Who makes the best sounding Bb?

Whistle
1

Hello all!

I am new here to the Chiff and Fipple site and these great (Irish whistle) forums! This is a great site- so much helpful info! I am also a newcomer to the Irish whistle!
I’m mainly a guitar player (of 40 yrs) but now am hooked on the beautiful combination of guitar with Celtic style whistle, so I am now trying to learn this beautiful new instrument. (I have some acoustic amps, and I like grab my guitar, and play an interlude into my looper pedal, and then play my whistles into a mike with reverb along with the guitar- boy what fun!)

I am trying to find the purest and best sounding whistes possible. (I live in central Wisconsin, so avoiding buying whistles I won’t like seems to require much research on the web!) So far I have a tweaked Feadog D, and 2 brass session Burkes- D & C. The Burkes are wonderful whistles, but I notice the sound doesn’t seem to be as “traditional” as some others etc. I think I like the traditional Irish whistle sound- but with more pure tone and less "chiff’ etc.

ADVICE NEEDED: WHO MAKES THE BEST SOUNDING Bb?

I can’t decide whether to get a Burke, a Sindt, or maybe a Reyburn. Has anyone here have any thoughts or opinions of the differences between these whistles?. I know I would have to wait longer for a Sindt, but I’ve heard some nice mp3s on the web of the Sindt Bb. But I thought I would ask the advice of all the great whistle players here who have so much knowledge and experience!

Any suggestions or insight would be very much appreciated!
Thanks again, and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Don, the guitarman

2

Wonderful Bb whistles abound:

Sindt and Burke are always terrific

My personal favorite is O’Riordan Traveler

Abell is outstanding as is Copeland

If you can get your hands on a Water Weasel, they are terrific

And, for about ten bucks or so, a Generation Bb is a great value

Have a happy healthy holiday season..

Philo

3

The Generation Bb really is nice. If Jerry Freeman tweaks them, one of those would fit the bill for you. Stock may do it too.
I’ll second the Water Weasel reccomendation, or even a full blown Thin Weasel. I have a TW Bb, and it’s possibly the best whistle I’ve played, bar none.

4

Of the three or four I’ve played, my favorite is Ian Turnbull’s ‘Impempe’ Bb, made in South Africa. In fact, it seems to have become the whistle I play most outside of sessions. I rarely play D whistles for practice — too hard on the ears.

5

I really like my Sindt Bb, but the Freeman-tweaked brass Generation is ridiculously close for about a quarter of the cost. I think either would give you the sound you are looking for.

6

Generation Bb is hard to beat IMO. Last time I was London Hobgoblin I went through the box and selected the six I liked the tone of best and so now I have eight scattered around the house. Unlike the other Gens I find they often don’t need even the putty tweak to tame them.

Water Weasel is my all time favourite thus far.

Susato (small bore) is mellow, in tune and seemingly indestructible and sometimes gets thrown in the backpack to take on a trip.

Chieftain, bright, clear, loud but lacking the backpressure I like. I need to sell it and invest in another Overton / Goldie.

7

Wow! Thanks for all the great replies etc!

I’ve already asked for the Freeman Tweaked Generation Bb for a Christmas gift, so when I get it I think I’ll be comparing the sound of it with my Burke wide bore session C, which is really nice all the way up the scale.

But if I still like the quality of sound from the Burke better, I may consider getting either a Burke Bb or a Sindt Bb.

Has anyone compared these two whisltes? (Burke Bb vs Sindt Bb?)

Thanks so much for all your expert advice!
Don, the guitarman

8

One consideration worthy of noting on the Sindt whistles (depending on your playing style) is that the C natural cross-fingering does not play as well in-tune as other whistles. I own a Sindt D and an A - both lovely whistles which are among my favorites but I have not yet found a cross-fingering that works for C nat as they are designed to be half-holed (I actually swapped my Sindt D tube out for a brass Feadog D tube).
I love my Generation Bb more than any Burke I’ve ever played.

9

Hi Don,

Welcome to Chiff & Fipple!!! I’m waiting for a Tweaked Freeman Bb right now as well..can’t wait to try it! I live in NE Wisconsin, about 80 miles NW of Green Bay. I hope you will be able to come down to Irish Fest in August to jam with the rest of the C & F’rs!

