I hate my Susato.

[Dale]

There's just no doubt in my mind that the Susato is the ultimate love-it-or-hate-it whistle. I love them but completely understand how someone would hate 'em.

Dale

[CelticNot]

Aanvil,

Your Susato angst (SA) is treatable! However, you must want to be SA-free, and the process requires several steps. Step one: Send me the offending whistle. Step two: I lodge the wild whistle beast in a special Susato stable with my two more docile Susatos (a VSB D and a B). Step three: I play my well-behaved Susatos to provide examples of acceptable behavior for the wild Susato. Step four: I work with the whistle (maybe whispering to it like that horse guy does) until it is broken (you know, like a horse, not as in "damaged") — this step can take quite a lot of time. Step five: You forget the whistle ever existed and I keep it. —— Result: You are SA-free!

Cheers.

[fruladog]

Wander on back a few years for a Susato tweak

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=7282

[Aanvil]

Wander on back a few years for a Susato tweak

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=7282

Oh noes1111!!11

I just had a nice long chat with MTGuru. (A very pleasant fellow to boot!!!)

Marcus will be happy to know some of that envolved my aproach to playing it. We'll see how well I listened.

I did get a non-envasive tweek from him that I will try as well.

I'm afraid that thread fruladog linked to appeals to my extreme tinkering nature.

It may go under the knife yet!


Oh, and those that PMd me to take it off my hands... thanx but the Susato was gift from a close member of the family.

I'm stuck with it.

[peeplj]

Since I have finally got the hang of really playing the thing, my Susato isn't really any louder than my Feadog.

It's all in how you play it....and that's all about how you control your air.

--James

[trill]

I love my Susato.

I love the crispness + tuning. They are also nearly indestructable. Mine's been with me to the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and numerous other outings.

The volume can be a nusiance. I have a tweak which cuts the volume considerably. I'll try to write it up. The essential points: minimal change to the windway area, but cut the "active flow" region in half, no cutting/glueing of the plastic.. The best part: you can insert or remove with your fingers.

Also, I have found that the angle of entry between the lips can make a huge difference in the sound. At steep angles, you get some induced-chiff.

MTGuru: I hope you do write it up.

trill

[cavefish]

i dont see the big hate -they are easily a good session whistle and through out good sound-------------the money has gotten more but they used to be around 18.00$---------

[markbell]

I ain't the greatest whistler, but I have played a lot of different whistles. Count me among the Susato detractors.

I had both a low F and a narrow-bore A, and didn't like either of them. I like a loud whistle, mind you. My Chieftain OS low D will nearly peel paint in the upper octave, and I like it quite a bit.

And it's not the plastic, either. I have two Hoover PVCs and a Hoover Whitecap that are among my favorites.

Mark

[Cynth]

I found mine to be awfully loud and I didn't like the high notes much---but then I never got good at playing it, so who knows. Anyway, it never sounded like a bumble bee was inside it. Are you sure the mouthpiece doesn't need cleaning? I let mine get gunked up once and it did affect the sound quite noticeably.

[anniemcu]

I still own one (a high F) that I rarely play. I just have not found them to my tastes. That doesn't make them bad, of course, just not my cup'a'.

[Adrian]

I love all 19 in my Susato rack. They are not for the timid though and sound best when you give them some welly.

[MTGuru]

Also, I have found that the angle of entry between the lips can make a huge difference in the sound. At steep angles, you get some induced-chiff.

Yep, my experience too, exactly.

[lyrick]

Here's an interesting thread someone posted recently (from the forum on the Lunasa website): http://www.lunasa.ie/bb/viewtopic.php?t=509

Kevin Crawford gives his thoughts on the Susato (consistent tuning, balanced, very responsive, not the best tone), and seems to think it's the best mass produced, widely available whistle. He also says the Sindt is his favorite, but he's reluctant to take it on the road since his Grinter whistle got stolen while touring.

So those clips of him playing the Susato at concerts exist only because he likes his Sindt so much that he doesn't want to risk losing it .
I do laugh whenever I see people use those clips as the 'proof' that Susatos must be good. I guess now we'll have to invoke Kevin C.'s name whenever Sindts are discussed.

I'm not a big Susato fan either, but they seem to have their place, especially for performing or playing outside, or if you've developed the control to soften that second octave. The one I played has the buzz that one person mentioned, but it's probably audible only to the player.

[MTGuru]

I do laugh whenever I see people use those clips as the 'proof' that Susatos must be good.

Well, that's not completely fair. Marcus only said it sounds good to him. And in that Lunasa thread, Kevin does recommend Susatos as a second whistle, and confirm that he uses them for both performing and recording. Presumably, he could choose any expendible, mass-produced whistle in the world. So it's hard not to view that as a kind of practical endorsement. Second-favorite to a Sindt is hardly a negative! Heck, they even repel spiders ...

And, yes, the Sindt is lovely for a more traditional tone. With 3 Sindts as your avatar, I imagine you like them, too.

[MarcusR]

Well, that's not completely fair. Marcus only said it sounds good to him...

You got it right, and I'm sure almost any whistle would sound great if Kevin played it.

In contrast to lyrics statement above I dont think a video clip 'proofs' anything but I disagree with the analogy
"I can't get this whistle to sound good when I play it - therefor it must be a crappy whistle".

/MarcusR