What does anyone have to say about Burke’s Low D? I am nuts about the NB D and WB Bnat I have, and might be getting a low D in the near future…tell me all about it!
Aaron Welsh
As luck would have it…I recently obtained a Burke aluminum low D in a trade and it’s excellent. It sounds great and is easy to play. Nice looking, too. Nuff said.
I suspect that anything I say by way of review here will be viewed by some with colored lenses, so I’ll simply suggest you search the Archives for “Burke Low D”. This should provide you with plenty of reviews that, in the end, ought to give you a fairly accurate overview of the instruments.
I suggest you search the archives rather than rely purely on responses to this thread because it’s been my experience that things get a little biased when more emotional threads relating to a specific maker are currently going on, such as now.
Good luck with you search,
Loren
On 2002-08-24 15:04, goatpiper wrote:
What does anyone have to say about Burke’s Low D? I am nuts about the NB D and WB Bnat I have, and might be getting a low D in the near future…tell me all about it!Aaron Welsh
Aaron, I have a Burke Al low D, and I enjoy it very much in most ways. I find that I’m a bit light headed after playing the higher range, but I never fail to hit the notes I intend to hit. With the joint that allows the lower section to rotate to my personal preference, I can reach the lower holes easily, and I’ve stopped pointing this out to people who try the whistle because INVARIABLY they have to fiddle with it, and its really started to irritate me.
There is very little back pressure on the whistle, unlike my Kerry, and I wish there was more. But also its lighter than the Kerry, and it makes a difference for my arthritic hands.
I do hope this helps you with your decision. But I agree with Loren that you should do a bit of a search and see some of the older discussions on this whistle.
Aaron - I just got a Burke AL Pro Low D that I bought from another Aaron on this list. It has to be the smoothest, most enjoyable whistle I own. Low D is just that and it jumps to the second octave with very little effort but is powerful. Took me a few times to get used to the larger holes but came easy enough. Addictive whistle.
BillG
I have a Burke EZ Reach low D in composite, and really love it. The finger span really is pretty EZ, volume is adequate for medium sized sessions. Best feature is the weight of the thing. Some low whistles are so heavy that they cramp your hands in short order, but this thing is unbelieveably light. I don’t really play the low whistle all that much, but I have been more than happy with this one.
I’ve had an al-pro low D for a while now; I can’t really give a comparison, as it’s the only low D I’ve ever played. Fairly easy to hit notes up to 3rd octave E, and a lovely, if uncomplicated sound. Intonation is excellent, and it’s a very good instrument to blend with others. If you get it with the offered rollcase, you’ll have a handy way to carry several other whistles.
The Burke EZ-reach sounds fascinating for someone like me – very small hands. Is it easier to handle than, say, the Dixon low D? (I’ve not played a low whistle but am storing up info for future acquisitions.)
Tery
I really like my EZ Low D composite. I agree that the weight is unbelievable - it weighs less than my Copeland High D. I’ve never played a Dixon low D so I can’t compare it to that, and I’ve only played very few other low D’s and most of those only briefly. I’m not very good at describing the tone of things, and others have done that very well in the past, so I won’t try to do that. I happen to like the sound of it.
Just my two cents,
Beth
Given what I’ve heard of and about Burkes, I think I’ll like the sound. My concern is small hands – to give you an idea, I’m comfortable playing a Gen high G. I can’t imagine how anyone who has hands larger than small women’s can play that whistle!
Tery
Loren’s suggestion is excellent, to use the search function to see what’s already been said. (My very favorable comments about my Burke low D will surface in that search, so I won’t repeat them here.) I have 4 Burkes in my whistle pouch (high D, C, Bb, and Al low D EZ). Mike has always been very responsive to e-mails (he answered a few questions about his low D’s, by the way, as you will see from the earlier thread), generous with his time on the phone, and, if there’s been a delay on his end and I’ve needed a whistle for a gig or recording, he’s worked hard to get it out to me in time, sending it overnight and absorbing the additional shipping cost. I think his whistles, including the low D, are simply outstanding.
Since the tone hole distance measurements that I posted were on a previous board and will not come up in a search, I’ll say this in regards to Tery’s question: Having measure the tone hole sizes, and the the total reach required to make the stretch from one hole to the other, on a variety of Low Whistles, I can tell you this:
The Dixon, and the Goldie Overton have the best combination of tone hole sizing and spacing for smaller hands and narrower fingers.
