Hello everybody,
Right now I have a susato low d and I am kind of considering a different low d for christmas. I am also considering getting an Olwell bamboo flute and the mad for trad flute tutor (which would come to roughly $110). I can spend about $200 for christmas…Which leaves me with about $90 left for a low d. But, I don’t know if I want the flute…Anyways, is there a really good low d for $90? Or would I have to give up the flute idea? I would rather not spend more than $150…But any ideas (no matter what the cost) are welcome. Thanks!
Brent, since you like a loud and pure tone, stay away from the Burke and the Ian Lambe. They sound similar to Chieftains and Overtons, although they are a bit easier to play. It’s really hard to find a satisfying Low D. I think you probably want one that has the Susato’s good points but lacks its bad points. Hmm. Loud and pure. Hmm. I think you should get a flute instead, and make it a Tony Dixon 3-piece tunable instead of the Olwell bamboo. The Olwell bamboo is very nice, but the Dixon 3-piece comes apart conveniently and is therefore easier to transport. That’ll leave you enough money to get the tutor, too.
If you’re looking for a flute and a low D, perhaps a Tony Dixon would work. He offers both headpieces and one body, so you can play either.
I’ve had the chance to play several of his combinations, and all have been wonderful. They do tend more towards the quiet side, so that may be a factor for you.
CraigMc, http://www.madfortrad.com they have alot of tutors and cd’s and music and all kinds of stuff.
Jessie,
How much does a Dixon flute cost? So far, I love the silkstone! I pulled it out of the soft case thingy and I said “wow”. It looks very nice and plays great to boot. It has a good pure tone, is louder than any of my other whistles, and doesn’t sound shrill on the high notes. Maybe it’s just be but it sounds a little bit like a Sindt…probably just my imagination. Bye!
Brent
[ This Message was edited by: kardshark87 on 2001-10-23 20:32 ]
Brent, I think the Silkstone alloy sounds fuller and louder than a Sindt, but there is a similar purity of tone. I’m glad you like the Silkstone. I knew you would.
Argh, don’t tease me with stories about how Silkstone whistles sound like Sindts. WhOA is me.
As for low Ds: It depends on what qualities you like in a low D. For sheer ease of play (easy fingerhole reach and low air requirements) nothing beats a Dixon plastic low D. Whenever I practice at home, this is the whistle I use. Not only is it so easy to play, that playing fast dance tunes is a brease on it, it is also not very loud and therefore neighbor-friendly. The sound is nice, with a bit of chiff.
The “not loud” part is of course a weakness when playing with others. In this situation my favorite low D is a Howard: It has moderate/high air requirements, moderate reach, huge fingerholes. The Howard’s big advantage for me is its sound: The lower octave is deep, booming, and (oh no, can’t resist) “haunting” - unless you blow hard, in which case the sound turns reedy and positively Irish flute-like.
The two whistles above are the ones I usually recommend when people ask about low Ds.
The other posters are correct about the Dixons. I have the polymer one that comes with the whistle head and the flute head. The whole thing was less than $150. The reach is tolerable, and it has become my favorite low whistle. I’m not very good with the flute head yet, but on a good day I like the sound even better than with the whistle head. If you have questions or anything, email Tony. He’ll answer. Good luck. Steve
Tony Dixon makes a duo head Low-d with flute and whislte head for around $85. You can get just the low-D tunable whistle for around $70.
He also makes a 3 piece tunable flute, lathe turned solid polymer. You pickup for around $180.
He aslo makes a number of one piece and two piece whistles and flutes.
My comments I can recommend the tunable whistles. I have a couple of them and have spoked with a lot of folks that like the Low-D. I have an Overton which I prefer, but the Dixon Low-D tunable is a great whistle for the price.
The three piece Dixon flute, although made of polymer, is not like the one or two piece flutes that he make from tube stock. It is much, much better. It is made from Rod stock and turned just like a wood flute. At the price (around $180), its a great flute. Several poster’s, who have nice blackwood flute (say 6-16 hundred dollars) also have Dixons to use when weather or environment make using the wood to risky.
Here I tend to agree with Jessie’s suggestion that you go with the Dixon 3 piece. It probably won’t be the last flute you buy, but it will give you good service. It also may be a flute you keep long term even when you buy more expensive flutes, whistles, pipes, bodhrans, … Ooops, I guess I’m talking about myself and my MIAD (musical instrument Acquision Disorder).
I’ve heard a lot of people mention the phrase “…but I’m not that good of a flute player.” when talking about the Dixon Duo flute/whistle combination.
