Tell that to Tony Hinnigan. I remember him saying that he always brings a mound of whisles with him to a gig because he always doesn't know which whistle will sound best for the tune he is doing. Perhaps a bit different from a student stand point though.Peter Laban wrote:the ones that come into class with a stack of expensive whistles and going through them to find the best whistle for the the tune at hand are usually the ones who can't play least.
Opinions wanted on Burke Narrow Bore Aluminum
It's very fast to finger, it sounds good, it's loud enough for
the ensembles I play in but not very loud. If you search
you'll find more. I think it's a very good whistle.
Opinions were requested. My opinion. If I didn't believe it, I wouldn't have posted it.
I'm not terribly enamored of burke whistles, this is the
only one I've ever played and I don't know much
about them in general, I don't
think everybody should own one.
If people have another opinion, that's great. Some actually
have been expressed. But second guessing the motives
of those who express a positive opinion is as unhelpful
as doing it to those who express a negative one. There's
enough integrity among us to go round.
I think this is bad for this board. We ought to be able to
express opinions without ad hominems. Disagreements
are fine, of course. It's getting harder to say much here.
the ensembles I play in but not very loud. If you search
you'll find more. I think it's a very good whistle.
Opinions were requested. My opinion. If I didn't believe it, I wouldn't have posted it.
I'm not terribly enamored of burke whistles, this is the
only one I've ever played and I don't know much
about them in general, I don't
think everybody should own one.
If people have another opinion, that's great. Some actually
have been expressed. But second guessing the motives
of those who express a positive opinion is as unhelpful
as doing it to those who express a negative one. There's
enough integrity among us to go round.
I think this is bad for this board. We ought to be able to
express opinions without ad hominems. Disagreements
are fine, of course. It's getting harder to say much here.
Your low opinion of the DBN is fine with me and I'd like tonarrowdog wrote:I'm in agreement with Peter here, I've no idea what all the fuss is about with these whistles.
I bought one, a DBN earlier this year after reading a similar thread and was so disapointed.
It was bland and uninteresting and after playing it for about 3 months I sold it for what I feel they should be retail.
There are IMHO far better whistles for half and quarter of the price of a Burke.
know what you think the better, cheaper whistles are. They may
well exist. But why implicitly
question the motives of people expressing a positive opinion?
Nobody's doing it to you. Why not an honest disagreement?
That's actually interesting.
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free-feet
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Well i admit to being one of those nonsense buyers Peter refers to. 
I did buy a DASBT after i'd been doodling on whistle for about 3 months, and although i sold it long ago i certainly have absolutely no regrets buying it. It was a wonderful whistle for this beginner, totally predictable, easy to blow and whereas it may sound bland to some, it does sound nice when you aren't that good a player. It served me well and allowed me to progress in my playing and technique without having to worry every moment about my breath control like some more "interesting" sounding whistles require.
I've also owned a Bleazey, Silkstone, Kerry, Rose, Alba, Hoover, O'Brian, Clarkes, Dixons, lots of cheapies and also tried many others at places like Hobgoblins and whistles on tours. The Rose finally replaced the Burke, and finally the Rose was replaced by a Sindt.
I don't regret buying any of them. I learned something from all and didn't lose very much money over the long term at all. In fact if i had to sum up what i spent on whistles less what i made selling off the ones i didn't want and then divide that by the 3.5 years i've been playing i would reckon that i've spent only a few pence a week on whistles. So i don't think it's correct to look at it as wasting £100's when in fact i've only spent a few pence weekly on a very rewarding hobby and found MY whistle along the way.
Or to look at it another way. If i'm to be thought of as silly for spending a few pence a week, what does one think of someone going and sitting in pub sessions spending about £3 a pint on beer all evening?
Personally, i don't do pubs, hate the places, but i don't condemn people who wish to find their whistling thrills spending extortionate sums of money funding government approved addictive drug pushing in such places so why should people like me be mocked or condemned for spending far far less supporting the great whistle makers of our age? I know who i'd rather give £100 to.
I did buy a DASBT after i'd been doodling on whistle for about 3 months, and although i sold it long ago i certainly have absolutely no regrets buying it. It was a wonderful whistle for this beginner, totally predictable, easy to blow and whereas it may sound bland to some, it does sound nice when you aren't that good a player. It served me well and allowed me to progress in my playing and technique without having to worry every moment about my breath control like some more "interesting" sounding whistles require.
I've also owned a Bleazey, Silkstone, Kerry, Rose, Alba, Hoover, O'Brian, Clarkes, Dixons, lots of cheapies and also tried many others at places like Hobgoblins and whistles on tours. The Rose finally replaced the Burke, and finally the Rose was replaced by a Sindt.
