James Becker new whistle maker review

[keithsandra]

James D. Becker’s High D penny whistle, nontuneable.


Made in ivory coloured, near unbreakable, climate- impervious, polymer plumber’s pipe, its hardwood fipple block sealed with polyurethane, this hand made, lightweight, nonclogging instrument is ready for a lifetime’s use.

It is modeled on the Dr Guido Gonzato PVC whistles, with variations on hole size and placing by the whistle’s maker, James Becker, an academically qualified American musician and teacher. The very heavy chamfering of the tone holes is a unique Becker feature. You wonder if your fingers will ever get out of those declivities, but they produce finger playing accuracy and limit the possibility of air leaks, making the whistle feel comfortably reliable. The chamferings on the model reviewed however were clumsily executed, and poorly finished. There were also two tool scratches barely polished out near the air window. The cutting and finishing on the window ramp and the window itself were rough and unfinished too. The blade seemed finished crookedly. The fipple block is nicely curved and fits confidently into the lower lip, but the fipple is end grain wood and rough so doesn’t help in playing fadeouts, (morendos) when trying to gently pull the mouthpiece away from the lips. The two labels that came with the whistle look computer generated on paper rather than the usual self sticking plastic labels that are smarter and don’t come off when cleaning. They had come unglued, and had to be stuck down again with Sellotape. None of this affects the whistle voice though, which is remarkably satisfying, especially for such a low price whistle, even though it is hand made. (Becker says he is pleased to have these issues brought to his attention and is addressing them).

Performance wise, the Becker needs a lot more air than the Burke D Composite Session, which itself needs just a little more air than Dr Guido Gonzato’s whistle. The Becker is as loud as the other whistles, and is just as in tune. The octaves are perfectly balanced. The high notes are easily delivered and the octave transitions are unnoticeable. No screeching or squawking here. The Cnat presents no problems with oXXOOO.

If needed, Becker says by adjusting the moveable fipple hood one sixteenth of an inch towards your lips the lower octave is easier to play. Bringing the hood the same distance down towards the tone holes makes the higher octave easier to play, he says.

So far as tone goes, while the Burke has a cold, clear bright accuracy and the Gonzato has a cleaner, richer, warmer accuracy with some chiff, the Becker is sweet but more complex, huskier, with chiff galore. The Burke, Gonzato and Becker all have fabulous bell tones. The Becker has a lot more backpressure and needs more push than the other whistles. Before getting used to it, the Becker player will need to concentrate on breath control. (Professionals are reported to like the variation high backpressure gives).

The Becker D’s musical quality and price make it an outstanding starter whistle, one that can still be played by session, concert players and soloists even when they get to perform at Carnegie Hall, IMHO …

Also, the Becker is another example of how musically high quality, low cost whistles have arrived. Clearly, whistle problems people had to put up with in the past no longer need be tolerated or even addressed, even by tweaking.

The Burke costs $190, the Guido Gonzato $40, and the Becker $5.

[Gerald]

Does Mr. Becker have a website?

[Cayden]

Clearly, whistle problems people had to put up with in the past no longer need be tolerated or even addressed, even by tweaking.

Will you please give it a rest, people have been playing cheap whistles for donkeys years and they have been doing fine.

[keithsandra]

Does Mr. Becker have a website?

www.becker.embarquespace.com

[susnfx]

Googled James Becker whistle and got this:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4490123.html

Is this the whistle??

Susan

P.S. There's something wrong with that link, Keithsandra...it doesn't work.

[keithsandra]

Googled James Becker whistle and got this:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4490123.html

Is this the whistle??

Susan

P.S. There's something wrong with that link, Keithsandra...it doesn't work.

I gave you a mispelled web site. The real one is : www.becker.embarqspace.com

Sorry about that.

I liked the literary flavour of the whistle site you gave Susan. No doubt intended for library whistlers, bookish types anyway?

[Bothrops]

The low G is $8, LOL.
I'd love to hear some recordings played by a skilled player...

[tompipes]

They sound grand.

$5 you can't go wrong. They're $83 cheaper than mine but the costs are always eaten up by the time it takes to make the things. Materials are are factor too.
Mr. Becker obviously has a great set up for making these whistles that can save him time.

I'd love to hear some recordings played by a skilled player...

Great point. He should send one to Phil Hardy. He does very honest reviews and he's a decent player too.


My 2p.

Tommy

[Björn]

and soloists even when they get to perform at Carnegie Hall, IMHO …

Also, the Becker is another example of how musically high quality, low cost whistles have arrived.

LOL and LOL again. Will you provide us with a recording of this splendid instrument, please?

[Madpiper]

Well, if they sound decent are actually in tune, I would buy a complete set. I've been meaning to figure out which key I like best anyhow.

[fearfaoin]

Will you please give it a rest, people have been playing cheap whistles for donkeys years and they have been doing fine.

I think keithsandra's point was that these were contenders in the "cheap"
catagory. Now if the price and quality can stand the test of time remains
to be seen.

[Cayden]

I think keithsandra's point was that these were contenders in the "cheap"
catagory. Now if the price and quality can stand the test of time remains
to be seen.

I think he either doesn't know about cheap whistles that have been the mainstay of whistle players the past 150 years or so or he likes to overstate things slightly more than a bit for the sake of his reviews.

The following remark, made in an earlier post about cheap whistles informed my reaction as I believe it demonstrates a thought pattern in our writer's pieces:

IMHO, it’s amazing what whistlers had to put up with before modern, low cost whistles.

[fearfaoin]

The following remark, made in an earlier post about cheap whistles informed my reaction as I believe it demonstrates a thought pattern in our writer's pieces:

IMHO, it’s amazing what whistlers had to put up with before modern, low cost whistles.

Huh, yeah, that's vague. Even when I went back to look at it in context... It
could just as easily mean "Thank God for mass-produced Generations and
Feadogs. Now we don't have to carve them from bone ourselves, anymore."

[Cayden]

It may, loads of big words with not a lot of real content but plenty of suggestion.

On second thought though the

This new generation of whistles has a different musical, engineering, academic, and intellectual content.

does suggest the writer thinks a new day has dawned on whistledom with the introduction of simple pvc whistles.

[Madpiper]

MHO, it’s amazing what whistlers had to put up with before modern, low cost whistles.

While cheap as dirt whistles have been around forever, I think this statement was a shot at previous cheapies quality overall in comparison. Or maybe its because I have seen seen any low-G, D, or any low key for $8-12. I only recall ever seeing D, C and Bb's for those prices. So perhaps the statement was for that.