How about this: Irish music at a Russian Orthodox wedding…in the big city of DeQueen, Arkansas. 
For those who don’t know, DeQueen isn’t a very big place. Blink twice and you’ll miss it. It’s very pretty country though–lovely rows of rolling green hills and lots of trees. The wedding was outside, which was neat, and when Pat played the pipes, it echoed off the hills, which will raise all the hair on the back of your neck.
Best,
–James
I’m with everyone above… the tuning is great, the playability is great, the sound is much louder and purer than what I want. Simply wasn’t to my taste. I was given a VSB, tried it out, moved it on to someone else on ‘perma loan’ as, even though the volume was reduced, it didn’t blend well with others in session in my hands, and my animals didn’t like the high end.
There is a susato player in session…I won’t sit next to him because my ear hurts after a song or two, but I like sitting across from him, as I can clearly hear what the whistle is doing over the rest of the group. I might also add that in three sessions I heard in Ireland last year, the whistlers nearly all played Susato.
I just received my engraved susato kildare high D, on my way to rule the world by buying up all the whistles. I was surprised at the well-tuned sound, but when I went to the high octave I had to blow much harder than I do on the Sindt. My neighbors may want to re-zone against whistles. Also, my cat abhors the Susato, but she will just have to get used to it, because on some tunes I like the sound very much. Misty likes the Clark original the best, and so when she is napping, this is what I play, otherwise she gives me one of those cat looks and pads off. My wife is getting me a wooden whistle from Ralph Sweet for my 51st birthday next week, bless her. I like contra dances (hold your fire please) and think that the wood will sound pretty good with English and American tunes.
Celtoid,
Where is Brownville?
Best wishes,
Jerry
Hi Jerry…it is way, way, way upstate, near Watertown just south of the Canadian border. Brownville is on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. The only thing really, really important here…is me. :roll:
Well shoot, Celtoid.
You’re just over there in Jefferson County. I’m a couple of miles south of the county line here in Oswego county.
I’ll email you, so as not to hijack Lauragayle’s thread with upstate New York small talk.
Best wishes,
Jerry
P.S. Marguerite Plank, who posts here a lot, is a contra dancer, too.
The fiddle\banjo\mando player in our contra dance band is a Greek Orthodox priest. I play a blessed (by him) Susato regular bore D almost exclusively with that group. The clean octave breaks and spot on tuning are what I like the best. It also sounds great with a fiddle. When playing in the kitchen at home for the kids I usually play one of mine or a Hoover because of the volume. When playing in a very large dance hall with whooping dancers, caller and 6 other musicians then the Susato comes to the fore.
Lately though I’ve been playing a truly remarkable Thin Weasel I have on loan.
Mark V.
Yes, Susatos are not for the timid player.
Well, I have to say…When Kevin Crawford played his rust-brown colored Susato high D last friday night, I realized how much better it sounds when he plays a Susato than I ever will, although I personally own 1 and dont like it like my Sindts, Chieftains, etc.
Eric
I’ve been led to believe that this clip is played on a Susato. I’m not sure, however. Maybe someone could clarify? The musician is Cormac Breatnach, the clip is on his website, off the “Music for Whistle & Guitar” album.
I’m gonna be different - I can’t stand the things. To be fair, I’ve only played 2, but I have been playing the whistle for going on 13 years, so would regard myself as quite experienced. The one I have is horribly shrill, too loud (not necessarily a fault - I just don’t like it, and you can’t vary the volume much) and horribly awfully sharp 
- it’s so out of tune that even a tuning slide doesn’t help. I tried it for a couple of weeks and resolved never to touch one again. I think Gavin Whelan’s tracks on susato would sound so much better on an old style gen.
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest! 
Jo.
celtoid,
a word of advice. if you get a sweetheart, go with the professional d. it’s far better than earlier models. the earlier models have trouble past high g, although they sound good. the new professional d is far more responsive and purer in tone, plus if you get the wood laminate version it’s much easier to maintain and not influenced by humidity/moisture. check out tyghress’s thread on sweethearts–she’s got three mp3’s comparing it to three other high end whistles.
tinuviel
well the only whistle i own is a susato kildare vsb soprano d and i must say i do enjoy it.
i made a recording a week ago or so that should hopefully demonstrate what a not-so-talented whistle player sounds like on one 
http://frod.ecs.fullerton.edu/files/inisheer.mp3
i did add a little reverb so it’s not exactly what it sounds like in person, sorry.
the high notes do take some air, or more importantly, more focused air. i find that i don’t neccessarily have to blow harder as much as i have to focus the air passage and blow into the whistle at a slightly different angle.
HI there-
My new engraved Susato Kildare arrived today! 
I played around with it a little, and also let some of my students (clarinet majors) try it out.
I understand what you mean about the high notes-- I’m going to have to work on my emboucher to control those notes. It’s a fun instrument, and I can wait to actually learn some tunes – this afternoon I was making my own up and working on scales, arpeggios, and trills.
Yes, I have to admit – I pick up things easily, but also, having played clarinet and r******r before made getting sound out of this easy. :roll:
I’ve ordered some less expensive whistles, and they should arrive Monday or Tuesday. I look forward to comparing them – and finding out how loud/soft they are compared to the Susato!
Thanks to everyone for your opinions!!!
cheers-
laura