Chris Abell Low A Whistle
Review by Dale Wisely, Chiff & Fipple
About three years ago I got my first of the whistle that I somewhat impolitely classify as "Expensive" whistles on my website. (http://www.chiffandfipple.com). It's a Copeland D. Although retaining my affection for the Cheap Ones, I realized in the first minute of playing looking at and playing the Copeland that these higher-priced, handcrafted whistles were special instruments. Being a victim of Whistle Obsessive Acquisition disorder, as well as the one who first identified and named it as a clinical disorder, I started putting together a collection of instruments by those who handcraft the best. So, I own whistles made by virtually all of the masters. Later this year, I hope to acquire an instrument by Ralph Sweet and then I'll be able to sit down, survey my vast collection, have a cup of tea, and then, knowing I have all the best.....start thinking of others that I still want.
One of the last items to elude me has been an instrument by Chris Abell. Finally, my name came up on Chris's long list, and I received an Abell whistle in Low A in blackwood and sterling silver, his signature materials for whistles and his extraordinary professional flutes. To learn more about Chris and his work, read Chris Abell: The Chiff & Fipple Interview.
Dale's Abell
In many ways, I find it easier to think of things to say about a whistle that has flaws, as most do, than one like this, which is pretty much perfect. And, I say "pretty much" to hedge. I can't find a problem with it. First of all, I should comment on the appearance. Generally speaking, the whistles by master makers are very attractive. The lovely polished brass and taper of a Copeland. The clear, coherent lines of the Overton. But this is the most beautiful whistle I've ever seen. Bar none. It's a pity that with my limited imaging equipment, combined with the contrast of the blackwood and silver, a good photo is hard to find. Even the photo on Abell's very professional brochure doesn't capture it. The silver gleams, especially against the blackwood. As you can see, there's silver at the mouthpiece. The fipple plug is blackwood. The silver at the tuining slide has a delicately etched bell emblem. On the underside, there is a letter A stamped to designate the key. There is also a ring of silver at the foot of the whistle. The whistle is numbered. Mine is #701. This is a beautiful thing. To have made over 700 of the instruments, with his own hands, in 15 years--not to mention his keyed flutes--is enough to virtually guarantee this man in place in heaven. I'm not kidding.
Let's see, what other nonmusical aspects are there? It's lightweight and, more importantly, well balanced down the length of the instrument. It smells good. (I guess it's the blackwood).
The tone of the instrument is moderately breathy, but it does not require a lot of wind as lower-pitched whistles often do and as breathy-sounding instruments often do. The tone is round, much like Pat O'Riordan's, but with a bit more air in the tone.
Now, one of the most important features of a good whistle, in my opinion, is a cluster of characteristics that I label balance across the octaves. Some whistles are mellow-sounding in the low notes and then sort of scream at you at the high end. The high end of these whistles is often piercing, louder, and harder to blow. That can be ok and, for reasons I won't get into here, under some circumstances that can be desirable. Some whistles have tuning problems at the high end. Other whistles have a really pretty upper end, but then at the low end are too quiet and the low notes to fragile. So, with that background established, this whistle has great balance. It has very nice assertive volume which is present at the low end and is retained in balance throughout the range of the instrument. The tuning is accurate. The o x x o o o note, another problem area for many whistles, remarkably strong and does not differ in intonation from the adjacent notes.
And here's another thing. A lot of whistles, including really good ones, have what I call "transitional problems" in my own internal vocabulary. (I also call my scalp "Mr. Slappy" in that same internal vocabulary.) A problem transitional means that, somewhere on the whistle, when you move from a particular note up to the next note in the major scale, the whistle tends to have a little seizure. She may make a little squeak or squawk. She may hesitate a little on the attack. She may suddenly burst into tears and run outside and go into a phone booth and call her old boyfriend and curse him out for having cheated on her with that Anthropology graduate student from Milwaukee.. That kind of thing. I'm sure you all know what I mean. A lot of times, problem transitions occur in the zone around the top of the 1st octave and the bottom of the 2nd. Anyway, here's the point: There ain't any transitional problems whatever in this whistle.
Ok. I've said enough. Plus, I have to meet someone at a phone booth. Here's the summary: Chris Abell just sent me a perfect whistle.
Dale Wisely, Ph.D. is the owner, operator, chief writer, editor, and apprentice meat cutter
of C h i f f & F i p p l e: The PostStructural Tinwhistle Internet Experience With Dale Wisely.
Dr. Wisely would like to thank Claire Wisely, for holding up the blue towel in the background while he took the digital photo of the Abell whistle on this page.
Chris Abell of The Abell Flute Company can be
reached at Abell Flute Company 111 Grovewood Road Asheville, NC 28804.
There is now a lovely Abell website at http://www.abellflute.com.
828 254-1004
email: abellflute@juno.com
Copyright 2000 by Dale Wisely and 3Fish Productions