I don't regret buying any of them. I learned something from all and didn't lose very much money over the long term at all. In fact if i had to sum up what i spent on whistles less what i made selling off the ones i didn't want and then divide that by the 3.5 years i've been playing i would reckon that i've spent only a few pence a week on whistles. So i don't think it's correct to look at it as wasting £100's when in fact i've only spent a few pence weekly on a very rewarding hobby and found MY whistle along the way.
Or to look at it another way. If i'm to be thought of as silly for spending a few pence a week, what does one think of someone going and sitting in pub sessions spending about £3 a pint on beer all evening?
Personally, i don't do pubs, hate the places, but i don't condemn people who wish to find their whistling thrills spending extortionate sums of money funding government approved addictive drug pushing in such places so why should people like me be mocked or condemned for spending far far less supporting the great whistle makers of our age? I know who i'd rather give £100 to.
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hoopy mike
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I'll drink to that!free-feet wrote:Personally, i don't do pubs, hate the places, but i don't condemn people who wish to find their whistling thrills spending extortionate sums of money funding government approved addictive drug pushing in such places so why should people like me be mocked or condemned for spending far far less supporting the great whistle makers of our age? I know who i'd rather give £100 to.
Stay hoopy,
Mike
Spot-on intonation, very pure, but I did eventually find the pureness gave it a blandness I didn't like. I sold mine and kept my Dixon Trad out of preference.
I also tried out a DBSBT, and found the pressure requirements higher than I liked, but it had a much nicer sound.
I'd love to try out the DBN one day.
I also tried out a DBSBT, and found the pressure requirements higher than I liked, but it had a much nicer sound.
I'd love to try out the DBN one day.
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narrowdog
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We're all free to express our opinions in what ever way we feel,jim stone wrote:Your low opinion of the DBN is fine with me and I'd like tonarrowdog wrote:I'm in agreement with Peter here, I've no idea what all the fuss is about with these whistles.
I bought one, a DBN earlier this year after reading a similar thread and was so disapointed.
It was bland and uninteresting and after playing it for about 3 months I sold it for what I feel they should be retail.
There are IMHO far better whistles for half and quarter of the price of a Burke.
know what you think the better, cheaper whistles are. They may
well exist. But why implicitly
question the motives of people expressing a positive opinion?
Nobody's doing it to you. Why not an honest disagreement?
That's actually interesting.
however high or low,
which I think you would agree with, but I'm certainly not questioning
people's motives,
its just I get a bit tired of everyone just saying how wonderful
this is or that is, just once in a while it would be nice for someone
to say 'give this or that whistle a try you might be surprised before spending $200'.
FWIW I play a Thornton D, a Freeman Generation D and a Dixon Trad
plus a 'Shush' Generation for practice and I have a Gen Bb and Hoover Bb
all of which I personally find far more enjoyable to play than
the Burke
Better? maybe I shouldn't have used that word because its all a
matter of personal opinion.
Happiness is taking things as they are.
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charlie_butterworth
- Posts: 146
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Well, I have two Burkes - a DAN from 2002 and a new DBSBT. I like them both, the DAN is certainly quieter and maybe a little brighter sounding. The DBSBT is loud (at least I think it is), it is also heavy and takes more air in comparison with the DAN. The tuning on the DBSBT is slightly better than the DAN, but from looking at a tuner, it seems that both are pretty close.
Having said that, I also own a Feadog, tweaked Feadog, untweaked Generation (thanks to Peter) and a Thornton D. Of these, I don't play the un-tweaked Feadog (it sounds rough to me). I do regularly play the Generation (although the nickel feels slippery to me) and I am really beginning to enjoy the Thornton.
Bear-in-mind that I am a beginner! I believe that the "cheaper" whistles should not necessarily be considered inferior.
As for shelling out $200 on a whistle. Well, it may seem expensive, but in comparison with high-end cars, electronics, etc., I can afford a putative high-end whistle. PLUS, I am now confident, that any shortcomings of the Burkes and the Thornton are due to my playing and not the whistle!
Anyway, I really enjoy my Burkes. BUT I also enjoy my Thornton and Generation. Maybe as my playing abilities improve, my personal opinions may change.
One of the main problems is being able to try different whistles in order to make your own opinion. For this reason, I feel that opinions expressed in this forum are very useful. I would like to see more negative reviews as long as they are well-reasoned and non-offensive, just as positive reviews that "gush" make the reader wary.
Am I sitting on the fence?
Charlie
Having said that, I also own a Feadog, tweaked Feadog, untweaked Generation (thanks to Peter) and a Thornton D. Of these, I don't play the un-tweaked Feadog (it sounds rough to me). I do regularly play the Generation (although the nickel feels slippery to me) and I am really beginning to enjoy the Thornton.
Bear-in-mind that I am a beginner! I believe that the "cheaper" whistles should not necessarily be considered inferior.
