First glimpse at the new Reyburn Alloy Low D

Whistle
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I recently contacted Ronaldo Reyburn to order one of his new brass low D whistles. Because I was brain dead at the time, I did not join the tour from last summer or fall but became convinced by those who reviewed this whistle that, being flush with my November birthday money, I needed to try one out. Ronaldo told me he was just finishing up an alloy version and that if I wanted to try it out, he’d allow me to return it for a brass if it didn’t make me happy. That’s a difficult offer to turn down.

Let me start out by saying that I’m not a professional player. I believe I’m somewhat better than average and certainly have owned most of the available instruments with the exception of those that are rare or that I’ve been told are not worth the effort. In low D I have or have had 3 Goldies, 3 MK, Gonzato, 2 Burke (brass and alloy), Copeland, Sweet polymer, Lambe, Impempe, Reviol, etc. I’m a big guy with giant hands so the size and hole spacing on a low instrument is never an issue for me, consequently I spend zero time worrying about this issue. Since I started out playing recorder I’m a pretty dry player too so I don’t struggle with clogging although I don’t think this whistle would have that problem anyway.

Like any new whistle, particularly low whistles, it takes some fidgeting about to get used to the nuances. I look for:

where each note breaks
how much dynamic range from flat to sharp can be had on each note over two octaves
where should the tuning slide be for the best balance
how does it react when I leak a particular note
where the best harmonics are
any holes that need fussing with - finger placement etc.
where I rest my pinkies for stabilization
where does the mouthpiece feel and play best
responsiveness “pop”
low D and E power

I consider my one remaining Goldie that Colin customized for me to be the gold (no pun intended) standard for all the criteria above, at least for the way my body is made and the way I play. If the Burke had a tighter windway and a better low E it would be even better than the Goldie at least for my purposes. I simply love playing the Copeland when I want a flute-like tone and a good bell note but again the low E is not what I’d like it to be. If the MK had a better bell note and was not so difficult to play in tune for the second octave A and B it would be at the top of the list too. The others are special purpose instruments for specific tunes or occasions. But they all have good, and not so good, points which is part of that elusive compromise that each maker chooses to brand their instruments.

One might infer that because I’ve kept so many whistles, I’m not picky, or at least wishy-washy, but it’s exactly the opposite. There is no perfect whistle and if I want to sound my best on every tune or in every situation, I need multiple instruments.

The Goldie is my go to low D and if the house caught on fire it would be one of the five whistles I’d save if I could save any.

This new Reyburn alloy whistle is at least as good and in some respects maybe better IMHO. It has that slightly dirty trad tone, similar to the MK, but as Ronaldo and I discussed last week he may have found the holy grail for balance betwen the Low E and D and for the high notes. My Burke has an ever so slightly stronger bell note but I can do more with the Reyburn and the Goldie because I don’t run out of breath when playing a lament that needs that end of phrase droning low D (cosmic drainpipe if you must) which is always the struggle with the Burke. The MK can’t do it period. This is the best low E note I’ve ever heard or played, maybe better than the Goldie, which I didn’t think was possible. It can be pushed as far as the bell note without breaking or going sharp.

Now for a very short list of very picayune critiques.

Ronaldo has used a different tuning slide on this alloy whistle than on his brass instruments, more like the Goldie. The head appears to be the same to me. I added an extra half-wrap of the teflon tape used to seal the slide, since I found the sweet spot for tuning to be with the slide extended about 3/16" or 5mm (.18 inches to be precise) and it was a tiny bit loose there, where it was tighter if I pulled the slide out further. Loose enough that it moved a little on me while playing. The half turn of teflon fixed this. After playing more I may find that I pull the slide out further but that’s where I am right now.

I found I had to push the G, both first and second octave, a little more than expected to keep it from being flat but the transition pressure was consistent with the A and B above so while different at first, this is simply something to easily get used to. The A and B are spot on in both octaves without any straining. This whistle seems just as breath efficient as the MK, which is IMHO one of it’s most important qualities.