…Let me say, it’s not just you…
I love the Dixon whistle, I love the Polymer flute (it’s my current plaything). The whistle head on the Dixon low D is mediocre at best. After Jessie’s remark about Apples vs. Roadapples, I had to try the duo. After a few minutes, the best I could get was a breathy, thin, psuedo-flute-like sound.
…Please, I beg of you, if you’re going to try the flute, don’t let the Dixon duo be your only exposure to this wonderful instrument. Tony’s polymer is a wonderful starter, or go for the bamboo if you can stand the smell.
Tony’s a wonderful guy, and can make quality instruments. In the case of the duo, it feels like you’re getting a $75 low D whistle, and a $10 flute on the side.
(Jumping off the soapbox before it breaks),
My 2 cents,
Frank
On 2001-10-24 16:06, DrGiggles wrote:
…In the case of the duo, it feels like you’re getting a $75 low D whistle, and a $10 flute on the side.
I too enjoy the Dixon low D whistle, but I was wondering whether my poor results with the flute head were the hardware or the user. I’m glad to hear these comments because I would eventually like to play the flute but was quite discouraged after repeated attempts to get a sound out of the Dixon flute head.
I’ve played several of Tony Dixon’s combos and all seemed solid enough in tone. But then I’ve not played them all, and I’m no where NEAR a great flautist. (sp?)
I seem to recall someone posting a note a while back stating that they had an issue with one of his soprano whistles too. If this is the case, I suspect that as with any hand-made item, you’ll need to expct a bit of variation.
Now, that being said, I have no doubt that if you went through a reputable shop such as The Whistle Shop, Shanna Quay, or even through Tony Directly, if you DID feel like you got a lemon, you should have little to no difficulty getting the problem resolved immediately.
In my original response, I was simply trying to find the best possible combination of whistle AND flute for your money. Are there better flutes out there> HECK YEAH there are. But is it worht all the extra money, and waiting for them? I guess You’ll have to decide that one.
Brent,
If I may, I would suggest patience. Get the best quality Low D or Flute that you can and hold off on the other. A compromise is just that, and it’s a bummer when you end up with two short sticks. I play many instruments and always strive for the best quality that I can get. Right now I’m holding off on buying a fife, until I can get the one I want. If I have an instrument that I’m not into, then most likely I’m going to pass it up when I sit down to play. Good luck with your choice.
Jack Orion
Patience isn’t always needed. I got my Dixon Polymer flute from the Whistle Shop within a week. And I think it’s got a really nice sound.
It plays like a $200 flute, as opposed to a $10 one.
I’m sure a pleasant tone can be acquired from the flute head on the duo. My assessment was from about 5 minutes of playing with it. I just don’t like playing instruments that I need to fight with to get a good tone (Which is why I’ll never play an Artly flute). And when you’re learning to play the flute, the last thing you need is an instrument that’s gonna fight you every step of the way.
I’ve had one of the Dixon combo flutes for a little over a year. I bought it because it was cheap, and I could immediately sound the low D. It was a good enough flute to convince me to get a better one (I have a Copley on order ). It’s capable of a good tone, and it can be loud, but it can also be a real pain to play - which probably has more to do with my ability (or lack thereof) than the flute. Some of the notes are not in tune with themselves and the best sounding Cnat fingering on mine is 0X0XXX. It’s a few cents sharp, but sounds much fuller than 0XX000.
Since I was really interested in wooden flutes to begin with, and wanted something to use as a stepping stone, the Dixon has been OK. On the other hand, if you were only semi-interested, the Dixon combo could be very discouraging. If you really only intend to buy one flute, I would recommend spending a little more money and getting a nicer one.
My two cents -
PS - There’s lots of advice on beginner flutes on the flute forum.
[ This Message was edited by: DanD on 2001-10-24 23:15 ]
[ This Message was edited by: DanD on 2001-10-24 23:16 ]
Hi Brent,
Here’s a deal I think you’ll like. I’ve got a good playing, one keyed M&E flute just sitting around not being played (not because it’s not good, but because I have a Grinter and a Copley) if you e-mail me your mailing address I’ll send you the M&E and the Mad for Trad tutor to use until you can afford a better flute. In the meantime, save that two hundred dollars and order a flute from David Copley or Hammy Hamilton. If you order a Copley it should be ready in six months or so (I think) and will cost you $600. Substract the $200 for Christmas and you’ll have to figure out a way to earn $400 in the next six months or so. I think that’s doable, even at your age. E-mail me at chrislaughlin@alumni.hamilton.edu and let me know what you think.
Best,
Chris
I’m going to have to go with loren on the “wow” part…Except I’m going to add a couple million exclamation marks…wow!!!(there’s exactly 1 million, 200 thousand, and 97 seven there…no need to count…just trust me on this one)
Jessie