B/B-Flat Recommendations?

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Barney_Stone
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B/B-Flat Recommendations?

Post by Barney_Stone »

Hi Guy's,

My first post, so don't flame me too much (I tried the search, but couldn't get the knowledge :sniffle: ).

I bought a Gen B-Flat a month ago. Got inspired, added a Chieftain V3 two weeks ago, got a Dixon Trad in D (for sessions) last week and I now want to incorporate some whistle into my acoustic guitar band.

What I want ideally, is a B, to play along with guitars in concert pitch E. My B-Flat Gen ain't bad (now I'm more confident playing it), but is a bit shrill in the 2nd octave, compared to my Dixon Trad (which is sweet :D ). Problem is, there ain't no B/B-Flat by Tony.

Are there any mid priced B/B-Flats to rival that sound, or am I realistically looking at £100 Overtons/Chieftains? I was wondering about Jerry's tweaked jobbies, but they seem to be out of stock here in the U.K.

Cheers,
B.S.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

Francis Sylvester Mahony
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Post by scoutcow »

If you look at http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/catalog ... nshop.html You see that Tony does makes 2 Bb whistles. There are no B whistles by Tony.

I'm looking forward to some other answers as I'm looking for a good Bb whistle too.
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Feadoggie
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Post by Feadoggie »

Barney_Stone wrote:What I want ideally, is a B, to play along with guitars in concert pitch E. Problem is, there ain't no B/B-Flat by Tony.
I thought I had a Bb Dixon polymer tunable a while back? Could be dreaming though. Oh well. I play a Burke brass in B just for the guitar songs in E (as well as a self-made PVC in B). You could try a Susato B. They aren't as strident or as pushy at the top of the second octave as the high D Susato. I think the S series bore is more suitable to the C an B whistles than it is to the D whistle (or higher).

I never thought of the Gen Bb as shrill. You can alsways turn a Bb Gen into a B nat Gen. I think there have been a few threads where folks have done that. I think Pancelticpiper plays a Gen in B. Look here:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=812024

Feadoggie
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Barney_Stone
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Post by Barney_Stone »

scoutcow wrote:If you look at http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/catalog ... nshop.html You see that Tony does makes 2 Bb whistles.
Yeah, sorry!

The alloy one's the one I'd go for, but @ £50, I was wondering what the competition's like?

Forgot to mention I already have Tony's polymer G (Alto?), but it's a bit too soft/flute-like, if you know what I mean. Much prefer the Trad sound.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

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Re: B/B-Flat Recommendations?

Post by Bloomfield »

Barney_Stone wrote:Hi Guy's,

My first post, so don't flame me too much (I tried the search, but couldn't get the knowledge :sniffle: ).

I bought a Gen B-Flat a month ago. Got inspired, added a Chieftain V3 two weeks ago, got a Dixon Trad in D (for sessions) last week and I now want to incorporate some whistle into my acoustic guitar band.

What I want ideally, is a B, to play along with guitars in concert pitch E. My B-Flat Gen ain't bad (now I'm more confident playing it), but is a bit shrill in the 2nd octave, compared to my Dixon Trad (which is sweet :D ). Problem is, there ain't no B/B-Flat by Tony.
I would try a Susato. There is also the Syn, which are not expensive and have been recommended by some people I respect; but I have only played an early model a while back and not in a position to say anything about them one way or another.
Are there any mid priced B/B-Flats to rival that sound, or am I realistically looking at £100 Overtons/Chieftains? I was wondering about Jerry's tweaked jobbies, but they seem to be out of stock here in the U.K.

Cheers,
B.S.
Overtons and Chieftans are completely different animals from each other.
/Bloomfield
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Post by BigDavy »

Hi Barney_Stone

Why not contact Big Whistle

Ask them if they can get a full Syn set, this will give both E and B bodies as well as A, Bb, C, C#, D and Eb.

The B body sounds lovely, even with me on the end of the whistle.

David
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Cayden

Post by Cayden »

I have a Sindt B that is very nice. The Susato B however is pretty good in the mid-price range. Also have a look at the PVC crowd, Gonzato etc.