I played this against an old style maple head Reyburn model that I bought used from a C&F member a couple of months ago. I noticed that the resonance of the older brass model was more immediately obvious and at first I thought the new alloy instrument sounded muted, not like the new Chieftain V4 but not what I expected. However, like all alloy whistles, when the whole whistle got warm all that buttery resonance came through and I got some unexpectedly nice harmonics from the first F#, G and A. Leaking the G while playing that nice strong low E made my cat happy too! He purrs loudly sometimes over the Goldie bell note when I find that sweet spot right at the octave change where all those harmonics live. Maybe it’s just my perception, but while head warming is always a good idea, all whistles are more resonant when the whole body is warm. I’d be interested in other opinions on this.

However, I love this instrument just the way it is. It’s going to be one of the three that I carry along with my Goldie and newly tweaked Lambe, since I’m taking the MK out of my bag. I’m not suggesting that others will feel the same as I. We all know that C&F is a virtual melting pot of opinions. But I know that at least two prominent professional musicians, both C&F members, are trying one out right now and they usually offer very thorough reviews for the rest of us. I’ll be really interested to hear what they have to say.

This is, and I’m not exaggerating, a great whistle. I am thoroughly enjoying going back and forth between it and my Goldie. It’s like an epic heavyweight battle. Time will tell. I will post a picture and sound sample later in the week. Ronaldo may have done so on his website already but I’m not certain of that.

YMMV but I doubt it. :thumbsup:

ecohawk

P.S., Richard, I think you’re going to love this whistle.

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Ecohawk, could you post a picture? i would like to see what the new tuning slide looks like.

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I should have gotten mine Wednesday, but the mail was slow. I got it this morning. I have had little time with it but I am very impressed thus far. The first thing I noted was the light weight due to it being aluminum. It weighs 205g or about 7.2 oz. which is considerably less than the brass models from Ronaldo. I will compare weights with the brass model and some other whistles soon. The weight has been a reason some don’t like the brass ones. I got used to the weight of the brass in a short time, and can play it for hours without any hand fatigue. It is certainly lighter than a clarinet. The brass Reyburns have a rounder, fuller tone IMO, but my initial take on the tone of this one is very positive. It is cooler, with more edge and plenty of resonance. It seems louder than the brass model, even louder than the big head model, at which I was pleasantly surprised. I also noted the full volume of the low D and E. Nothing wimpy there. More on this whistle later. I will be taking it to a session tonight where I will put it through its paces.

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Ecohawk,
So which other whistles would ye save from the whistling inferno? Sounds like Ronaldo has a winner in this low D. :thumbsup:

Cayden

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Mine arrived yesterday afternoon, but unfortunately I injured my wrist yesterday morning and have my wrist immobilized in one of those stabilizer things and I can’t pick up a pencil, much less play a whistle. It was tough driving myself home having to shift gears and steer all with my left hand.

It’s frustrating and tantalizing having that beautiful alloy Reyburn sitting here and no way to play it.

I’m one who told Reynaldo that the only thing keeping me from playing a Reyburn was its weight, and I’m thrilled that he is doing alloy.

Well enough of this one hand typing… I’ll be back when I can try it. I also got a maplehead Reyburn recently and Renaldo is going to make me a new body for it (the existing body having offset holes).

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pancelticpiper I’m sad to hear of your injury. It sounds painful. Hope you get that straightened out soon. I’m really looking forward to your opinion about this new Reyburn. From what I know about you, I think it will make you very happy. But I have also come to know that so much of this is personal so…get better soon

Cayden, there’d be six now: (but I’d still cry a lot over several others)
Reyburn alloy low D
Goldie alloy low D
Goldie alloy alto F
Copeland brass alto A
Busman boxwood D+
Sindt brass head/silver body D


ecohawk

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My hand is still in the brace but I can wiggle my fingers now without pain and I was able to spend around 30 minutes playing the Reyburn alloy and three other Low Ds: an older brass Reyburn with the huge maple head, an MK, and a Burke.

