I just called my mother-in-law from work. (Haven’t left yet.) My package has arrived. Will swing by and pick up whistles after anxious week. The boy is grinnin’ big.
Tony
You called your mother in-law? This sounds serious…You’d better turn those O’Riordans over to me…just for safe keeping lad…I’m so worried about ya…Philo
Hey Tony,
I know I’m just behind you on the O’Riordan list (Dec. 99) Did you get a call or letter or e-mail letting you know your order was ready or did it just show up???
My pulse just jumped 50 points with your post. Please let me know what to expect.
Thanks!!
Vinny
Sorry, Vinny. Breathe deeply and chant “calm blue ocean.” I bought the whistle(s) c/d set in d, wood from a message board person. I’m still on the list and haven’t heard from Pat. If I get my order from Pat, (same item) I’ll sell what I have. Having announced that, someone I know already asked me if I would sell to them, and I agreed to. I was just covering my bets in case Pat decides to retire, which he will at some point. (I think he’s about 74 now) I’m betting he’s curtailed his time out in the shop and we may see an asymptotic curve toward zero in production. (For the nonmath people, the number approaches, but never reaches zero)
Sorry, Vinny. I wish I had more optimistic news/opinions. I’ll get a review out soon.
Tony
How do you sing “ANTICPATION”. Now remember drive carefully, obey all the traffic laws, be really nice to your mother-in-law, even comment on how nice she looks today. Offer to take her out for dinner even. But don’t really tell her what is in that package, she might hold them hostage.
I have had my O’Riordan set for seven years and I really like them, like at last nights session.
You are going to like them!!!
Enjoy!
MarkB
My wife picked up the UPS box at her mom’s on the way home. I cut the pakaging tape, pull out the packing, the cloth whisle bag, open it, take out a whistle (one tube). I fish through the packing and the empty box for the other tube. No luck. My man, who sold me the set wrote a nice note, even offering to take them back if I didn’t like them. I’m, like, where’s the other tube? How could you mess up like that? Eventually, I see my wife with a wiked gleam in her eye, going, “what’s the problem?” I’m not looking happy, saying, “he was supposed to send two tubes.” She busts out laughing and hands me the other one. She had already opened the box and snuck one out on me. My 14yr old daughter is going, “why did you give it to him?” Wife says, “I couldn’t do it to him. It’s too mean.” That’s my life at home. (Not that I’m some kind of saint, myself. Well, maybe I am.)
My very first reaction to playing the D (kingwood) was how soft you have to blow to get the bell note. “Normal” pressure bumps you up an octave. My daughter couldn’t get out of the upper octave at first. My initial reaction was not good. After an hour of playing (and focusing on the music instead of the whistle) I got used to it and it sounds fine. The volume in the lower octave is slightly quieter than the Abell (blackwood) D. The upper octave O’Riordan can be played at a reasonable volume, but, with extra pressure, you can make it LOUD. The amazing thing is the lack of chiff in this instrument. None, even in the lower octave. It’s not a “traditional” ala Generation sound by a long-shot. The first impression it left me, tone-wise was almost a little recorderish. (Flame on) I said that about a Rose I tried once. (I heard some polite, but firm disagreement on that) May I suggest that the O’Riordan sounds a lot like my memory of how the Rose sounded? The really cool thing about the whistle is how crisp and instantaneous the response is. Ornamentation is right there, fast as you like. (This does not make you sound better if you’re sloppy. I think I heard my mistakes better.) I kept switching off with the Abell to compare volume, tone, chiff, etc. I still have to say the Abell wins in tonal qualities. My tastes there. It seems to have a “smokier, earthier” sound and has tons more chiff. (Any at all would be a lot more). I was a bit dubious about the O’R tone. My wife thought it sounded really nice. My daughter preferred it over the chiffy Abell sound. Obviously, it would cut across a session like a razor. I was a bit dismayed when I heard another Abell at our session and I thought it was very loud. I just didn’t realize. Well, I’m going to be performing in a noisy pub soon. We’ll see what I end up playing. For practicing in the bedroom, I think the Abell will get more play, but not for the next few weeks. 
The C tube, by the way sounds very nice. A deeper, richer sound. Maybe good for a solo slow air. I think the air requirements are greater for the O’R. I felt like I was running out of air faster. Also, I had some tendency to squeak in the lower octave because of the more precise breath pressure requirement. Anyway, that’s only after one evening of playing. I have a lot of adapting to do. (I’m burning up my lunch hour typing and I’m starving.)
Tony
Love the “play by play” account and your impressions on the whistle. Enjoyed the sharing and could visualize it. Thanks!
I hope you will play us something and POST in the snips and clips…THAT will be the closest many of us get to a O’Riordan.
[ This Message was edited by: dd on 2002-04-12 20:02 ]
Hey Tony,
That’s ok. Thanks for the adrenaline rush anyway. The O’Riordan sounds really nice. I’ve found with whistles that take a very gentle pressure that it takes me a couple of days to really get the feeling of them and then they “play” just great.
Do post when you hear from Mr. O’Riordan though. Thanks.
Vinny
I purchased a c/d set from Pat a short while ago, and for the sake of predictability, I’ll just say the Tony’s assessment of O’Riordans are bang on with mine. You can’t beat them up on the bell note like you can a Copeland, but the tone from then on is a wonder to behold…as pure as any I’ve ever heard. I’d sure like to see how he makes that mouthpiece…
I’ll certainly get a tune out soon. (Probably too soon before I have control of the whistle.)
