Trying to decide between a Burke Viper Low D in brass or a Reyburn Big Head Session Low D. I used to play a Viper in aluminium and very much liked it. The Reyburn session high D is my all time favorite high D.
I realize I could not go wrong with either low D. What I want is a low D with a very solid low tone. In a perfect world it would “honk” like an Pratten Irish flute.
Please opine. Thanks in advance. Best.
I don’t own either make of low D (I play an MK), but I have tried them both, the Burke at a festival and the Reyburn during the low D tour a year or two ago. (Here’s the Reyburn low D tour thread: https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/cp-ronaldo-reyburn-low-d-whistle-tour/86366/1)
Of the several makes of low D I’ve tried, the Burke had the strongest bell note. I was just struck yesterday by the amount of honk that Brian McCoy got out of his Burke on this recording (starting at about 1:40):
http://open.spotify.com/track/0qAfqry2UXinPXX4LumI0T (Apologies if you can’t access the track…)
https://itunes.apple.com/cy/album/dont-burn-the-water/id925762007
While the Reyburn is also an extremely well-designed whistle, I didn’t find the bell note remarkably strong and honkable. It wasn’t unusually weak either, you understand!
All this goes to say: if a strong bell note is what you want, and you used to own a Burke and you liked it, get the Burke. 
I’ve been phasing out the brass Big Head Low D in favor of the Aluminum Alloy Low D. This new instrument can really honk in the bottom end and has a wonderful blend in session play.
Ronaldo
www.reyburnwhistles.com
I haven’t tried any whistle that can honk quite like a Burke. The Brass viper was my first high-end low D, and still one of my favourites. along with Reviol and MK. If I were specifically after a honker, I’d just buy a Burke and be done with it. The Brass one is probably the coolest looking low D, as well! I hope you don’t mind a heavy whistle, though, as it’s got some weight to it, and it does take a good bit of wind… worth it, though!
In my experience the MK Kelpie has an amazing bell D! This whistle is not often mentioned but in some ways outshines the MK Pro which I also own! Love the Pro of course yet the Kelpie surprises me every time I play it, it’s a delight! You’ll also be saving some money. Burke and Reyburn are great but let’s not neglect the Kelpie 
Gremich
I had forgotten the Kelpie! What was I thinking? Decisions, decisions.
Yes the Kelpie has a strong low end if you can tolerate the upper highs.
[quote=“stanton135”]
Of the several makes of low D I’ve tried, the Burke had the strongest bell note. I was just struck yesterday by the amount of honk that Brian McCoy got out of his Burke on this recording (starting at about 1:40):
http://open.spotify.com/track/0qAfqry2UXinPXX4LumI0T (Apologies if you can’t access the track…)
https://itunes.apple.com/cy/album/dont-burn-the-water/id925762007
Thanks for the links. Brilliant playing.
I own both a Burke Aluminum and Reyburn Aluminum low D whistle. (My Burke is from 2005, but I think it is close to the current model.) Both great players but the tone (timbre to be more accurate) is very different between them. My Reyburn has much more complexity compared to the Burke. Yes, the Burke has that famous “honking” bottom D, but if you look at the entire range, I think the Reyburn actually has a bit more presence overall.
Both are great instruments. As you said, you can not really go wrong with either. But you may want to take into consideration their many other differences.
Actually thats my biggest.. or make that only on second thought - issue with Burkes, they are bland, bordering on boring sounding..
Thinking on the matters of tone complexity and solid bell notes; the two can be mutually exclusive, as swizzlestick alludes.
The Viper that I owned had the honk but lacked the tonal complexity that I prefer. I might add, that many probably prefer a pure timbre.
I appreciate your replies to my inquiry. You have me re-thinking my objective and have led me to the land of “reedy”, complex, and dark tonal palettes … the land of the “cosmic drain pipe”; namely Overton/Colin Goldie.
I have the Burke Pro Viper, an older maple-head Reyburn, and a newer aluminum Reyburn, and all seem to have equally powerful Bottom D’s, among the very best of any Low D’s I’ve tried.
However the Burke has a weakish Low E (much weaker than its neighbors D and F#) while the Reyburns have much more equal voicing down there, which is something I prize.
Also the Reyburns have much more complex timbres, a wonderful meaty-yet-foggy NAF-ish something, in my experience unique to Reyburns.
Hands down I prefer the Reyburns over the Burke.
Both Burke and Reyburn have excellent tuning, with the octaves right in the middle where I like them (sharper than Goldies, flatter than MKs).
Both have very nice voicing overall. Both are comfortable in the hands. My alloy Reyburn has the upper-hand holes a bit closer together than the Burke which makes it more ergonomic for me, while my maple-head Reyburn has those holes further apart than the Burke, making it somewhat uncomfortable. (For some reason tiny differences in the upper-hand hole spacing makes a big difference in upper-hand comfort for me.)
A bonus is that my maple-head Reyburn has two bodies, D and C, and it plays fantastic with either.
Here’s the maple head Reyburn with the Low C body. Apologies for the bad breathing; I had a respiratory infection at the time and was struggling a bit for air
So, I have a Goldie en route. Thanks for your thoughts.