I know this has been kicked around quite a bit, but I’m wondering what players think of Michael Burke’s new line of whistles, all based on his “Viper” design. I’ve been a Generation player since the '70’s and still play the ones I bought back then. For years I lusted after a low D and finally sprung for one of Michael’s newly designed ones (I also got a tenor G), and frankly I’m having a hard time getting used to the sound. The pitch is just about perfect, almost too perfect. They’re easy to play, seem to be pitched perfectly and have a pure tone, but they sound rather cold to me, like a calliope pipe or something. They lack the slight fuzz and pop of an old Generation that gave it that chirping sort of sound you here on old Chieftains or Mary Bergin recordings.
Is this just a characteristic of all the newer whistles, or does it vary from maker to maker, and are Mike’s just “purer” sounding ones than others? Can anyone else out there even relate to what I’m talking about?
