Burke Whistle

Whistle
1

OK, OK - it has probaly been brought up before - but I am thinking of buying a Burke whistle and was wondering what is the difference between the brass and aluminum session whistle (outside of color and material !)

Any one care to share a quick sound sample or a few words ?

Thanks! :smiley:

2

A quick and simple search turned up these:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=58551

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=56659

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=55883

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=53895

Sound clips are available at Burke’s site:

http://burkewhistles.com/

as well as on Clips and Snips:

http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/

and on many professional recordings.

I own brass, aluminum and composite session and narrow bore high D’s.
You can’t make a bad choice among them. Mike makes good whistles.

Feadoggie

3

I like the aluminum one better. It has a more pure tone.

4

I agree, I have a Narrow Bore Aluminum D and a Brass Session D (And a Narrow Bore Alu C on its way :smiley: ). The Alu Whistle is much more responsive and the tone is purer than in the Brass Whistle. The Aluminum Whistles are definitely the ones I would recommend.

Sláinte,
Anders

5

I have a Burke whistle in D, made from aluminum and it’s tone is clear and sweet. When I have the extra coin laying around, I plan on getting a Low D Viper in aluminum too.

Matt

6

It’s personal preference. My personal performance Burke was a Brass session. It was recently replaced by a composite because I love the slightly more complex tone. Having smashed my composite in a car door I’m back to the brass.

If I had only an aluminum I could still die fairly delirious. Mike makes no bad tooters.

The aluminum does tend to be a bit purer. The composite a bit more complex. The brass somewhere in between. All are purish when compared to many other whistles.

Doc

7

Aluminum gives the impression of being louder, but it’s not. And it’s not as sweet. Also, it’s more sensitive to temperature changes so you are going to go out of tune more often.

I’ve had both for a long time, and I have come to think that brass is better in high whistles. I own about 10 Burke whistles. I think that Alum is good for the lower models, like the G and A. They have a really nice sound.