Up to this point I’ve used a tweaked Walton’s Mellow D for loud play. The other night I found myself the only melody player in our session. Both of our fiddlers, plus the other whistler failed to show up. It was a challenge emotionally, but I also had a volume problem against two strumming guitars and a bodhran. I had to borrow a Susato. Does anyone have either:
A: A recommended low cost whistle that is loud and reasonable sounding
B: A recommended way of tweaking a Susato to take away that recordery sound, but keep it’s other fine qualities?
Just get a Susato and get used to it. Like many whistles, it sounds better to listeners than it does to the player. (If you do a Bloomfield tweak, it will drastically cut down on the volume.)
I’m very happy whith the Erle Bartlett Synwhistle I have.
I believe it fits your description. He sells them for US$30, which is amazing, since they’re very well crafted whistles, in my opinion, much more like a high end whistle.
Thanks guys.
Actually Ridseard, I kinda disagree with you. Though I have to admit that it sounds a lot better when blended into a band, than it does solo. I actually bought one a few weeks ago and returned it because it was BADLY flat on high b and a. Fifty cents off. I’m sure that’s not normal.
No offense to all of the Susato fans out there, but I just got a couple of them (Kildare’s) after hearing so many people talk about how great they are, and I don’t like them at all. They have a much higher wind requirement, and I’m not all that happy with the tone.
Admittedly, I’ve never been able to get a tone I like out of a “plastic” whistle so it’s quite possible there’s a trick to playing these that I don’t know.
For the record, I play brass whistles for the most part, along with a couple of nickle and a blackwood.
But I will give the Susato’s credit for one thing: They’re definitely loud! Not only did my cat run to the basement, but the dog whined and ran to the back door!
I agree with Jerry on the Syn. Realy a great whistle and a real steal at the price. Of course the Water Weasel would be on the list as well as the Hoover cpvc. There are others of course but it would help to know what you consider cheap.
Water Weasel. Sounds woody and rich, has a nice volume…but I agree that a Susato against three guitars is a fair match. Another option is to ask the guitar players, as nicely as possible, to trade off on tunes so you’re not blanketed in their sound.
Quite honestly, the plethora of guitar and bodhran players at my normal session is making it damned near unbearable. There are times I really want to smack 'em upside the head and tell them to get a melody instrument or stuff their guitars/drums with cotton. Know a mandolin and a few box players who could use the same advice…slamming away on chords doesn’t ‘fill in’ the music, it drowns it out.
“Quite honestly, the plethora of guitar and bodhran players at my normal session is making it damned near unbearable. There are times I really want to smack 'em upside the head and tell them to get a melody instrument or stuff their guitars/drums with cotton. Know a mandolin and a few box players who could use the same advice…slamming away on chords doesn’t ‘fill in’ the music, it drowns it out”
Move to another city - ours is nice
and the Guitarists are very nice.
Just another vote for the Syn: it’s a really exceptional whistle at a really great price.
Also I think Bill Whedon is working on a lower-priced entry to his line of Serpent whistles, but I don’t know details yet. I have a brass Serpent that is a lovely, albeit quiet whistle, but I know he now makes whistles that range from very quiet to very loud.
The Susato does require more breath support than a Sweetone or Generation-type instrument but no more than many high-end whistles and less than the Clarke Original or Shaw. If you don’t like the tone, you’re not alone.
right on, brother! Now we must gather up all susato hating whistle players and rally, and loot, and pillage, and plunder, and… and other stuff! Whistle players who play susatos are closet recorder players!!!
if so many people love the susato, how come when the susato-bashing begins they don’t seem to try to defend it? i bought one last week and im still tryin to decide if it’s my favorite or least favorite whistle.
If someone doesn’t like the tone of a Susato, that’s a matter of personal taste, not something to defend about the whistle. If they don’t like the playability, I may come to its defense. I think most people who like Susato are tired of all the criticism and have given up trying to change anyone’s mind.
Another option might be a Dixon. I have had two of the one-piece D whistles and both were lovely. Several folks here have said they are quiet, but neither of mine was/is (I gave one to a friend and had to buy another, which I still have).
The volume is not so high as my Susato, but higher than most of the other whistles I own. I tend not to play it inside because my kids complain about it. Too loud, my son says. My daughter just pulls it out of my mouth.
To my ear, the Dixon occupies a nice middle ground between the loud Susato (I actually like the tone fairly well) and the quieter whistles. I’m no expert, though.
I’ve made a decision. Up to this point I’ve tweaked my beloved Walton Mellow D’s for sweetness and purity. Now I’m going to try tweaking for loudness. I may be able to accomplish it by sanding back the blade just a tad. I may pick up a little raspyness or roughness, but a very little won’t hurt.
