After reading Slowair’s initial discreption of the Busman delrin whislte, I decided I wanted one. I emailed Paul only to find out the one Slowair had tried out had left his shop that day…to Slowair. Oh well!
So the next step was to order one. I asked if he could/would make one with an all delrin head. Paul considered that an interesting challenge and agreed to give it a try if I were willing to be patient while he fiddled with it. I agreed, he fiddled and three days ago it arrived.
I love it and it has only got better as I’ve played it and played it and played it (I originally told Paul I was only playing it for 20 minutes a day to break it in…had him going for a bit).
All that Slowair has said is right on…no use repeating what he stated so well.
Mine has stainless fittings on the foot and at the tuning slide with nothing but delrin north of that. To tell the truth, I think that esthetically it would look much better with the stainless also at the mouthpiece from a strictly looks standpoint (like Slowair’s). I wouldn’t change what I have but knowing what I know now, I’d suggest you go with Paul’s regular model if you want a similar delrin whistle. Which brings up a point. Paul mentioned that he took this project on as something different but he asked me to mention that he really doesn’t want to get too much into this type of custom job. He said he would prefer that his whistles look like his very recognizable and rather distinctive standard. He said mine had just offered an interesting challenge.
I have a bocote Busman and they sound very much the same. For some reason I like the delrin model better. I’m not sure it’s the sound or anything concrete, I just like it a bit better. Maybe I can already see that this one will be with me all the time. I won’t be without a Busman whistle but I don’t need two, so the bocote will be on the market after the Jerry Freeman benefit is over.
One difference between my bocote and the delrin is that the delrin is more compact when taken apart because the male end of the tuning slide is part of the head portion of the whistle. I see this as a plus.
Just to second slowair’s comment about Paul’s customer service. We are blessed with a number of whistle making artists and smiths that have impeccable (sp?) customer service. Paul’s is second to none! He want’s his customers happy.
Enough for now, time to go play the whistle and maybe take a hike to play it in the woods.
take care
jim d