The Copeland has a fairly easy RH reach, but the left hand is stretch is a bit farther than many. I also find it more difficult to hang onto because of it’s shape and weight, however the sound is really wonderful.
The Burke EZ reach whistles I’ve measured, were more of a challange than the whistles mentioned above.
At the other end of the spectrum, The Ronaldo Reyburn Low D’s I tried (both in-line and off-set) had the longest reach of any Low D’s I’ve run across.
The Howard Low D is also a challange for those with small hands, but it’s a very nice sounding Low D for the money, and should be no problem for those with Large hands and/or wide fingers.
These are the main Low D’s that come to mind at the moment. I’d Recommend the Dixon for those small handed players on a budget - great bang for the buck, although the tone and tuning leave a little something to be desired, but hey, for under a hundred bucks…, and the Howard for folks with large hands.
If you have more money to spend and (especially if you havesmall hands or narrow fingers), I suggest the Goldie Overton. If this will be your first Low D, ask Colin for an “Easy Blower”. If you have big paws, the Big Hole Low D Colin makes is a real treat.
For those with big hands, virtually any quality Low D will do.
I’m purposely leaving out the topics of wind requirements and playability since Tery’s concern was in regards to hand size and reach.
Loren
[ This Message was edited by: Loren on 2002-08-25 11:38 ]
I’m playing almost entirely low Ds now,
and the Copeland low D is a ‘beautiful
ting.’ I like it the best of all the
low Ds I’ve ever played. The hole
placement is fine, but it’s
a bit heavy. I’m getting better
at controlling it. I’ve mentioned
that Susato soprano plastic thumb rests
fit it and are helpful, but I
don’t use them anymore. Susato thumb
rests come in bigger sizes that fit
other low Ds.
The Howard is the easiest to control,
(of the whistles I’ve played), it;s light, and, yes, it has an interesting sound.
The hole placement is fine, I think.
The difficulty may be for people
with non-fat fingers, cause the holes
are big. But average hands do fine.
I dunno Jim, I think your statemets are a bit misleading since many beginners, with average size hands, often report here that they are having difficulty in the early stages, even with Dixons. Perhaps you’ve forgotten what it’s like starting on the Low D? 
Loren
[ This Message was edited by: Loren on 2002-08-25 12:31 ]
Thanks for the info. I like the sound of an Easy Blower, though that probably means waiting longer for a low whistle. That’s okay.
I am actually more concerned with hand size than breathing. I figure that I can learn to adjust breathing, but hand size is hand size. I know my ability to handle a larger whistle would increase, but after the struggle I’m having with the Dixon flute, I’m thinking small is good 
.
Tery
Maybe before you invest in a Low D you should give one of the other “low” keys a try. Many of us like the Burke low G. I would assume that if you have an easy time of it on that one, you would be able to transition to a low D without too much trouble. But probably the best idea is to go with the Dixon first (or borrow someone else’s low D) for awhile to see how it goes. The cost factor IS important ~ and some of those low D’s are mighty costly! If you find that the stretch is too much for you, or you have tried your best and just can’t get it, don’t like it, whatever, then at least you won’t be too much out of pocket… Good luck! Mary
IMHO, the ONE thing that needs to remedied in this “which low d to purchase” thing is … hand / finger size .
Oftentimes I’e seen (since entering c&f not too long ago), and I believe some may have seen much more of it, is this ‘big hand’, small hand’, average hand stuff.
For once, shouldn’t we do something about it, with photos and numbers (measurements of hole size, for example) so people would get a BETTER idea compared to big, small,medium,etc.
Seriously, how big is big hands? Different people from different parts of the world - by genetics, have different hand sizes. More accurately different perspectives of how big is ‘big’. The term ‘average’, however, shouldn’t be used at all, for obvious reasons.
Really, the pictures of the whistles on online shops and elsewhere don’t do justice to their actual sizes!
i tried manny whistles,i believe burkes are the easyest to play. i love the sweettone of my high d brass pro, but for a lowwhistle, i’ve chosen the lowD EZ composite, the all pro takes some warming up.also there’s a nice woodlike sweet sound on the composite,have a listen!
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