I am sending the whistle onto Dave Deegan in Lincolnshire, that is the next label in the box. Is this correct?
David and I exchanged instruments a while ago in a mutual bonding sort of thing between whistle-makers! I will generally underpin all the positive comments that have been made on this thread. As a maker, I too was facinated by the way David has flown in the face of convention with his windway design. Maybe he should call his whistles the Bumblebee as this too defies the laws of Physics! (don’t go there, I remember the last thread on the subject of the bumblebee and whether it should or shouldn’t fly!)
I personally prefer a whistle with a little more backpressure than David’s and some of my fellow testers said that for them it was too easy to blow. That aside, his whistles are a thing of beauty and I love mine!
That is correct Dave.
I received it this morning in pristine condition and am enjoying it a lot.
( Thanks for blowing my cover. Instead of buying whistles I’ll have to blow all my money on more plastic surgery and another forged passport,not to mention all the hassle of relocating to another safe house)
Slan,
Abraham McAbraham Snr.
At least one of these whistles will only cost about the same as a visit to a NHS dentist in UK and last a lot longer!!
I was quite amazed at the fact that the ones I got played at all, due to the unique blade design (which, as you mention, isn’t a blade at all).
This stuff always makes me cross. I thought up the Q1 A year ago and have now made and sold 350 of them.
The Q1 has no sharp blade.
Even the great Bloomfield has one and reviewed here on C&F
The way the whistle is made is the same as our Standard tuneable whistle
I am not so much unhappy about the copying thing, but more about Credit where credit is due.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=15094&highlight=alba+q1
Just for the record, I started making whistles without sharp blades in 1996 and I’ve never seen an Alba whistle.
And, in my not-so-humble opinion, the Alba does not have the pure tone that the O’Brien does have. It’s the pure tone that makes this amazing.
Seriously now, does someone here think they were the first to make a decent fipple flute using a seriously dull labium edge?!? 
The fipple flute is Oooollld - There is very little (if anything) we come up with that hasn’t been done (well or better) before. Reality check time. :roll:
Loren
How would you know 
and just for the record I have been making whistle since 1990
And I have never heard of O,Brien.
The fipple flute is Oooollld - There is very little (if anything) we come up with that hasn’t been done (well or better) before. Reality check time
Realy I didn’t know that 
Supose you could say that about car but i think you will find awee bit of a differance between a model T and todays cars :roll: same with whistles 
Breathy or not, you can’t play the silly thing if it clogs. I’ve never had my Q1 clog. I love that albanite stuff!!
Best,
Little John
If that is a serious question, I know because I have played Albas that belonged to other people.
I have to agree with Jessie. I had a couple of weeks with the nickel D that’s currently on a European tour, I also own C and Bb Copper O’Briens and have a Copper Low D on the way.
I also have an Alba Q1 and an Alba SE -both of which are fine whistles. But because they’re fine whistles certainly doesn’t stop the O’Briens from having a truly great sound.
Stacey’s right, of course credit where credit’s due. She makes very fine whistles but then so does David O’Brien.
I was quite amazed at the fact that the ones I got played at all, due to the unique blade design (which, as you mention, isn’t a blade at all).
This stuff always makes me cross. I thought up the Q1 A year ago and have now made and sold 350 of them.
The Q1 has no sharp blade.
Even the great Bloomfield has one and reviewed here on C&F
The way the whistle is made is the same as our Standard tuneable whistle
I am not so much unhappy about the copying thing, but more about Credit where credit is due.
Ah well, I apologize about that, Stacy. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a whistle made that way, so it’s new to me 
But hey, if you wanted to send me Q1 to review, I wouldn’t turn it down
ditto! 
I have the nickel-plated O’Brien now. Wish I could afford to compare it one-on-one with the Q1. David, I love the changes - the mouthpiece is much nicer than the one on my copper whistle. I predict this will be one of my favorite whistles to play. Thanks, again!
~Judy
This mabe so Jessie but like computers cars and most things thse days unless you have the latest one you cannot compare a 1999 laptop to a 2004 lap top same with a Ford.
We are always updating the product, if we find something that makes it better in it goe’s if we find away to make them faster we do!
I was not Dissing O’Briens whistles just stating my opinion, I am allowed one you know even on C&F
I have tried David O’Brien’s and Alba whistles, I think both are pretty good. My only problem with them is the price, compared with a music shop whistle. I do appreciate that to make a half decent whistle takes time and dedication etc and that doesn’t come cheaply.
I can go and buy a “Generation” a “Sweetone” a “Susato” or any other off the shelf whistle for a lot less than the price of an O’Brien or Alba and usually they will suit my needs regarding tone, loudness, tuning etc.
The only time I personally would buy an expensive whistle is if that whistle offered me a substantial upgrading of sound quality, such as a John Sindt whistle.
Dave.
Good point, and said in a nice way! Stacey, I would be happy to do a fresh, un-biased review of one of your whistles. If you want to send me one for review, let me know.
I also have one of Dave’s copper D whistles. I got it a month or so ago from e-bay. Since I’ve only been playing forf 6 months, I don’t have a whistle collection to compare it to. It does tend to clog a bit. Any advice about clogging is welcome. Having said that, I very much like its feel and sound. It is a bit breathy, but I like that. My only other $10+ whistle is a susato and I like it, but it is very assertive. The O’Brien whistle is more musical. I’m waiting on a burke whistle.
All in all, as a new player, when I took Dave’s whistle out of the package and put some air in it, I instantly felt like a better player. Works for me. I plan to get a nickel one soon.
The Whistle currently touring the U.K. has been sent off to the next and final name on the list,a fellow from the Netherlands.
I really enjoyed it and will post some more comments when the tour is finished.
Thanks David.
Slan,
D.
I’ve just listened to both clips on page 2 (Jessie and Dave), and i’m surprised how different they sound. I tried one of these whistles, and it sounded more like Dave’s than Jessie’s. I will definitely try varying the angle of blowing, tonight, but i’m wondering if there is a lot of variation between different whistles. It seems too much variation to explain just by playing/blowing style, IMHO.
g