I just picked up that maplehead Reyburn a week ago and it’s been a revelation. It’s very loud, at least as loud as the MK, but has a very distinctive voice: full, round, warm, centered, and resonant, and reminiscent of a recorder or NAF. The whole range is solid and the 2nd octave is civilized. After playing this for a while and getting used to this tone, the MK sounded loud and dirty but thin or narrow somehow.

Exactly my first impression of the new Reyburn alloy, that it was a similar whistle but with a bit less volume.

In every way both Reyburns are top-notch whistles, with powerful bellnotes, strong low ranges, civilized 2nd octaves, and nice smooth voicings over the range. I think I’m going to have uses for both, as they give you similar performance at slightly different volume levels, which might come in handy.

Both Reyburns have solved an issue that for me is a problem with MKs and certain other whistles: the tuning of bottom D vis-à-vis middle D. The various MKs I’ve had have varied in the length of the tube: 1) some have a longer tube, and have a nice middle D that you can lean on without it going sharp, but have bottom D rather flat, that can barely be brought up to pitch without the note breaking 2) some have a shorter tube, and have bottom D right in tune, but have a middle D that tends to sharpness and you have to be careful to go easy on it. In other words, all six MKs I’ve owned have had middle D sharper than bottom D.

Not so with the Reyburns, where both Ds are bang on and you can lean on either note when you want, quite ideal.

I really like the tuning of the Reyburns’ octaves in general, the 2nd octave being set so that you can push up to the notes a tad, which you can’t do on whistles having a sharper 2nd octave like the MK.

Seems that both Reyburns are very air-efficient, similar to the MK, always a welcome thing.

I also much prefer having wood or delrin stuck in my mouth as opposed to metal.

I think both Reyburns are keepers!

But in a fire, sorry, I’m grabbing my c1880-1908 Lawrie Highland pipes and the David Quinn uilleann chanter I’ve been playing for 35 years and all the whistles will have to fend for themselves.

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Glad to see you are able to wiggle your fingers Richard.

I will abbreviate aluminum and brass as A and B. I weighed a few D whistles for comparison: MK 210g, Burke 200g, A Reyburn 205g and a Goldie C with the same tube dia. as his D is 236g, which would put his D in the same neighborhood. The B Reyburn is 326g, which is much heavier.

The wall thicknesses of all the A whistles is about the same, with the Goldie being about 0.1mm thicker than the Reyburn. The B Reyburn has half the wall thickness of his A model.

The tone of the B Reyburn is round, warm and full and sounds most like an Olwell flute out of a number of instruments with which I compared it. The A Reyburn is more like most other A whistles, cooler in tone with more edge and volume, but still distinctly Reyburn. The strong low D and E are notable, bringing evenness in volume to the lower range, a real plus. I agree with Ecohawk and Pancelticpiper about the balance and playability of the new model. They have covered the nuances quite thoroughly.

I went to a session inn a 20 by 80 foot low ceiling pub. There were 3 strong flutes, 3 banjos, 3 uilleann pipes, a small box, a couple of concertinas, one fiddle and me. In the ensuing din, I could hear myself better and was more in balance with the flutes with the A than the B. The A is a real session monster and a blast to play. This is not a wimpy whistle and is for those who want a louder whistle with great tone. It plays well in the upper octave with normal pressure and will accept more push, where it really shines, without being objectionable. Both the A and B have their uses; horses for courses. Those who have shied away from the Reyburns because of the weight will welcome this whistle. The A model holds up very well in a loud session. I can hardly wait to try it in a more intimate session. This one is a welcome addition in low D whistles and a keeper.

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Unfortunately, I’ve been in exactly that position, during the two wildfire evacuations here during the past decade. All my whistles were summarily dumped in a box and loaded in the car. Not that most (but, heartbreakingly, not all) of my other beloved instruments didn’t come along, too. But I hope no one ever has to make that decision!

