Exciting news to share. Pat O’Dwyer is now producing an injection molded version of the Lon Dubh and is priced at only $69.99. These will be a quasi-mass produced type whistle though finger holes and fine tweaking will still be done by hand (i.e. not done in the mold). We have yet to receive the first run but they should be in the next few weeks. I’ll be putting them through their paces and checking tuning/intonation/playability. Once that’s done we will start bringing them in, selling through Whistle & Drum and distributing to local shops in the USA.
To get a proper gauge for the demand we’ve setup a pre order page here:
Cool! I’ve never been able to get past the rather… Interesting style of the whistlehead, but it’s exciting to see a more affordable version of such a popular instrument.
I hear ya - it is different though the head does look more pronounced in pictures than in “real life”. It’s a slim/slight whistle and the tone is sweet -not too loud or quiet. Can’t wait to get my mitts on one myself! Yes, and very comfortable.
Blayne - any chance you’d be able to put out a demo video while you’re checking them out?
I know we can’t expect it to sound like the Lon Dubh you demo’ed on W&D, but I’d like to know that it’s an improvement over my polymer Dixon before I preorder…
(got my fingers crossed!)
Yes, Blayne a comparison demo video would be really helpful. Perhaps comparing Lon Dubh to some of the other maker’s delrin/polymer whistles, ie, Milligan, Sweet’s Black Pearl, etc
BTW, I’m hoping they sound exactly like the original Lon Dubh. Pat is a machinist by trade so he knows his stuff when it comes to tooling. He’s been working really hard to get the final product to sound just so - so here’s hoping!
I’m really looking forward to hearing a clip. I love the sound of the wooden and delrin models. No reason a molded, but hand tuned, version can’t be just as good.
Think that’s your problem and not the maker’s if that’s the way your mind works!
Anyway, Lon Dubh’s not just Irish Gaelic for Blackbird… Julie Fowlis Lon-dubh/Blackbird
(Hope that sells a few more even though there’s not a whistle in sight!)
And (@Blayne) are you going to be supplying any European outlets or do we have to go to the States for an Irish-made whistle?
Sorry but I’m not interested in purchasing an unknown product.
Once they get out and about and I actually get to try one and/or there are a number of glowing reviews from people here I trust, I might be interested.
A healthy perspective! (if only the rest of us were so healthy and not stricken with WHOAD!) Not really an unknown product though, just a variant built to the same specs and tolerances (or better really) than the proven/original Lon Dubh. Also $330 cheaper! So you can see why myself and others are excited. Also, our customers know if they don’t like something, they can always return it. I have a feeling though we’re gonna like it!
yeah Peter, thanks for that Julie Fowlis link! I just discovered her myself very recently, and with a ‘Blackbird’ voice like that… wow! smashing! and she does play the pennywhistle
Aye, but not in that song, and not a Lon Dubh. So it was maybe a bit naughty of me to post it (and I did think twice!) when I’m not wanting to distract attention from Blayne’s CP, although it was also a genuine response to the ‘Irish Gaelic’ text on the page he linked (you could argue just ‘Irish’ or ‘Gaelic’ when ‘Irish Gaelic’ almost seems to imply exclusivity) and I’d hope it would help rather than hinder his cause through such a lovely (if slightly indirect) association…
(Works for me anyway and I want one, although whether that’s a Lon Dubh, a Julie Fowlis or both is for you to guess!)
Yes, and very comfortable.