My first post, so don’t flame me too much (I tried the search, but couldn’t get the knowledge ).
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 ). 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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have the Kildare S Series, and have found it not at all “touchy” at either end. The S series is their small bore; apparently they have four bore sizes, from very small, small, medium, to large.
I bought an A / Bb Water Weasel set from Doc a couple of weeks ago. You would have to pry them from my cold dead hands! Simply wonderful. I may upload a recording in a day or two. I have to let the person I wrote the tune for hear it first.
I had a short encounter with an Alba A a while ago. Not to my taste at all. Needed a lot of breath and a lot of push at the top of the second octave. Very similar to a Cheftain C which I also didn’t like. There are people who love these whistles and make wonderful music with them, but they may not suit someone who is used to a Gen.
).
). Problem is, there ain’t no B/B-Flat by Tony.
