter what characteristics she's looking for, a couple of people will recommend Burkes. If you want a loud whistle, they're loud enough; if you want a quiet whistle, they're pretty quiet. Etc.
They're not nearly as universally well-loved as this board manages to make them sound.
Tell us something.: So, please write a little about why you are interested. We're just looking for something that will make it clear to us, when we read it, why you are registering and that you know what this forum is all about.
colomon wrote: ... you think you've got it all figured out, but actually you still don't have a clue.
It was Col. Mustard in the parlor with the lead pipe.
But seriously, the "clue" has changed for me based on my learning curve and exposure to different whistles. Yet I occasionally still find myself playing The Cat's Jig on my second whistle - a Freeman tweaked Shaw - and the old Sweetone still sounds sweet.
Regardless of my cluelessness, I must give my thanks Michael - as the Burkes are terrific, especially at the short end of the learning curve. They are forgiving and easy playing. They helped my first experience with a Low D sound trifling more like a melody than a flatulent walrus.
Cheers!
Daniel
It's my opinion - highly regarded (and sometimes not) by me. Peace y'all.
I think we all know the bottom line - the music and the playing. Not all people are out there on the session scene either - so not "seeing" a bunch of so and so's whistles has some meaning but is not all there is either.
At the risk of another analogy (those baseball analogies in another thread btw were apparently written by some hacker) - cars are for transportation, but most people talk about style and yes performance. Really fine players sound really fine on most whistles, but people have preferences and the better the player the better he or she is able to judge in my opinion, because they're asking the whistle to do more things and are better able to gauge responsiveness, for example.
I have 5 Burkes and like them. I think some people like them because they are easy to play and are ever so consistent in quality. Also there are just some unexplainable whistle/player bonds that for whatever reason are tangibly there. This is not just subjective. One great player told me that, although Burke doesn't necessarily float his boat, I do wonderful things with mine (black tip D) and should stick with that whistle. He was being kind, I'm sure, but I do have that bond with that whistle.
It really doesn't matter who's out there playing what because there are so many different levels of playing and so many whistles suited to different levels of play and personal style and preference. I also love and bond well with a couple of my Copelands, an O'Riordan, a Sindt, a Walton and a Clarke original or two.
Sometimes I get a sense of people being really snobbish about Burkes, turning up their noses like they're too easy to play or something. I know of at least one truly great player who apparently plays them a lot.
It sure is fun to talk about though, right? What continues to amaze me though is how just after I get done posting how I can't handle and don't try much to play my O'Briain Low D, I pick it up this morning and wail pretty good and not just on an air. Intensified study and practice of new and more difficult tunes, including some use of a metronome as needed, really helps me get to new levels without realizing it; apparently I can work exclusively on high D and yet it transfers readily to the Low D (most find the opposite). I feel great for a moment. Then next lesson and the reality of how far away from being a really fine player I am. I love this stuff....
Oh, and Long Live Parky! Yes, that beauty will be entombed with me (hopefully in another 40 years or so).
Philo
"This is this; this ain't something else. This is this." - Robert DeNiro, "The Deer Hunter," 1978.
colomon wrote:
{Burke} They're not nearly as universally well-loved as this board manages to make them sound.
I agree with Colomon, I bought into the hype and bought two Burkes. I have a delrin high D and a Viper Low D, and while they are decent whistles they are not my favorites and do not live up to the hype.
I think part of the effect is the placebo price tag factor. It occurs when someone, especially a newbie, spends a lot of money on a whistle, they are convinced that it must be good, and rushes off a dozen posts about how wonderful their new expensive whistle is. The next newbie reads that and repeats the process. A third newbie buys in and a legend and a consensus is made.
[quote="BillChin"][quote="colomon"]
they are not my favorites and do not live up to the hype.
quote] But....but thats for you. There not for me either. But for someone else, they may be the perfect whistle. I am sure that there are whistles that we really like that other people don't care for at all. And whats wrong with a newb finding a whistle that they really like and wanting to share it. (or a more experienced player for that matter) As we all have seen, the markers who's whistles are not any good will somehow dissapear in a pretty short time. I don't prefer a Burke, but I don't beleive they are a hype whistle. There good whistles...just not for me I am sure if you wanted to get rid of your Burke, someone would be very glad to pick it up. They have features that some people are looking for and will stick around. This discussion doesn't just apply to whistles, almost every instrument people argue back and forth on which is the best. Taylor or Martin or Gibson. It comes down to what we as individuals like. Even if a Newb finds a whistle and really likes it, than thats a good thing. The whistle could be right for them. And if it encourages them to play, then I am all for it. If you buy one on their suggestion (or anyones) and you don't like, ......well there's always Ebay
Matt
I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.
Celtic983 wrote:... I am sure if you wanted to get rid of your Burke, someone would be very glad to pick it up. They have features that some people are looking for and will stick around. This discussion doesn't just apply to whistles, almost every instrument people argue back and forth on which is the best. ...
Matt
I bought my Burkes here on Chiff, after they were offered for many days unsold, and the sellers reduced the prices from what was already a decent discount from retail. The after market strength is part of the hype. Again, my opinion, my experience.
Almost every whistle brand has its fans. Even brands that have gotten some scathingly bad press have their supporters. So many people were recommending Burkes on this board (many of them relative newbies), it seemed a unanimous chorus to a casual observer.
But....but thats for you. There not for me either. 