Sweetheart Blackwood Whistle?

Wynder · Post by **Wynder** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:15 pm

So, I'm going to be picking up a new whistle fairly soon -- I've a full set of Generations for key variety, a Burke Brass Pro Sessioner in D and a Burke Low D Alluminum Viper along with a Low D Howard, but a person with whom I play with at session has one of Sweet's older wooden whistles and I do like the sound of it... Kind of mellow on the ears, but it still projects.

I noticed he makes a Blackwood version of his D whistle and was wondering if anyone has had a chance to play it? I still want that same woodsy, mellow quality with excellent projection -- not being much of a wood guy, I don't know what kind of tonal qualities that wood comes with.

Any information or recordings of this whistle would be appreciated.

Post by **Dale** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 3:19 pm

I got an email from a musician the other day who said he doesn't want to COLLECT whistles....he just wants to buy a excellent high D and an excellent low D and be done with it. I told him that I don't think you could do better than buying the newer Sweethearts. I'm most enthusiastic about them.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:01 pm

Dale wrote:I got an email from a musician the other day who said he doesn't want to COLLECT whistles....

People collect whistles? What a strange concept.

Ok, staying on topic (what a concept) - I have a Laminated Birch Sweetheart Professional. It's a darn nice whistle, right in the middle of the hunt in it's price range. Bit of a wood tone, nice playability, low care, and volume if you want it. One of a few really good picks in it's class as I see it - the only pick if you want wood tone in the voice.

I imagine the Blackwood would be a charmer too.

Have fun,

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:45 pm

Ditto to what has been said.

I just got one about two weeks ago. I have actually reached for it to play instead of immediatly jumping for the Flute. Now, this is coming from someone who plays Flute about an hour per day and Whistle on occasion, and I have also owned some pretty high class Whsitles (Burke, Sindt, Bleazey, to name a few). I would say that it is most definantly a good buy. It has the mellower sound, but still has volume, which is one thing I love about it.

Wynder · Post by **Wynder** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 8:01 pm

This is encouraging -- thanks a lot for the feedback folks.

Emrys · Post by **Emrys** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:04 pm

The blackwood D Sweetheart whistle that I got fell apart. The inlaid piecein the fipple fell out. I sent it back and got to pay about $35 to have it fixed, and it fell apart again. The sound was incredibly intense, and it pretty well decided me that I was done with blackwood and done with Sweethearts too. You might have better luck than me.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 11:40 pm

I don't have the blackwood. I have the laminated whistle.

I can tell you that I've had no trouble with the laminated whistle. I can also tell you I have two blackwood whistles by other makers, and it's an excellent tonewood.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:57 am

Wow, that's weird about your Sweethearts. I've owned about 3, and never had the kind of trouble you describe...

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:43 am

Wanderer wrote:Wow, that's weird about your Sweethearts. I've owned about 3, and never had the kind of trouble you describe...

Yeah, really.

I have a Resonance low D and love the heck out of it. I've played the Dymondwood high D and C and they're also quite excellent. I'd expect the Blackwood would be similar. You'll pay more for the Blackwood though. If you plan on knocking the whistle around at sessions, the laminate may be a better choice.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:01 am

Emrys wrote:The blackwood D Sweetheart whistle that I got fell apart. The inlaid piecein the fipple fell out. I sent it back and got to pay about $35 to have it fixed, and it fell apart again. The sound was incredibly intense, and it pretty well decided me that I was done with blackwood and done with Sweethearts too. You might have better luck than me.

The more I think about it, the less sense that makes to me. I know Walt and Ralph and I can't imagine them charging for a repair (or most other whistle makers either, myself included). Did you buy this newe from them? Did they do the repair, or did you have someone else do it?

springrobin · Post by **springrobin** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:51 am

Emrys wrote:The blackwood D Sweetheart whistle that I got fell apart. The inlaid piecein the fipple fell out. I sent it back and got to pay about $35 to have it fixed, and it fell apart again. The sound was incredibly intense, and it pretty well decided me that I was done with blackwood and done with Sweethearts too. You might have better luck than me.

I agree that this doesn't make sense. I've owned 3 Sweetheart flutes and 4 whistles. Didn't have the opportunity to play any of them before I bought but was pleased with all of them.

Robin

Wynder · Post by **Wynder** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:51 am

One other question...

The jig tune on the Sweets' site:

http://www.sweetheartflute.com/sounds/ProW1.mp3

What's the name of that tune and where can I find music? ;p

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:01 pm

Um....my guess is that its a jazzed up version of Humors of Lisadell, and you can find it on JC's Tunefinder. The issue with Humors of Lisadell is that it spends a bit of time below D, so you have to jump octaves, or play around with the melody.

My favorite version of this is on the Coen bro's CD The Branch Line, which is where I learned it.

Dave Parkhurst · Post by **Dave Parkhurst** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:27 am

Some people might scoff at the idea of dymondwood whistles, but I have a dymondwood uilleann chanter and let me tell you, it is great material and sounds wonderful.
Dave

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:27 am

Dave Parkhurst wrote:Some people might scoff at the idea of dymondwood whistles, but I have a dymondwood uilleann chanter and let me tell you, it is great material and sounds wonderful.
Dave

I just ordered some blue/green dymondwood as a special request from a customer which should be a lot of fun. Unlike most dymondwood instruments, this will be in the more ornamental shallow cut pattern, giving a scalloped effect:

(OK, why didn't that pic show up?)