The Syn B didn't work for me.
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Barney_Stone
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Post by Barney_Stone »

Feadoggie wrote: I play a Burke brass in B just for the guitar songs in E (as well as a self-made PVC in B). You could try a Susato B. They aren't as strident or as pushy at the top of the second octave as the high D Susato. I think the S series bore is more suitable to the C an B whistles than it is to the D whistle (or higher).

I never thought of the Gen Bb as shrill. You can alsways turn a Bb Gen into a B nat Gen. I think there have been a few threads where folks have done that. I think Pancelticpiper plays a Gen in B. Look here:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?p=812024

Feadoggie
Thanx for the link. Might try to mod the Gen, as I know a couple of "tinkering-types".

That Burke brass sounds tasty. I'll have a search for U.K. suppliers. On the subject of the bore sizes, as a last resort I could play a C with a guitar capo'd at the 1st fret.

B.S.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

Francis Sylvester Mahony
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Barney_Stone
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Post by Barney_Stone »

Bloomfield, Davy, Peter,

Thanks, lads. Phew! You've given me some things to consider. I know a lass who's started bringing Susatos to sessions, so I could start with those.

Cheers, "Ears",
B.S.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

Francis Sylvester Mahony
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Post by Feadoggie »

Barney_Stone wrote: as a last resort I could play a C with a guitar capo'd at the 1st fret.
I have found it far more agreeable to buy whistles in the appropriate number of keys than to ask vocalists to stretch their range up a half step. Just my opinion.
Barney_Stone wrote: That Burke brass sounds tasty.
Yeah, they are tasty but not for everyone's taste. I use high E and low E Burkes for many guitar based songs in E as well. But if you are going to that expense, Peter's suggestion on the Sindt is a good one too and probably more in keeping with the "trad" sound you refered to.

Feadoggie
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Barney_Stone
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Post by Barney_Stone »

Feadoggie wrote:Peter's suggestion on the Sindt is a good one too and probably more in keeping with the "trad" sound you refered to.

Feadoggie
Thanx, "Mucker". Sindt's one I never thought of.

B.S.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

Francis Sylvester Mahony
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PhilO
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Post by PhilO »

In that key and price range, I've had good luck with Gen, Susato, Water Weasle (if you can find one used); then Sindt and Burke and on up the price scale. You might want to try an Alba too, which is pretty close by.

I have a couple of the Susato Bb whistles and consider them better than just alright; picked one up in a shop in Kenmare that is just wonderful and not a pocket buster either.

Philo
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Post by Feadoggie »

PhilO wrote:I have a couple of the Susato Bb whistles and consider them better than just alright; picked one up in a shop in Kenmare that is just wonderful and not a pocket buster either.
Which bore size, PhilO?

Susato has made a Bb in two bore sizes for some years. They are two very different whistles, each with their own good attributes. The S-series is the sweeter whistle in my experience. But it can be touchy at the low end. The M-Series is pretty nice but needs more air and has those big holes(no matter to me). Still you can milk a lot of different sounds out of the larger bore whistle.

Feadoggie
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Post by Barney_Stone »

Hmmm.......

Some of the U.S. makes aren't readily avalable from U.K. stockists.

What's youse lads opinion on the Overton B?

Is it the dog's bollox of B's, or an overrated load o' feckin' sh*t, or somewhere inbetween? :wink:

B.S.
"A noble spouter he'll sure turn out, or
An out and outer to be let alone;
Don't try to hinder him, or to bewilder him,
For he is a pilgrim from the Blarney stone."

Francis Sylvester Mahony
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Post by Bloomfield »

Barney_Stone wrote:Hmmm.......

Some of the U.S. makes aren't readily avalable from U.K. stockists.

What's youse lads opinion on the Overton B?

Is it the dog's bollox of B's, or an overrated load o' feckin' sh*t, or somewhere inbetween? :wink:

B.S.
I have Overtons in D, C, Bb, A, G, F and a few other keys, but I don't have Bnat (I want one, though). On the other hand, I think Overtons are great, some of the very best whistles money can buy, and I recommend an Overton wholeheartedly. I just bought another Overton, in fact. And a great value, even with the sucky exchange rate.
/Bloomfield
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