Hi, Dave, wondered where you were. I mean, I know where you must have been- at home. Just wondered if you still kept up with the board. I’m still coaxing Colin and Brigitte to come out and visit their family here. We’ll all have to get together. Maybe, I’ll barbeque. (Or, I’ll talk you into it…at my house so I don’t have to drive. And, bring beer. That stuff you provided last time was pretty good.)
And, Vinny, you’ll be the first to know if I get a call from Pat. You be sure and do the same for me. (Actually, if you hear and I don’t, I’ll be upset.)
Tony
Clips](http://nwparalegal.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm%22%3EClips) and Snips Tunes
“When you make it to the top of the mountain, keep on climbing.” -Zen saying
[ This Message was edited by: TonyHiggins on 2002-04-13 01:37 ]
Hey Tony,
Your wife taking the tube! I am speechless. It brings to mind the Honeymooners - “OK Alice, POW!!!, right to the moon!” In my case it would be “OK Mary”, POW!!! But I love my wife, and I know you love yours, too. So I guess you just have to go along with the “joke”. But just think, that one “joke” was pretty big, which gives you unlimited rights to all future jokes and pranks on her. Maybe it was worth it.
Anyway, congratulations on your new whistles. It’s strange how even the best whistles need a break-in period, to figure out how they work. I think that is how you will get the best sound. Make the whistle sound its best, rather than playing it the way you want to.
Take Care,
John Palmer
Tony… it’s interesting that you say that you think the O’Rs take more air than your Abell… I owned a set of Abells for a short while and let me just say that my respect for your grew tenfold… After playing my Abell D for and hour or so I felt like I had run a marathon! My O’Rs take considerably less air.
Could possibly the excitement of playing your newest lustiest whistle have driven up your pulse and altered your breathing? I was so excited when I got mine that I ran out of breath quickly because I wasn’t breathing proper!
The low note… Yep, the low notes on my O’Rs are too quiet for the learning session that I lead… I reach for my Copeland (which incidentally I wasn’t too impressed with until I used it in the session context… rich strong low end… can’t part with it now)
For me, I prefer the tone of the O’Rs over the Abells hands down… It seems to me that Mr. O’R has done a bit more R&D in his fipple design but that’s just purely speculation… The construction on the Abells are superior to the the O’Rs definitely… It was hard to part with them…
Well, congratulations… you know, I think you were the one that beat me to them… When I responded there were 30 some views as well!
Happy Saturday… do some whistling!
Blayne
Hey, guys,
I have a couple of questions for you O’Riordan waiting list experienced ones.
*Do you wait to make payment until your whistles are ready (so send no money until the two years are up)?
*Does he call when he is ready to make them and ask if you still want them, or does he make them for you and then let you know?
*What’s the procedure for getting on the list?
*Do you have a choice of wood, and if so, what is the difference between the different woods?
*How hard is it to care for a whistle made of wood?
Thanks,
Cees
MCM Transatlantic Whistle Detective Agency - no case too small.
Branches in London and Salt Lake City
[ This Message was edited by: Cees on 2002-04-13 11:27 ]
On 2002-04-12 15:45, TonyHiggins wrote:
The really cool thing about the whistle is how crisp and instantaneous the response is. Ornamentation is right there, fast as you like. (This does not make you sound better if you’re sloppy. I think I heard my mistakes better.)
I’ve been trying to figure out why I like the Thin Weasel so much, and the other day, this same thought popped into my head. There are things that sound nice and crisp on it that are a bit muddied on most other whistles.
Charlie
Tunes are up. Go straight to clips site.
Tony
I was seriously going to play the Titanic theme, but it’s copyrighted.
Clips](http://nwparalegal.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm%22%3EClips) and Snips Tunes
“When you make it to the top of the mountain, keep on climbing.” -Zen saying
[ This Message was edited by: TonyHiggins on 2002-04-13 20:51 ]
Tony,
I am SOOOOOO happy for you!!! (and, of course, for me, as now- with a bit of begging and pleading, i’ll have a chance to play a REAL O’Riordan!! wink)
Tell your wife i send her a hi-5 on her ‘trick’!
oh! and while i’m at it, i wanted to comment on your Abell. I was reading back-posts this morning about the Rose vs. Abell discussion and i wanted to say a word on that..
Being one of the few people to have heard a Rose and an Abell played in the same room in the same session, (and simultaneously grin), i can honestly say that i STILL want an Abell. They are beautiful whistles, and when played by a person with your level of expertise they are stunning. I have not noticed your Abell to be loud in sessions- rather just loud enough to be heard and distinguished by the ear when playing with 10-15 other instruments… it has a gorgeous sound- just slightly reminiscent of earth and waves (poetic, ain’t i?) while the rose is more of the meadow and sunlight. (oooo- i think i might roast over that one)
anyway, i wanted to put that out there- your abell- at least in your hands- is an exceptonal whistle that really is equal to any…
so… about those o’riordans…? 
~Z
grin
I don’t know what to say about the volume differences between the Abell and O’Riordan. I brought both to the pub session last night. The first thing the guitar player says is, it’s a quieter whistle. It was kind of weird switching between the two. In comparison, the Abell sounded incredibly chiffy, almost muffled, though not in volume. It never sounded that way before; just the contrast was striking.
Zax, I have a mental image of myself crawling through a desert on hands and knees, O’Riordan clutched in my weakening fist and you, a vulture, in a dead tree just waiting… I’ll let you try the whistle, so long as I stand between you and the door.
Tony
DEAL!
hehe… should i bring my lawyer? he can make any necessary changes to your will while we’re there…
~Z!
Tony, I see you live in the east bay. I live in the south bay. Where can I find sessions in the bay area? I’m new to trad playing, have only been taking whistle lessons for a couple of months. I’d love to go somewhere and just listen.