Does anyone own a Susato low whistle? Really I would like any feedback at all, even on the soprano versions. I am thinking of buying both the soprano and low two piece models. I would like to hear as much constructive feedback as possible. Would you play this over a more expensive whistle, are they really tunable, etcl. Thanks in advance for you help.
Hi,
I have a Susato kildare soprano D, Dublin Soprano D, and a low F kildare. I’ve had the two sopranos for awhile, but only just got the low F.
The low F (medium bore) has the typical susato sound that some people like and others don’t. It isn’t as loud as the sopranos (which are very loud)and I don’t feel that the breath requirements are at all difficult.
When I compared it to my Ralph Cook low D, I noticed that the two bottom holes on the F are actually farther apart, however the holes are smaller and easy to cover. I can definitely feel the stretch in my right hand when I play, but it’s not bad at all.
This is just a personal preference, but I really like the shape of the Susato mouthpieces, to me they’re very comfortable. In short, I like the low F enough to want to try Susatos in other low keys, though with the stretch on the F, I’m not sure I would want to take on the low D itself.
The sopranos I have are very loud. For some reason my kildare is easier to play than the dublin–less trouble in the second octave. I’m not sure if this is a fluke or something in the design. As I said, some people don’t like the way the Susatos sound. They’re loud and chiffless–some say recorder-like. Susatos take more air in the second octave–to me the air requirements aren’t hard, but the more air you push through the louder they get and if you don’t use enough air, they make unpleasant honking and squawking noises. You just can’t be afraid to play them with some gusto. The VSB models are supposed to be quieter and easier to play, but I’ve never tried one. I hope this helps.
Celt5
Sorry, I forgot to add that the Kildare models are tunable, the Dublin’s aren’t.
I have a Susato D-C-Bb set, a VSB model D, and the wide-bore (straight mouthpiece) low D tunable.
Yeah, the tuning slide does work.
Breath control on the low D is critical. Be prepared to spend some time getting used to this whistle.
I like the high D’s and consider them to be medium volume whistles. (A Susato isn’t loud. A Cronnolly is loud.) They can be piercing on the upper end of the second octave, though.
These are well-designed and well-tuned whistles, and I enjoy playing them.
Best,
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
I have a tunable Susato Low ‘G’ and a Susato non-tunable Low ‘D’ and I don’t really like either of them. Sound too much like a flute or a recorder, they have no chiff. I used to have the high C/D/B combo, which I liked very much. In my opinion, the Susato low whistles aren’t nearly as good as their high whistles.
I have a tunable low D and a tunable wide bore A.I must admit that i hardly ever play them.The low D is quite handy in winter though,as it takes no warming up-unlike aluminium whistles!
On 2002-12-14 17:53, Bartleby wrote:
Sound too much like a flute or a recorder, they have no chiff.
Well, there are variences within models from whistle to whistle. My low D actually has quite a bit of chiff, but some of that may be how you play it and the kind of attack you use as well.
By the way, if you want to hear flute playing with plenty of chiff, listen to Noel Rice of Baal Tinne.
Best,
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
Probably it’s a good idea to take
a look at other low whistles too.
There are others available in
the same price range more or less
that many/most think are better
than Susatos–the low D is
pretty hard to handle. And they
do sound like plastic.
The most successful Susato
is the high C, IMHO. The soprano
D can also be played to effect,
but it’s pretty shrill upstairs.
Tunable and non tunable Low D both are excellent.
I have not found the need to buy another low D since these play so well.
I started on a Susato whistle and have found that they have been dependably in tune when received, they are indestructible and are not affected by the weather. This is everything you need until you are playing for 15 years and can play any whistle you pick up. I now own a few other whistles including a Dixon that is my current favorite high D. But this is because I have either given away or lost the Susato’s.
Jerry O’Sullivan a great whistler and piper plays an off the shelf Susato as hip performance whistle no tweaking involved.
You may be interested to read the Chiff and Fipple interview with Cormach Breatnach.He is full of praise for Susato whistles(he uses a ‘C’ extensively on his album ‘Musical journey’),but admits to some problems with the high notes on Susato low whistles.
I recently visited The Whistle Shop.
The Tony Dixon PVC low D is quite
beautiful, I thought–I believe
it’s about 75. Dixons are available
in other keys, low as well as high.
I’ve been reading about Dixons
here for some time, and I think
T. Dixon does have a way with
whistles in that price range.
The Dixon is very tunable.
I bought at TWS a Kerry low D, which goes
for 64, about. I think it
sounds better than the Chieftain,
which sells for 130 (and which I
definitely like). The Kerry has a plastic
head and an alloy body. I’m a
bit gaga about these, given the
low price and the big sound.
The Kerry is tunable enough for
my purposes, but maybe
not so tunable as the Dixon or
the Susato. Best
P.S. forgot to mention the Howard
low D. Also lots of search engine
stuff on Susato low Ds, etc.
[ This Message was edited by: jim stone on 2002-12-15 19:19 ]
Low D?
I prefer the Dixon over the Susato. The Dixon has an easier reach (especially on the right hand), smoother more even volume between the lower and upper octave.