Hi folks,
I’m looking for a reasonably priced B natural whistle. I’m taking delivery of an uilleann pipes chanter in B soon and need something for my band’s tinwhistler to be able to play along. Should be a nice mellow sound to blend with the pipes, so I guess a Susato doesn’t fit the bill.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
I made my own from a B flat Generation. It plays great.
Take the head off a Generation B flat, and chop the top of the tube until the upper-hand notes are in tune to the B scale:
xoo ooo is G sharp
xxo ooo is F sharp
Then chop the bottom until it plays an in-tune B.
Then carve out the lowest tone hole until it plays an in-tune C sharp.
Then carve out the next-lowest hole until it plays an in-tune D sharp.
And Bob’s Your Uncle!
I played a Burke B natural for a little while but just yesterday mailed it off to Doc Jones because I now have a Sindt B. The Burke wasn’t bad, I just prefer Sindts. Both have a mellow sound, especially the Sindt, but I think that’s also because it’s a lower key.
I have a Humphrey B nat that is one of my favorite whistles of all time. For less money you can get a Syn in that key, and it sounds good but is a little on the quiet side.
Overton B is my most played whistle. It is unbelievably good.
Another super B whistle I have is Susato which I think is one of the best whistles in the Susato range.
My Burke Bnat has a wondeful and mellow tone. I don’t know if it has the volume to stand up to the pipes though.
There’s no reason that a Susato can’t get a mellow tone. It just takes a little practice to control the beastie.
Ronaldo Reyburn can custom make a B whistle for your partner. You could probably have it in 2-3 weeks max(but don’t quote me on that…things always change with makers).
I am gonna agree with Adrian and FJ on this one. The Susato B whistle is a pretty nice whistle. While I think Susato frequently gets an undeserved bad rap for their high D whistle, the S-Series B whistle is not quite like it. The bore on the high D and the B whistles are the same. It just happens that the bore to length ratio favors a sweeter high end on the B whistle. You should at least try one.
Then again, I am playing a Burke brass B these days too.
Feadoggie
Another super B whistle I have is Susato which I think is one of the best whistles in the Susato range.
I agree.
Time ago I read that Cormac Breatnach plays a Susato B natural on the first set of his “whistle & guitar” cd. The tunes in this set are wonderful and the sound of the whistle played by Cormac is one of the most beautiful I ever heard.
I decided to buy a Susato B natural after listening this recording. But this is the only B natural whistle I own so I can’t make a comparison.
I’ve had Burke, Humphrey and Syn Bs and would agree with the comments above.
I’m not so sure a Susato wouldn’t be a really good match for pipes. Have you discovered a way to play both at once? That’s always been my problem.
Doc
By the way here’s a photo of my FrankenGens:
The B natural (blue top with “inspected by no. 9” sticker on it, a tribute to Alan Shearer) is a chopped B flat, the C sharp is a chopped C. They both play great, quite in tune and a very nice tone.
The low A has a new body I made to work with a B flat top. It plays great as well.
In the photo, from left to right, are low A, B flat, B natural, C, C sharp, D, E flat, and F.
