I was going to post this on the chiffandfipple message board, as it's entirely whistle related, but the board seems to be down...so I thought I'd try here first.
I'm planning on getting an O'Brien D whistle (and have already picked out exactly which I want)...but I'm trying to decide on a second body to go with it...I'm stuck between a C or a Bb. Just wondering what whistle players here suggest. I'd like to get both eventually, but any suggestions would be great. Right now, the plan is to pick up the O'Brien whistles and then get a Generation in the missing key (so either Generation C or Bb)...so which is better? Generation C with O'Brien Bb, or Generation Bb with O'Brien C?
I have found that O'Brien's tops work better on a slightly higher whistle than a lower one (for instance, I use an O'B. hi-D top on a Gen. Eb with excellent results)... my whistle collection spans a wide range of tweaked scraps and odds (though I have quite a penchant for those made by Mr. Burke) but I also use an O'B. tuneable low D which is an absolutely lovely instrument....
O Briain sells "improved" high whistles (modified Feadogs). He used to make low whistles with interchangeable bodies but I believe he has stopped to concentrate on pipes.
You're talking about Generations, so you must mean high whistles. But I'm a bit puzzled by what you mean by a "second body": in Generation and Feadog whistles, D, C and Bb (Generation only) all have different barrel diameters, so you can't stick a D head on a C body or a C head on a Bb body etc.
General thoughts: C whistle, nicer for playing solo than D, Bb whistle nicer still. However for sessions etc. a C is much more useful than a Bb because you can easily play tunes in D minor, G minor and F that are difficult on a D whistle.
If you're buying Generation whistles, the current Bb models are not very good and require faffing around with to get them to sound good. A shame since the old ones were invariably excellent.
Current Generation Cs are mostly lovely sounding, try a few first though. The big disadvantage with them is that it's all but impossible to loosen the head without cracking it, so you can't adjust the tuning on them.
Another person who sells "improved" cheap whistles is Jerry Freeman, in all the keys (D, C and Bb). Adds quite a bit onto the price of your common or garden pennywhistle but they sound very nice.
Nope...not O'Briain...David O'Brien...who sells lovely whistles (www.obrienwhistles.com). I didn't think of the similarity of name when I posted.
I think I've settled on getting the D and Bb bodies, and maybe buying a Generation C. I can always buy an extra C body from David at a later date if I really like the Bb.
Too bad on the Generation Bbs though...I've heard from recordings from people and they sounded utterly lovely!
Oops sorry - should pay more attention to spelling. Went to yer man's website though and I would say that using the same diameter barrel for all keys from Eb down to Bb does not sound like a good idea at all.
Body length to bore ratio is bound to be a compromise on at least some of the models: if the bore were ideal for Eb and D, you'd probably have a very weak Bb, and if it were ideal for Bb, the Eb would probably be overly loud and unresponsive. If it were optimized for C, then both the Eb/D and the Bb would be compromised. In theory, anyway. The designers of Generation whistles, regardless of current manufacturing sloppiness, were no fools and it's not for nothing that the bores are graded.
I haven't tried one no...no way to do so...but they sound lovely and the D's at the very least have gotten some great reviews. I mostly wanted a new D whistle (I like my Oak, but it's quiet and I'd like to try something else) and I love the sound of these and they're in my price range. As long as the D works, I'm happy...he's throwing in an extra body for free, so it's not a huge deal or anything. I know plenty of makers make ones that have interchangeable heads...and I own D's by the same maker with different bore sizes (i.e. Waltons D and "Mellow" D) and while it changes the sound, I don't think it was entirely compromised...at least, not in my opinion. I thought the interchangeable head thing was fairly common, but perhaps it's not.
"I thought the interchangeable head thing was fairly common, but perhaps it's not."
Yes it is... but not necessarily with that wide a range. I know of one maker who offers Eb, D and C, but I've never heard of an Eb and Bb sharing the same head.
I'd be very surprised if there isn't a big difference in volume between the D and Bb. That being so, in your shoes, I think I'd go for the C extra body. Anyway hope it works out well for you, let us know what they're like.
Will do Steve...I ended up getting the Bb...I really want one of those darn things! If it sounds good, I'll end up buying the C anyway...or might end up trying it if I don't care for the Bb too much...at any rate, once I get them and try them out, I'll let you know what I think! They should be here in a couple weeks...*excited*
O'Brien whistles...what to get?
O'Brien whistles...what to get?
I was going to post this on the chiffandfipple message board, as it's entirely whistle related, but the board seems to be down...so I thought I'd try here first.
