Can any one help on this one?
I love the sound of Ronaldo’s high D whistles but would like some sort of idea of volume.
I play a Burke AlPro at sessions and find the volume just about right but this is not the sound I’m looking for. I also have one of John Sindt’s D whistles which sounds great but I can’t hear myself at sessions. I’ve tried a Water Weasel but that’s too loud for a less than perfect player.
If you’re familiar with any of these instruments I wonder if you could give me an idea how Reyburn LB/BR whistles compare. I think I would prefer the LB version if this has sufficient volume for sessions.
Joe
Joe,
I think you would be pleased with the LB. It’s a little too early for me to comment as I just received mine from Ronaldo yesterday - but I am very impressed with mine. I really like the strong low end - it is more solid than anything else I’ve played and it is very responsive - like fast!
I think the volume of the whistle is good for sessions. It is louder than most in the bottom register - which is good. The upper register seems quieter than a WW but more than a Busman. I used to have a Brass Burke, but it’s been to long ago, I can’t comment on its volume.
I’ll be taking mine to a session this Saturday and will try to let you know how it fairs.
I’ll be taking mine to a session this Saturday and will try to let you know how it fairs.
Thanks!
Look forward to hearing your appraisal
Joe, I was very pleased with the LB and how it performed at the session. I was fearful that it might be a little shrill in the upper octave but my wife was present and was able to give “objective” feedback and reported that it sounded very good - with no shrillness.
I did discover that I wasn’t ready yet to be taking this whistle out in public. I’m still getting use to it - but think it is going to be a great whistle. I’ve noted that the more I play it the more control over the second octave I have . . . kinda of a no-brainer, eh?
This whistle is pretty expressive with volume being somwhat flexible within each note. That’s one of the things I like about it the most. Its more complex than some - which is a very good thing - but with that comes the need for more control. It can seem to have both a “dark” sound as well as a “bright” sound. Soft as well as loud.
Hope this helps . . .
Hey Joe (!)
I have a Reyburn high D, I’m not sure what model it is. It is one of the first Delrin-headed models Ronaldo made - I think it may be a “BR”. I’d say it’s louder than a Burke, at least the Brass Session Pro model I used to have. But the top end is not at all shrill.
Regarding Tom’s comments on the upper octave, I have to say I find the Reyburn I have a very easy and responsive whistle to play, with almost no vices. (I have found that it does however have a tendency to clog up on me after prolonged playing - very suddenly and without warning. This is something that never happened with the original wooden headed model that I reviewed. But if you remember to blow it out every set or two this shouldn’t happen.)
Are you sure you need something louder than a Sindt? They carry well and others can probably hear you quite loud enough, unless you are playing in an extremely noisy session.
I was at a biggish session Saturday sitting opposite a fellow C&Fer who was playing an O’Briain modified Feadog, which must be about the same volume as or quieter than a Sindt. Perfect volume to blend with and be heard above multiple fiddles and flutes.
I’d recommend you stick with your Sindt and try wearing a broad-brimmed hat à la Paddy Keenan, which will give you a bit of personal foldback, rather than continuing to invest in expensive whistles. And develop confidence that if you are blowing the whistle as normal the sound is coming out as normal even if you don’t hear the low notes very well.
The Reyburn sounds nothing like a Sindt, by the way. But if you do want to go for one I don’t think you’ll find it too loud for anything but unusually delicate sessions.
Steve
ex-Norvicensian
Thanks for the feedback folks. My Sindt is an Eb with a Feadog shaft to convert it to D so it might be a touch quieter than a standard D. I certainly find it a no goer in the noisy pub environments I frequent even if I sit well away from the louder instruments like pipes, fiddles and accordions. Thanks for the hat tip Steve I’ll have to give it a try.
I’m really lookin to replace my AlPro which is fine for volume I just want something that sounds a bit more like a whistle if that makes sense. I want more harmonics, more of an edge to the sound. From what’s been said it sounds like the Reyburn LB would be fine for volume although the clogging problem is worrying. I’ve always been a bit of a damp whistler, end up with that embarrassing wet patch on the trousers at the end of a session.
I’ll have to sleep on it.
Hmm wonder if I’ll look good in a hat?