Alba low D review

Whistle
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Just thought I’d check in with a quick review of my new Alba low D. (I put in my order last month after reading this thread.)

I ordered it from Big Whistle, which was a very pleasant experience. (The current exchange rate is nice, too!) Phil offers exceptional customer service, and his very positive comments about the whistle made me all the more excited to receive it. Then after a quick four-day trip from England to the U.S., the package languished for two weeks in some sort of postal purgatory at L.A.'s International Sorting Center and/or Customs and Border Control. And then suddenly it was out for delivery a few days ago. Thank goodness, because I’m planning on playing it at a St. Paddy’s gig in a week.

I played flute for about 25 years and high whistles going on 20, but this is my first low D. It took less than an hour to reach the point where I’m focused more on the music and less on getting used to the instrument. The hole sizes/spacing/tube diameter (which are an interactive set of specifications when it comes to ergonomics) are a great fit for me; I have a very relaxed hold on the instrument (using piper’s grip). (For comparison, if memory serves, Howards and Burkes are bigger in every regard.) The finger holes are not beveled, which makes them easy to feel and seal.

Air requirements seem moderate (certainly less than a Burke, which can feel a bit like blowing into a vacuum cleaner); back pressure, too, would seem to be medium. I don’t have a lot of comparative data with other low whistles, so I can just say it’s very comfortable, and I don’t have to significantly rethink my phrasing. When I blow for the best tone, intonation is bang on across the range. The high A takes a bit of a push, the high B a bit more (it doesn’t just pop up from the low octave–one has to want to play that note), but again, when playing the whistle as it wants to be played, everything is where it should be. Also, clogging doesn’t seem to be an issue.

I really like the tone–it has a solid core, but there’s quite a bit of ‘velvet’ around it. It’s not airy, but there’s a pleasing softness and nice complexity–it’s velvety. This extends to the second octave, so the high A and B, while necessarily louder than the lowest notes, are not shrill. Speaking of low notes, the low D and E are solid. Volume is moderate; it’s pleasant playing solo at home and should fare just fine at the medium sized local session.

Finally, I should say the craftsmanship is excellent. It’s a really nicely made and designed instrument, with stylish etching of “ALBA whistles SCOTLAND” on the head (and “D” at the bottom of the tube), an integral tuning slide, and a beautiful blue swirl (almost glass-like) Albanite fipple plug. As Phil from Big Whistle pointed out, the Alba is about half the price of others he considers comparable. All in all, I’m very pleased!

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Quick update: I’m just back from a session, and the Alba was superb. The volume (in both octaves) was great with a couple of fiddles, concertina, bouzouki, and guitar. The tone blends nicely, while not getting lost, either. Also, intonation is great; it’s really easy to play in tune. It’s just a great whistle. If you’re looking for a low D, it certainly merits consideration.

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I was wondering, what is the ID (or OD) of the tubing Alba used for that Low D?

In playing many Low Whistles of various pitches over the years, one thing I’ve become aware of is how the ratio of bore ID to sounding length affects playability. You’ll see makers use the same tubing, stretched or shortened, for several different pitches and there’s always one that seems to play best.

My Goldie Low D has an ID of .858 or thereabouts and I would be interested to see what the Alba has (if you calipers to hand). (For comparison my Eb Burke has an ID of .865)

Thanks!

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OK, measuring with a ruler, I get an ID of just shy of 7/8 inch or (more precisely) 22 mm. OD is 1 inch or 26 mm. And while I’m at it, distance (center to center) between holes 1 and 3 is 74 mm; between 4 and 6 is just under 76 mm. Hole 5 is 10 mm in diameter.

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Thanks, seems that 22mm is around .88 inch.

That’s considerably bigger than my Goldie.

From what you say the B in the 2nd octave is a bit stiff, which I would expect with the larger-ID tubing.

The tradeoff should be powerful low notes.

Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful review, especially how you considered both home playing and session group playing.

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Thanks–glad you enjoyed the review! And that’s interesting about the ID (somewhere around .875 to .88 inch): I wouldn’t have expected the Alba to count as wide. (Is the Goldie particularly narrow?) The tube certainly doesn’t feel big, but again, my frame of reference is a Burke.

It’s funny, because I really love a nimble second octave on a high whistle (and rather dislike anything that doesn’t play an easy high B), but the stiffer B on the Alba doesn’t bother me. Maybe it’s because it’s not shrill, and also because when actually playing a tune, things fall into place quite naturally.

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Burkes in general have wider bores than usual than whistles of the same key by other makers.

It’s a common knock on Burkes, the slightly stiff/harsh High B (or equivalent) and also the round tone, both of which probably are at least in part a product of the larger bore.

It’s interesting because my Alba Low E (natural) has a bore of .725 which is considerably narrower than a Burke of a higher key, F, at .78

Likewise my Goldie Low D has a bore of .858 which is narrower than a Burke of a higher key, Eb, at .865

My Alba Low C is made of huge tubing, .97, and I wonder if they’ve ever made Low C’s using their .88/.875 tubing like your Low D has. Many makers use their Low D tubing for their Low C, but Alba uses the huge tubing they use for their huge bass whistles in Bass A and Bass Bb.

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Interesting. You’d think the D tubing size would make for a sweet C.

I got to play my low D (miked) quite a bit at a gig last night, and I was totally happy with it. Despite the bore being on the larger side of things, it still has a sweet-sounding high B–it takes a little push, yes, but it’s not harsh or shrill, which is usually my beef with bigger bores. And the fact that it doesn’t clog was nice, since I was mostly playing bass, which meant the whistle cooled off between tunes I played it on. So it’s been a winner at home, at a session, and at a gig. It’s just a really good instrument.