I'm planning on getting an O'Brien D whistle (and have already picked out exactly which I want)...but I'm trying to decide on a second body to go with it...I'm stuck between a C or a Bb. Just wondering what whistle players here suggest. I'd like to get both eventually, but any suggestions would be great. Right now, the plan is to pick up the O'Brien whistles and then get a Generation in the missing key (so either Generation C or Bb)...so which is better? Generation C with O'Brien Bb, or Generation Bb with O'Brien C?
# Posted on October 11th 2004 by Crysania
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
I have found that O'Brien's tops work better on a slightly higher whistle than a lower one (for instance, I use an O'B. hi-D top on a Gen. Eb with excellent results)... my whistle collection spans a wide range of tweaked scraps and odds (though I have quite a penchant for those made by Mr. Burke) but I also use an O'B. tuneable low D which is an absolutely lovely instrument....
Best of luck!
# Posted on October 11th 2004 by bestcraic
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
O Briain sells "improved" high whistles (modified Feadogs). He used to make low whistles with interchangeable bodies but I believe he has stopped to concentrate on pipes.
You're talking about Generations, so you must mean high whistles. But I'm a bit puzzled by what you mean by a "second body": in Generation and Feadog whistles, D, C and Bb (Generation only) all have different barrel diameters, so you can't stick a D head on a C body or a C head on a Bb body etc.
General thoughts: C whistle, nicer for playing solo than D, Bb whistle nicer still. However for sessions etc. a C is much more useful than a Bb because you can easily play tunes in D minor, G minor and F that are difficult on a D whistle.
If you're buying Generation whistles, the current Bb models are not very good and require faffing around with to get them to sound good. A shame since the old ones were invariably excellent.
Current Generation Cs are mostly lovely sounding, try a few first though. The big disadvantage with them is that it's all but impossible to loosen the head without cracking it, so you can't adjust the tuning on them.
Another person who sells "improved" cheap whistles is Jerry Freeman, in all the keys (D, C and Bb). Adds quite a bit onto the price of your common or garden pennywhistle but they sound very nice.
# Posted on October 12th 2004 by Jeeves Tones
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
Nope...not O'Briain...David O'Brien...who sells lovely whistles (www.obrienwhistles.com). I didn't think of the similarity of name when I posted.
I think I've settled on getting the D and Bb bodies, and maybe buying a Generation C. I can always buy an extra C body from David at a later date if I really like the Bb.
Too bad on the Generation Bbs though...I've heard from recordings from people and they sounded utterly lovely!
Thanks for the suggestions!
# Posted on October 12th 2004 by Crysania
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
Oops sorry - should pay more attention to spelling. Went to yer man's website though and I would say that using the same diameter barrel for all keys from Eb down to Bb does not sound like a good idea at all.
Body length to bore ratio is bound to be a compromise on at least some of the models: if the bore were ideal for Eb and D, you'd probably have a very weak Bb, and if it were ideal for Bb, the Eb would probably be overly loud and unresponsive. If it were optimized for C, then both the Eb/D and the Bb would be compromised. In theory, anyway. The designers of Generation whistles, regardless of current manufacturing sloppiness, were no fools and it's not for nothing that the bores are graded.
Have you tried one of these O'Brien yokes?
# Posted on October 12th 2004 by Jeeves Tones
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
I haven't tried one no...no way to do so...but they sound lovely and the D's at the very least have gotten some great reviews. I mostly wanted a new D whistle (I like my Oak, but it's quiet and I'd like to try something else) and I love the sound of these and they're in my price range. As long as the D works, I'm happy...he's throwing in an extra body for free, so it's not a huge deal or anything. I know plenty of makers make ones that have interchangeable heads...and I own D's by the same maker with different bore sizes (i.e. Waltons D and "Mellow" D) and while it changes the sound, I don't think it was entirely compromised...at least, not in my opinion. I thought the interchangeable head thing was fairly common, but perhaps it's not.
# Posted on October 12th 2004 by Crysania
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
"I thought the interchangeable head thing was fairly common, but perhaps it's not."
Yes it is... but not necessarily with that wide a range. I know of one maker who offers Eb, D and C, but I've never heard of an Eb and Bb sharing the same head.
I'd be very surprised if there isn't a big difference in volume between the D and Bb. That being so, in your shoes, I think I'd go for the C extra body. Anyway hope it works out well for you, let us know what they're like.
Steve
# Posted on October 13th 2004 by Jeeves Tones
Re: O'Brien whistles...what to get?
Will do Steve...I ended up getting the Bb...I really want one of those darn things! If it sounds good, I'll end up buying the C anyway...or might end up trying it if I don't care for the Bb too much...at any rate, once I get them and try them out, I'll let you know what I think! They should be here in a couple weeks...*excited*
# Posted on October 13th 2004 by Crysania