Hi all,
considering a harper d/c set from Uk whistlesmith Steve Harper, just checking to see if any one had any playing time on these whistles, I
watched the movie on Phil Hardys site, he rates it, just wanted to get
any other views.
thanks in advance
Sponge. 
Sponge,
I don’t have any playing time on one of these whistles but I like what Phil said about these whistles on his video " I would recomend for people who don’t have alot of puff but want a nice sweet tone"! Sounds like an interesting whistle…I might consider one of these for myself!
Nate
Good solid whistle with distinctive look. The only minor negative on my D, which I got second hand, is that the finish on the tone holes is a bit rough/sharp.
Philo
I’ve had one for over 10 years. It’s too loud for me and is a bit raspy. It takes a strong pressure as the windway is very narrow. The high notes are deafening. It has a kind of flutey resonance, similar to an Overton or Chieftain. I’d put it in that general class of whistle. I’d want to compare it side by side with those other whistles before deciding.
My tastes run to the more chiffy/breathy Generation or Abell, so I"m not the best advisor for this one.
Tony
I have a G/A set and like them very much, although I think the D/C would be a bit too powerful as I have never liked High Whistles of this type.
I recently bought a D/C set. Tony’s right about more of a flute-type tone, but I don’t hear much rasp in this set. Looks great .. and I like the sound. Too bad I over-extended my music budget and need to sell them now… 
Standard Whistle Opinion Warning: These descriptions don’t really mean much – different interpretations are just like different tastes in whistles. Tastes vary; different mileage may be experienced by other users. 
Judy
I had a high D. It required more control than I care do so I sold mine. Also, the high notes were ear shattering. They would be great for playing in a very large area. But wouldn’t recommend in a small session. On the plus side they are a very beautiful whistle. Made with a high standard of quailty.
Raven
I’ve had D, C, and low G/A set. They’re all wonderful instruments. I’ve sold all of them except the C, not because I didn’t like them, but because I don’t play whistle much any more.
As has been said, they’re powerful whistles. I don’t find them quite as difficult as Overtons in the upper octave. The sound isn’t quite the same either; not the cosmic drainpipe, but something a little clearer, but with some growl. I like the absence of a bevel/chamfer on the holes – especially on a low whistle, this might help you get your bearings and seal the holes. These remarks are, of course, personal taste.
One thing to point out is that the D and C have the same bore diameter, and head construction. So do the G and A. It’s rather obvious to me that they’re optimized for C and G respecively. I think the C is the finest C this side of the Thin Weasel, which is saying a lot, and which is the reason that I kept it. I’ve never found another C that I really loved. I loved the G, but not enough more than the Water Weasel G to keep it as a travel whistle.
I will say that I think they’re the most underrated high-end whistles out there. Idiosyncratic, yes, but fantastic quality nevertheless.
Thanks to all for your contributions, very helpful. I had a Chieftain high D very recently which I viewed on Phil Hardys web site sounded great also,
but I really struggled with this whistle, the high f,g,a,b were almost impossible to aquire, I have fairly good lungs and dont shy away from playing loud whistles, but it was hard to get it up there and keep it up,
perhaps I have been too use easy octave jump whistles, but I am concerned that the Harper d/c set will cause me the same problem, as the response seem to lead to the upper octave needing lots of push, perhaps I need to stop watching video clips of well accomplished players, doing what they do best, I bet if you play whistle really well you could make a tube of rubber hose pipe with six holes in it sound like the bees knees.
thanks again, anyone else with experience, info always welcome.
I have the Harper in D…
I don’t think reaching higher notes is hard - it’s just a little practice. The high high B and C# can be very loud if you play them with all ur lung force.
Holes are big and edgy… this makes half holing very easy I think. I also like its steady firm tone. Playing this whistle perfectly in every aspect, might be a challenege of sort - but isn’t this all about the challenege anyway? The sound is beautiful.