Yesterday was my first day with my new Burke (well, new to me, anyway). Here is my initial impression:
Tone: very pure, sweet, and clean throughout its range
Volume: quite soft, evenly balanced between octaves. A very minor quibble is I like a strong bell note and this whistle doesn’t have one, the lowest notes (E and D) tending to sound a touch weak. That’s a very minor complaint, and a good compromise for such a liquid, clear second octave.
Intonation: good. Bell note seems very slightly sharp when whistle is tuned to A=440. The standard cross-fingered C ( o x x | o o o ) is quite well in tune. The break across the octaves is smoother than any whistle I’ve played before. This whistle seems well in-tune into the third octave.
Workmanship and design: outstanding. Lovely. A real work of art in every way. Elegant, clean…real eye candy.
Comments: This is a lovely whistle, very easy to play, very forgiving. If I had any real complaint at all it would be that it sounds almost too clean and pure to be a real whistle. The sound has very little chiff and almost no “bite” at all. It uses little air and does take good breath control, though it’s much more forgiving than the Oak in this regard. Because of its low volume, it’s perfect for at-home play but might need to be miked for a performance situation; in a session of more than 2 or 3 folks I doubt you’d hear yourself play.
This whistle has a tone like liquid light: it’s just lovely in every way.
James, Mike makes a very consistent product and/or you and I have similar tastes in whistles. That’s exactly how I feel about the AlPro D. You might want to try his old-style wide-bore brass. It takes a bit more breath than the Pro models, so it has a bit stronger bottom end. Plus the sound is more traditional – it has a bit of bite and a touch of chiff. It still has the trademark Mike Burke fluid playing qualities, perfect intonation, evenness across the octaves, and effortless octave transitions.
I really like AlPros. My C is one of my very favourite whistles and I like my D and low G very much too. Nothing beats a Burke for playability and responsiveness. My low G is noticeably slightly weak at the bottom end but not my C or D.
Of course, they don’t sound like traditional whistles. When I feel like hearing that sound I reach for a Sindt. When I want a high that sounds like a low I reach for an Overton. But, in certain moods I find myself in quite often, Burkes have just the sound I want. For me there’s no such thing as the ideal whistle, just whistles that do what they do very well.
I agree about the (surprising) difference between al-pro Burkes and brass pro Burkes. It’s the same design, and I got an al-pro first because I didn’t like the smell of brass, but the bell note was weak. Then I got a brass pro second-hand and it’s AMAZING. The bell note is strong, and yet it still has that fluid beauty in the upper octave. I had to work on my aversion to brass and I am mostly cured.
I have played the heck out of my ALPRO D for about a year and a half to the extent that I wore out something on it and had to send it back to Mike for adjustment. I noticed something that isnt quite about breath or belltone though for comparison. I have a ProBrass too of near exact same age so I can really compare them.
There is something slightly easier about doing ornaments on the Al. Hard to describe but its like a guitar with lower “action” (strings closer to the fingerboard). I feel more fluent on the al. and at my latecoming to this instrument, I need all the help I can get. the blips in the rolls come a bit easier. The word is responsive I guess.
I never thought the low D or E were weak, in fact the E is pretty strong on both of mine, but I only have cheapos to compare to. On my ProBrass C, also about a year old, it recently developed a very weak bell, real wispy. I have soaped and cleaned and swabbed but it just has lots its low note for some reason. I wonder if some of you are experiencing it on yours. I don’t know what it is, but can’t figure out if there is any justifiable reason to send it back. Now, the first C he sent me had a wobbly bell and I sent it back and its replacement WAS the sweetest whistle I have owned until just recently.
I have an Alpro Low D that I’m thinking of selling. I’ve never used it that much as I’m more comfortable with a composite. If anyone is interested, please contact me personally.
There seems to be remarkable agreement about the virtues of Burkes—consistency, pure singing tone, responsiveness and playability. Michael Burke seems to have exceptional quality control. The only complaint heard regularly seems to be a worry about a weak bell note and it doesn’t seem to be a matter of materials so much as a hit or miss problem across the board. I like Burkes so much that if I got a whistle with the problem I’d just explain to Michael and simply return it for fixing/replacement.
It would be nice if Michael could solve this one completely but most high end whistles have some problem or other relating to consistency or to a certain troublesome feature.
This reminds me that I had the same experience with my AlPro low G at first. Initially I thought it was faulty; the lowest notes seemed so feeble. After a week or two I loved it and I don’t have a problem now although I guess those notes still aren’t really strong. Nevertheless, it’s nicely balanced and has just the right tone and reponsiveness for those times when my Overton doesn’t seem quite what I want.
Well from my own personal experience, which, admittedly, includes one Burke Al Pro NB, no more, no less, I didn’t think it was too spectacular…I’m waiting to see if that’s how it was supposed to be, or if there was a particular problem in the one I got…
It took me about 6 months to begin to really appreciate the Al Pro NB. It responds best to an aggressive playing style, which may be one reason why Joannie Madden particularly likes this model. The Brass Pro Session and Brass Pro NB are quite happy with a more laid back playing style.
Gm