Question for Burke AlPro D players - help needed

Whistle
1

I took delivery of a Burke AlPro DAS last week - and I love it.

I have a question though: I find it a bit weak and breathy on the bottom 3 notes (F#, E, D), but pure and sweet above that. Is that normal for a Burke AlPro D?

Any comments gratefully received

2

This isn’t true of my burke..I believe DRC got one that was similarly flawed, but has since gotten a better one. Might be good to contact Mike Burke and let him know your issues, and see if he can fix 'em.

3

On 2002-10-17 09:01, nickt wrote:
I took delivery of a Burke AlPro DAS last week - and I love it.

I have a question though: I find it a bit weak and breathy on the bottom 3 notes (F#, E, D), but pure and sweet above that. Is that normal for a Burke AlPro D?

Any comments gratefully received

As you know, I don’t have a D but my Alpro C is fairly close. For mine, the answer is definitely no—those low notes are just about as solid as on an Overton and they don’t come more solid than that. Solid, but not boomy and certainly not breathy. I was surprised actually. Obviously you need to wait till someone with exactly your model comments though. But since the D would be the most requested model I’d have thought, I wouldn’t expect it to be inferior to the others.

4

Any brand of whistle will vary slightly in tonal/playing qualities but overall, Burkes are pretty well balanced. So I’d say, no that’s not normal. Mine, along with five other AlPro Ds in my session group, are pure and well-balanced from the low D to the high B. But I do have to blow a bit softer on the bottom D & E in particular and have learned to adjust for it. The bottom end doesn’t sound “weak” or breathy…but I know what you’re talking about. I’ve had a few whistles that were definitely weak sounding on the bottom end - to a point of compromising the overall balance - and returned them.

If that’s the case with yours, as I said in a previous post, contact Mike and I know he’ll work out a positive resolve for you, whether it’s replacement or tweaking the one you have. I know it’s a pain and time-consuming, but the AlPro is a fine instrument and worth the effort to get your concerns resolved.

Good luck!
Denny

5

That is in no way endemic to Burke Al-pro D whistles. Mine is wonderful top to bottom. Contact Mike.

Good luck.

Philo

6

send it back. I got a Brass C that was wavery in the low notes. The replacement is the best whistle for ballads I own.

@#$ happens.

7

Thanks for all your comments folks. Mike mailed me to say “send it back pdq” - what a lovely bloke. I’ll report in after the exchange.