As for shelling out $200 on a whistle. Well, it may seem expensive, but in comparison with high-end cars, electronics, etc., I can afford a putative high-end whistle. PLUS, I am now confident, that any shortcomings of the Burkes and the Thornton are due to my playing and not the whistle!
Anyway, I really enjoy my Burkes. BUT I also enjoy my Thornton and Generation. Maybe as my playing abilities improve, my personal opinions may change.
One of the main problems is being able to try different whistles in order to make your own opinion. For this reason, I feel that opinions expressed in this forum are very useful. I would like to see more negative reviews as long as they are well-reasoned and non-offensive, just as positive reviews that "gush" make the reader wary.
Am I sitting on the fence?
Charlie
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hoopy mike
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Dale
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Jeepers. I'm just trying to imagine what this thread is like for the person who originated it. He comes to a very large whistle community and he asks for opinions about a whistle. It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. He goes some opinions, but then he also gets his question criticized because it will likely draw people who will...what?...have opinions?
Can we PLEASE have a moratorium on this issue of whether it's necessary or desirable to buy any whistle over $10? Or, can we get two volunteers to draw up the definitive position papers on this, post the damn things as stickies, and move on?
I beg you.
Can we PLEASE have a moratorium on this issue of whether it's necessary or desirable to buy any whistle over $10? Or, can we get two volunteers to draw up the definitive position papers on this, post the damn things as stickies, and move on?
I beg you.
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hoopy mike
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MusicalADD
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I'm only a casual whistler -- mostly I play bouzouki -- so take what I say with the usual grain of salt.
I have the Burke D Alum Narrowbore, and also a D Composite Narrowbore. I like both, but I can see how some would find the DAN to be plain sounding. I prefer the composite, which, to my ear, has a more interesting tone. I also like the feel of the composite material -- unlike the Alum, the composite is not slippery in the summer. I haven't played either in a session yet, but the DCN sounds like it is probably too quiet for a big session.
My DAN is very easy to play. My DCN is not quite as easy to play; with the DCN I have to pay closer attention to air pressure if I want the upper part of the 2nd octave to sound good. I'm just speculating, but maybe the DCN is slightly less easy to play because I opted for the thumb hole on it. By the way I regret opting for the thumb hole, but taping over it is always an option.
If I change my strings monthly, then in the course of one year I'll spend more on strings than I spent buying my DAN (used, mind you). Meanwhile, the DAN still has resale value. All in all, I don't get enraged over prices. If you find something to be overpriced, don't buy it.
Doc Jones put up a youtube video comparing/contrasting different types of Burkes. Anyone considering a DAN might find that interesting. I think you can search youtube for Irishflutestore .
I have the Burke D Alum Narrowbore, and also a D Composite Narrowbore. I like both, but I can see how some would find the DAN to be plain sounding. I prefer the composite, which, to my ear, has a more interesting tone. I also like the feel of the composite material -- unlike the Alum, the composite is not slippery in the summer. I haven't played either in a session yet, but the DCN sounds like it is probably too quiet for a big session.
My DAN is very easy to play. My DCN is not quite as easy to play; with the DCN I have to pay closer attention to air pressure if I want the upper part of the 2nd octave to sound good. I'm just speculating, but maybe the DCN is slightly less easy to play because I opted for the thumb hole on it. By the way I regret opting for the thumb hole, but taping over it is always an option.
If I change my strings monthly, then in the course of one year I'll spend more on strings than I spent buying my DAN (used, mind you). Meanwhile, the DAN still has resale value. All in all, I don't get enraged over prices. If you find something to be overpriced, don't buy it.
Doc Jones put up a youtube video comparing/contrasting different types of Burkes. Anyone considering a DAN might find that interesting. I think you can search youtube for Irishflutestore .
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violinmyster
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Dale wrote:Jeepers. I'm just trying to imagine what this thread is like for the person who originated it. He comes to a very large whistle community and he asks for opinions about a whistle. It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. He goes some opinions, but then he also gets his question criticized because it will likely draw people who will...what?...have opinions?
thank you. is it opinions we are after. good, bad, we want em all.
BTW he is a she (my wife).
since we have no place around here to try a bunch of whistles before buying the "perfect whistle" we have no choice but to buy them and check for ourselves.
online sound clips dont really cut it as you dont know under what acoustical conditions it was recorded under, what mic was used, what the compressor was etc. a lot is lost in MP3 and other "lossy" compression schemes, even with the best compressor programs.
so, for those who say "buying a truckload of whistles is crazy," feel free to ship us a bunch of whistles (we will pay postage). I assure you we will take the utmost care with them. we will check them out and send them back. then we will buy the one we like best from the maker.
to all who have stated their opinion, thanks!
notCindy
(the husband)