Could use some recommendations for higher end low D whistles. I have a Burke high D that I like very much compared to a Lir and a Dixon 006. I am considering getting a Chieftain V5, MK Pro, a Lir, or a Burke Viper. I like the Burke high D due to it being very in tune in both octaves, greater volume than the others, and easy 2nd octave. I have asthma so somewhat reduced lung capacity. I also have long thin fingers. I realize that the Burke has a purer tone than many others which is OK, but do like the more breathy sound also. I am willing to work at establishing the fingering of the low D whistle.
Having played a large number of different makes of Low D whistles, I’ll say that the Burke Low D whistle stands out from the crowd in two ways:
the Burke takes more volume of air than any other make of serious professional Low D I tried.
the Burke has a stiffer 2nd octave than any other make of serious professional Low D I tried.
And having owned Burkes in several keys (Low D, Low Eb, Low F, Mezzo G, Mezzo A, High C, High D) I found that these attributes appeared across the board in all those Burke sizes.
So for somebody looking for a Low D with an easy sweet 2nd octave and low air requirements the Burke would be the last Low D I would consider recommending.
Now, why are Burkes like that?
I assume that at least part of it is that Burkes, for any given size, have a larger bore and larger windway than any other make of serious professional whistle I’ve tried.
In general with whistles the narrower the bore the sweeter/easier the 2nd octave, the larger the bore the stiffer/more recalcitrant the 2nd octave.
It must have been in response to this that Burke introduced their “narrow bore” High D. In fact the Burke “narrow bore” High D has a slightly wider bore than the standard metal-tube High D whistles like Feadog, Generation, Killarney, etc. The Burke “session bore” is wider still.
I also found that playing the Burke Low D was more tiring for my fingers, especially the upper-hand fingers, due to the fatter tube and more widely-splayed finger-holes than the other serious professional Low D’s I tried.
I will point out that with Low D’s having the usual bore size (around 22mm) you have this tradeoff:
-a wider windway gives an easier 2nd octave but is less air-efficient, that is, requires pushing a larger volume of air through the instrument.
-a narrower windway gives a stiffer 2nd octave but is more air-efficient, that is, requires a smaller volume of air passing through the instrument.
To get a sweeter 2nd octave AND a smaller air requirement means a more quiet whistle like the all-plastic Dixon Low D with conical bore, probably the most ergonomic and sweetest-playing Low D I’ve tried, but in my opinion too soft in volume to be considered a serious professional instrument.
Oh I didn’t mention that all the Low D’s that I considered “serious professional instruments” had these attributes
perfect tuning (or close enough to be blown into tune effortlessly).
good voicing with strong low notes and not-too-stiff high notes.
good air efficiency.
good ergonomics.
The Burke Low D was at the low end of the acceptable range in 2, 3, and 4.
After a couple years of playing a Burke Low D as my main instrument I switched to the MK, then after a couple more years switched to the Goldie, where I think I’ll stay.
All Low D Whistles are a bundle of compromises, and it’s up to each player to decide which Low D has the best balance of compromises for their personal tastes.
For me it was the Colin Goldie Low D. Another Low D might be better on this or that, but have an Achilles Heel somewhere else.
Over a whole lot of years, I have used a number of different low D whistles in performance. I do not have particularly large hands, nor a large air supply. For physically handling the instrument, and for ‘ease’ of playing, it is hard to beat the Burke Viper. Yes, it has the pure sound, but it is a truly musical pure sound, and it tends to be easy to control well, repeatedly,… and I really liked it. I still own mine… However, for me, the Viper simply demands too much air volume, for me to play it musically. I simply do not have the requisite air supply…
I have performed with multiple MK low D whistles, a Goldie Overton - for a long time - and others, in the past. Colin Goldie suggested at one point that I try one of his newer Low D narrow bore instruments. It had an interesting ‘complexity’ to the sound - not too breathy or scratchy, but for me, just right.
When I first played it with the band, the response was quick and positive. I have performed with it, ever since. I have enough air in my old body, that I can now finish musical phrases, with out an extra breath. The width is just a bit smaller than the ‘norm,’ which makes handling and control, a bit more pleasant than said norm. Colin raises the tone holes for notes D and G a fraction of an inch - probably to deal with intonation in some way (just my guess), which gives the instrument a distinct look, and makes handling more precise, with much more precision than was true of the afore-mentioned excellent instruments.
Point? Before making your final choice, Chuck, it would be good to find a way to play one of the current Goldie Narrow Bore low D whistles. For me personally, it is a winner. Please note that Colin is willing to talk with you, and play an instrument to you over the phone, Face-Time etc., before purchase.
I’d love to get my hands on a Goldie narrow bore Low D, but they’re scarce and they never seem to come up used. (The owners must love them!)
Please note that Colin is willing to talk with you and play an instrument to you over the phone before purchase.
Around a decade ago, when I decided I wanted to get a Goldie, Colin wanted a phone chat before I placed an order.
After weeks of frustrating phone-tag (my work schedule and the time difference between California and Germany being the culprits) I came to the conclusion that if I wanted a Goldie I’d have to acquire a used one somewhere. (I ended up getting two used ones, a Low D and a Low C.)
Then more recently I had the opposite experience! I got hold of Colin fairly quickly and had an absolutely delightful chat, during which he demonstrated a half-dozen Mezzo F whistles he had to hand. We arrived at a consensus concerning which was the perfect F whistle for me, and I got the whistle faster than I’ve ever got anything from either the UK or the EU.
Colin dropped it in the Post in Germany and within hours it was flying across the Atlantic, arriving in Los Angeles the next day.
Doesn’t matter that its not tuneable or that its not loud, as I don’t play in sessions. Just me, at home. I had a low D (Kerry) but couldn’t get away with it so I sold it. Wish I’d kept it but there was just something about it
As of yesterday, my wife, Brenda, and I now have two Soprano D (soft-standard 0.97mm) whistles and one Tenor D (soft-standard 0.97mm) to begin our whistle lessons. We also decided to purchase Soprano D and Tenor D (medium-blower 0.87mm) variants to help us determine which we might like better. This will assist us with ordering other Goldie models in 2026.
More to the point, Brenda is a pianist and flutist who plays many Native American flutes and Bansari. After an hour of playing my Tenor D, she requested I order her the short-reach variant I had read about in the forum archives. Brigette returned my email before the day ended and explained some difficulties with the variant I was describing. She recommends the small bore variant of the Tenor D, and we joyfully switched our order to include both a Tenor D (soft-standard 0.97mm / small bore) and a Tenor D (medium 0.87mm / small bore) variant for Brenda.
I am pretty sure we are talking about the same variant of the Tenor D model (small or narrow bore). I see they use the term small on their website.
Yet, I also know that is not a comprehensive list. Colin and Brigette Goldie also stand out because they can customize their models to a customer’s specifications.
By the way, I again want to publicly thank the two of you (Robert & Byll) for your willingness to engage in the forums and assist beginners like myself.