I have a nice aluminum Burke session D (DASBT) from January 2006 which I like very much, and is my standard “go to” session whistle.
Last weekend I had a chance to try a friend’s new Burke DASBT, dated December 2007, and noticed immediately 3 significant and surprising changes:
The “collar” that surrounds the tuning slide is noticeably longer, maybe a centimeter or so.
The beak of the whistle, the distance from the fipple window to the tip, is noticeably longer, maybe 5 mm or so.
The tone of the whistle is slightly more complex than the purer tone I’ve always associated with Burke whistles, with more “whiff”. This is probably a positive thing.
The other aspects of appearance, fit and finish, intonation and ease of play seem basically unchanged.
So I wonder … When did these design changes take effect? I don’t recall seeing any discussion of this here on the board, and no documentation on the Burke website. What motivated the changes? Customer feedback, or maybe internal manufacturing or design issues?
Maybe Michael Burke might step in here and shed some light on what seems to be a design shift in what is, for many of us, a favorite whistle.
I believe the reason for that may be because he made it detachable at both ends. It sort of snaps onto the body from the non-tuning end now rather than being fixed as in previous models.
I have a blacktip brass narrow bore D from 2003; my friend Alec just got a brand new one for Christmas.
The voicing of the new whistle is different; the whistle is a bit louder, and the lower end is stronger than on my whistle, while keeping the high notes sweet and easy.
Physically, the window is a bit larger, and seems a touch more squared off than on my whistle.
I recall Mike did mention in a post here that he was making changes this year, but darned if I can find the post.
Anyway, from that I was aware things were going to be changing and was not surprised when I saw the “revised” design show up in his High D whistles delivered this past summer during Augusta Irish week. I was quite happy with the new version.
I think Mike phases in his design changes based on stock and his production schedules. So it’s possible not every key will represent the new features immediately.
Yep, that’s one of them, thanks. I just found that one too. There was another one where Mike mentioned that he was going to make changes to allow for greater range in the tuining slide too.
I have four (E, D, C, Bflat) Burke black tip brass session models, dating between 2003 and 2005, and an aluminum from 2000. I like them all but thought the brass black tips were more to my fancy - and I find them to have a strong low end with such good balance that the upper end is sweet and it added a bit of complexity I thought especially in the low end, which is what you guys seem to be saying now. Then again, I remember there were some folks who pined for the “older” Burkes at the time. Do I have to get a newer one now?
Thanks, everyone, for all the good information. I had missed that post from Michael.
straycat, that’s interesting about the snap-on collar. I remember a post a while back from someone whose old style tuning collar had come unglued, and who was trying to figure out how to re-attach it.
Feadoggie, I guess this sets the time frame for the changes sometime around the spring of 2007.
I asked a friend to measure her new Burke DASBT, and we came up with the following:
Older style (01/2006)
Tuning collar = 55 mm
Beak length = 29 mm
Newer style (11/2007)
Tuning collar = 70 mm
Beak length = 34 mm
These numbers match up nicely with my initial guesstimates.
Like James, my impression was that the new tone and voicing is slightly more robust and interesting. Something to confirm the next time I have a chance to try one of the newer models.
On the other hand, I don’t hear a great difference in sound between the earlier pre-black tip models and black tip models that came after.
Thanks again, all. And it would still be interesting to hear from the man himself if he should pop in for a visit.
