CP: Harper Classic Whistles - back for 2012

[HarperClassic]

Hello all,

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and an extremely merry New Year!

I am aware that some people who frequent this forum know Steve personally so this may not come as a surprise, but thought it would be of interest to the rest of the community to know that Steve Harper of Harper Classic will be returning to the trade of whistle making.

I won't go into to much depth about the history of Harper Classic on here; there is in fact some great reviews and information to be found on the Chiff and Fipple main site under "Expensive / High Quality Whistles".

Steve took a break from making whistles a few years back concentrating on his main trade of gunsmithery but following learning that Tony Hinnigan (http://tonyhinnigan.com/) had used a Harper Classic when creating the music for The Devils Own, Steve thought it might be time to make another run of whistles.

We have set-up a facebook page to keep people up to date with progress on the whistles etc and also as a point of contact for the Harper Classic owners already out there. For those of you that are interested we should also hopefully have some videos online at some point this weekend of Steve playing a Harper Classic.

The page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/harperclassic. Any one who doesn't have access to Facebook, please feel free to direct your questions to "HarperClassic" on here or alternatively email stuart@harperclassic.com (Steve only checks his email when he is ordering stuff from Screwfix).

Stu

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Great news!
I have played a friends Harper D, a nice whistle, very Overton-like as far as i can remember. (more than ten years ago i played it)

[HarperClassic]

Thanks Mr_Blackwood

I meant to say earlier actually, it will be the high D whistle (tunable) that Steve will be returning to making first. These used to be available only as part of the C/D set.

Stuart

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

I think my friend bought his at Hobgoblin store (un-tuneable D) sometimes in the early to mid 90's
I'd love one in A, since that is the only key i am missing atm

[HarperClassic]

Hobgoblin would have indeed had them instock back then. I'd say the majority of Harper whistles came from there or direct from Steve when he was at a session.

[ecohawk]

I have both a D and a C. They are both excellent, although non-tunable, whistles.

The C is in a class by itself and IMHO without flaw. Plenty of volume and in perfect tune with itself and the world. All cross fingerings are within 10 cents.

Glad to hear more are on the way.

ecohawk

[HarperClassic]

ecohawk, I showed your message to Steve, you made his day how long have you owed a Harper?

[HarperClassic]

[THREAD REVIVAL - MOD]

Well it only took nearly 2 years to actually get a website online! Steve has been busy with lots of projects as well as the whistles, namely Harper Classic Guns and rather oddly some rather inventive.. torches!

Anyway, I thought I would post a quick update to my old old old thread.

Happy new year all.

Stuart Harper

[ytliek]

2014 new year... oh my,

I'd be interested to see any of the engraving if anyone has anything.

[PhilO]

I have a Harper Classic D and always liked it; somehow, it exudes "cool." Liked the movie too, especially Natasha Mcelhone.

[Mr.Gumby]

I had one, very briefly. They're well made but it was also the most unbalanced whistle I have ever come across. I didn't want to play it, it gave me a headache, both for the extreme volume in the high octave and the air it took to get there.
I am sorry to say it but it was a huge disappointment.

[Michael Anderson]

That's a sad thing to hear about a whistle costing £165, when you can buy a Goldie D for £117!

[Mr.Gumby]

I'd never pay £165 for any whistle. I bought the Harper used for around €60 and sold it at that price as well. That seemed the going rate for a 'classic' at the time.

[Michael Anderson]

I'd never pay £165 for any whistle. I bought the Harper used for around €60 and sold it at that price as well. That seemed the going rate for a 'classic' at the time.

As a complete newcomer to the world of whistles, I'm a bit stunned by some of the prices I see. My brother gave me his Howard low D on Christmas Day (thanks Matt!), so I looked them up on the web on Boxing Day. Was pretty amazed to see them now going for $200 in the USA. Two hundred dollars for an aluminum tube with holes bored in it and an injection-molded piece of plastic...the mind reels.

I understand that these instruments are made and sold in small quantities for a small demographic, and that for the maker to want to continue there has to be some notion of making a decent amount of coin, but it just seems disproportionate in some cases.

But I do love 'em...and now there's an obligation on me to learn to play 'em.

[PhilO]

I had one, very briefly. They're well made but it was also the most unbalanced whistle I have ever come across. I didn't want to play it, it gave me a headache, both for the extreme volume in the high octave and the air it took to get there.
I am sorry to say it but it was a huge disappointment.

Also got mine used for about 50 bucks long time ago, and have not experienced any of those difficulties; although it's not among my favorite players, it's also far from headache inducing, and I've had some of those.

I searched for a serial number or date and found neither so I can't compare to the production date of yours, but, considering your high skill level, could it have been a one off "bad" whistle? The only minor issue I have with mine is that the finger holes are neither smoothed nor beveled the way I prefer so that they are a tad sharp at the edges.

I am aware that some of us are prone to make allowances in playability for whistles that are so uniquely cool aesthetically, but I factored that out (I really did), just played it, and it's pretty lovely - well balanced enough, taking a bit more push to the second octave and perhaps not as smooth as my Sindts, but otherwise comparing rather well to many of my whistles.