Hey folks,
I am eagerly waiting on a MK PRO Low D whistle that was shipped out to me by Uillean piper Patrick D’Arcy yesterday. The whistle was hand selected by Misha Somerville for Pat who tells me she is among the best he has ever played. Pat said the whistle has only been played a handful of times and is in the black satin finish I was hoping for.
I must confess that the anticipation is killing me and I might be less than well rested until I get to play her.
I appreciate all the time and assistance rendered by members who helped me narrow my search to the selection of what should prove to be a great low whistle. Thank you all.
i did tons of research before i invested in an expensive low D, and i sure am glad i chose MK. it’s my main performance whistle (plenty of volume!) and i use a Kerry Optima for practice (quieter)
you won’t be disappointed.
Dspmusik,
Like yourself, I spent a good deal of time researcingnwhat I thought would be a great whistle all the way around. I read all I could find and I also got the opinions of other players and owners of numerous low whistles. The MK Pro just floated to the top of the lot. I think I am going to really like this whistle.
Thanks for the comments regarding your MK PRO low whistle.
Hey folks,
Much to my surprise, the postman showed up at my door with a tubular parcel encasing my new (slightly used) MK Pro Low D whistle purchased from Patrick D’Arcy. I was not expecting it until next week.
Great looking whistle in satin black anodized finish. The whistle exudes great craftsmanship and a minimalist design that pales in relation to the tone inherent to the instrument. Despite my first employment of the piper’s grip, I managed to work through some scales and was awed by the tonal qualities. The whistle is what I would consider to be loud. There is a tonal quality that will lend itself well to the trad sound and music I enjoy.
This being my first low whistle, I fall short of adequate experience to do a qualified review of the whistle. I will certainly need to work on my piper’s grip as there is a reach issue for my right ring finger and of course the tone holes are larger than what I am use to on high whistles. The wind requirement will take a while to adapt to, and I will need to work on the octave shift.
I have my work cut out for me in my jump to the low whistle, but I am willing to practice and enjoy the musical journey and the development of an new skill.
Keep working on the pipers’ grip! It might take months for it to feel “normal”.
I’ve owned four MK Low Ds, all of them bought secondhand, and I still have two. I love them.
Most of all it’s the tone that keeps me coming back. The tone has some “dirt” in it, a kaval-esque tone that I prefer over that of any other whistle I’ve ever played.
And the things are loud, air-efficient, play in tune, and have great voicing. Low E is stronger than on any other Low D I’ve tried.
My “ideal” Low D? No, I wish the MK had as powerful a Bottom D as the Burke Pro Viper does, one that really “honks”. But until a Low D comes along that combines all of the MK’s features with a honking Bottom D, I’ll happily stick with the MKs I have.
Pancelticpiper,
Thanks for your input. Certainly having owned 4 MK’s you have a deeper perspective of these whistles than most. Once I overcome reach issues, i think I will gain a deeper appreciation for the MK whistle.
