I have one of the first Syn D whistles sold, and it’s been a favorite session whistle when I want something I can play with real aggression or when the session is large enough that a Burke just can’t cut through.
I now have a brand-new Syn, and it has some significant changes.
I am going to do a comparison recording the first chance I get, but for now, I thought I’d just list the differences and my thoughts for anyone interested.
First, the whistle looks and feels a bit different. The prototype Syn was a bit rough-finished, the new one is mirror-polished and is very attractive. Actually, I found the old one attractive as well, but not everyone I suppose would. The tone holes are round but look a bit odd, almost as though they were melted through the aluminum. I am very curious as to the process by which this whistle is made.
The delrin fipple now has been lengthened and no longer has that “stocky short Susato” type of fipple. If you like a fipple you can put a bit into your mouth, similar to a Generation or an Oak, then this will be a very positive change for you.
This whistle has slightly less volume and much less resistance, but is still very pitch-stable. The upper end of the upper register is now much more easily accessible thanks to the reduced resistance, and overall, the tone is much purer, although it has lost some of its ring, and that ringing belltone is one thing I do love about the early Syn.
Intonation is good, as is balance between the octaves. The whistle will still take aggressive play, though perhaps not quite so much as the older model. Still, I think the design of the whistle represents good compromises and it’s a fine whistle, very stable, and represents an awfully lot of whistle for the money.
Photos and comparison recordings will follow as chance allows.
–James