Glad your hand is healing, Richard. Otherwise you’d have to trade your car for a right-hand drive British model. :wink:

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I will add a couple of observations: The bottom hole on the A is slightly lower on the tube and slightly larger than the same hole on the B. It has the strongest low E of any whistle I have played. It was easy to get used to the slight difference.

I did not have a Copeland to weigh for comparison. If anyone has weights for the silver and brass Copelands, they would be welcome to post them.

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Too bad I don’t have a way of weighing the brass Reyburn with the big maple head. It seems to be lighter than other brass whistles, I reckon due to the head. Ronaldo said he could make me an alloy body for it… that would be a very light whistle! But it’s playable for me, while other brass whistles have been uncomfortable.

I was just comparing the Reyburn alloy low D against the only Overton I have, a low E. That Overton low E has a remarkably sweet 2nd octave but the low range isn’t very interesting timbre-wise. The MK is more complex, the Reyburn rounder and darker.

Sounds like a great session Ted! What was in the small box? :slight_smile:

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Head over to Harbor Freight, where you can pick up a nice digital scale for < $20. Very handy.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=scale

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Metal reeds inside with buttons on the outside and a bellows in the middle.

Many sessions are heavy on the fiddles. This one was wind heavy.

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I have played the alloy whistle in a couple more sessions. It blended beautifully with a concertina. Just the two of us played a rather obscure tune that others did not know. The cool tone of the whistle was a great match for the concertina. The 'tina player remarked about it. It also has an affinity for fiddles.

In one session I sat by a guy playing a MK. It sounded louder than the MK to me. I could definitely hear the bottom D to be louder than the MK’s D. The other player felt his bottom D disappeared when we played together. I will try to get my hands on a decibel meter and do actual measurements of several whistles at exactly the same distance from the meter on several different notes. That will be more objective than just listening. Perception can be distorted.

The standard and the alloy models have different voices. Each has its place. There were tunes played that lended themselves more to one voice than the other. Both are great whistles and each has its strengths.

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I will try to get my hands on a decibel meter and do actual measurements of several whistles at exactly the same distance from the meter on several different notes. That will be more objective than just listening. Perception can be distorted.

But what really matters?
What the meter reads?
or
What the ear hears?

Perhaps the meter will not measure what the ear hears.

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I will try to get my hands on a decibel meter and do actual measurements of several whistles at exactly the same distance from the meter on several different notes. That will be more objective than just listening. Perception can be distorted.


The meter, being at a distance, probably won’t measure what the player’s ear hears. But it will provide an objective measurement of volume at the distance of an audience or session mates. I suspect that we’ve all had the experience of our ears hearing one thing from an instrument we are playing and those with whom we are playing (the “audience”) hearing something quite different.

Personally, I’m not entirely convinced that the player is able to determine which whistle is louder while playing one after another. I’d be more convinced by a meter reading from some slightly removed location.

Them’s my thoughts.

Steve

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I’d be convinced by the observations of a good listener or two more than a meter - the ‘quality’ is often more important than ‘loudness’ in being heard. Just my 2 cents.

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No argument here. The point was trying to bring some order to the evaluation of “loudness” that is often part of the review of a whistle. I wouldn’t even think to suggest that volume should supplant quality of sound as a major criterion for whistle value.

Best wishes.

Steve

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I agree! Loudness and tone are two different things. Loudness is objective and can be measured with a decibel meter. Tone is subjective and we all have different opinions of what constitutes good tone. I was speaking of loudness in my post. That is not the quality of the sound coming from the whistle, but the quantity, in terms of sound pressure level, which can be measured. I hope to do a comparison of a few whistles loudness at the bottom D, the E above it, 1st octave A, middle D, high E, high G and high A. To be useful the measurements must be made in the same environment, with each whistle in the same position relative to the meter. The whistles available to me will probably be the Reyburns, Burke, MK, Copeland brass and a Goldie medium blower.

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I’m having trouble perceiving the relative loudness between my Reyburn and MK because the timbres are so different, probably the most different of any two Low Ds I’ve had.