Am considering getting either a LowD Hammy or a Low D Kerry----am an advanced player, and am seeking a really expressive Low D with both good upper and lower octave response…
Have a Burke that is beautiful down low, but a bit of a wild horse on top…
Any thoughts on the Hammy vs the Kerry Pro’s? Lemme know
Ceili
I’m hardly an advanced player on the low D, but I have had a Kerry pro, and currently have a Hammy, so here are my opinions on them both.
These are very different whistles in many ways. Foremost, the Hammy uses more air and requires a bit more breath control to really make it sound. I find that the mouthpiece on the Hammy is a bit awkward as well… this looks like a relatively small and lightweight whistle in most of the pictures I’ve seen of it - it isn’t at all. It’s actually quite substantial, very top-heavy, and the mouthpiece relatively, uh, HUGE. Likewise, the toneholes are also quite large - like a Bernard Overton Low D.
So those are the physical aspects of the Hammy… The tone is rich and full, somewhat reminiscent of the Alba Vibe. The octaves are well balanced on mine, and the whistle can be plenty expressive - but again, if you have the air and the breath control mastered on this whistle - otherwise it can be unpredictable. In all, I’d characterize the Hammy as a whistle you will need to dedicate a lot of practice to in order to be able to bring it to it’s full potential. The construction and design of this whistle are very precise, which leads me to believe there is little variation among them.
By contrast, the Kerry pro is lighter, better balanced. The mouthpiece is more accommodating/accessible. It’s relatively easy to adapt to, in terms of playing characteristics and air requirement is average to a little above average. I found that the tone was a little breathier on mine, but overall the whistle was fairly powerful well into the second octave. However, there seems to be some variation among the Kerry pros in this respect from what I’ve seen others report about their own whistles (all to be taken with a grain of salt, of course). I would, however, characterize the Kerry pro as one of the more expressive whistles I’ve played/ owned.
Overall, while I have enjoyed many different low D’s, my favorite is my Goldie, hands down.
Very interesting take on these two whistles. I’m curious if you have a favorite Low F?
I have very little experience with low F… no particular reason. I have played a Reyburn low F that impressed me a great deal, but then again, I’m nobody. 
Also worth noting on the Hammy whistle - hole pattern is tighter than on most other low D’s I’ve encountered. It actually takes a few minutes to get used to. The bottom end is strong and clear with a lot of room, but the tuning forces you to manage your air carefully in the second octave, and I find this can be somewhat limiting in terms of “expressive playing.”