I’m taking up guitar right now..learning some Xmas music in fingerstyle…but want to get into Celtic music. I have Glenn Weisner’s book as well as the Mel Bay’s Easy Celtic Songs for Guitar–which I hope to get into right after the holidays. So far I know 4 songs!! (or at least I can read and play the notes…don’t have anything memorized..except for sticky parts…which I play to DEATH!!!)

Please let us know if you are in a band or play anywhere professionally, I’m sure the other C & F’s would love to come and hear ya…there are a few of us here, scattered throughout Wisconsin!

Welcome! and Merry Christmas!!

Nancy
Crivitz, WI

10

Hey there Nancy, thanks for the post!

Yes, even though I don’t seem to want to wait till Christmas to get my tweaked Generation Bb, al least it will be a gift I really look forward to getting- which will be a lot different from most other recent Christmases, lol!

Wow, quite amazing to know there are other Chiff & Flippers in Wis! Going to an August Irish fest sounds like great fun, you’ll have to let me know the details sometime- thanks! It would be fun to jam etc!

I don’t play out professionally, although many have wondered why I don’t. I guess I just don’t want to play at the bars. But I do play at a couple churches for worship here( guitar mainly). I also play at the “One Way Cafe,” which is a monthly Friday evening Christian event where this big church transforms there whole sanctuary into a restaurant atmosphere- with candlelight tables, professional backdrops and lighting, live entertainment and free food. They hire professional musicians to come and play and then the rest of the night is “open mike” for anyone else who wants to get up and play or do something. It’s great fun to be a part of this monthly event- a nice clean environment! I guess me and my Friend Tom O’Day are the local favorites (for their dining and dancing pleasure, lol!)

So hey, if you and your friends, or any other Chiff and Flippers in Wis would like to come on over for a nice evening on the 3rd Friday night of the month… just let me know!

Thanks so much to all who have posted in this thread- a lot of great advice! (I’m certainly going to check out the Water Weasel also!)

11

Let’s see Bb, Bb

I’d have to agree with many of the others.

Water Weasel Bb is grand, rich and growly. The Burke is smoother. The Sindt has a lovely taste of traditional “chiff” without being breathy. Bb is a particularly outstanding key for Copeland (as is A).

I had a Reyburn Bb I really liked…wonder what happened to that…must have sold it to some desparate soul because I knew I could get another some day. That happens a lot around here (often to my time-delayed consternation).

Freeman Bbs are dandy and much better than the factory Gens. I will say that most factory Bb Gens I’ve played have been reasonably good compared to some of the other keys (which are great for holding windows open).

Overton Bbs are good too if you’re looking for something chiffy. Abell is chiffy too. Both in a nice way.

Doc

12

I have played a Burke, Gen, white cap Gen, and Overton and the Overton (modified for easy blowing) is on my wish list.

I do like my Burke.

13

I highly recommend a generation brass tube with a Mack Hoover Black top fipple

14

I thought I would mention that Hobgoblin Music in the Twin Cities has several brands of whistles. They’ll let you play them before you buy.

I’m doing something similar with guitar and whistle along with other instruments, and I feel the same way you do, the whislte really adds a nice quality.

I like to write songs, here is an example:

http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/media-player/audio_player2.asp?musicid=14015

By the way, I live (at least in internet terms) fairly close to you, Duluth MN.

If you ever record anything and post it, please keep me in mind. I’d love to hear it.

Greg

15

Hey… I’m totally amazed… at all the very helpful and interesting responses you all gave me on my original question! What a wide variety of cool folks there are in here!

Doc, I really appreciate your comments because I’ve been to your website many times and have seen all the very nice whistles you probably handle all the time(And I wish I could afford, lol!) I’m the one who just ordered the D,C,Eb Blackbird set from you yesterday. I know for the money they will be really cool to play around with.

But if any of you guys are still interested and want to know.. I also just bit the bullet and ordered not only another Burke- a Brass Bb, but also called (NY?) and talked to John Sindt’s wife… and also ordered his A&Bb set. (I ordered the Burke because I already know they are awesome sounding- and recording whistles, and I just can’t wait 5 months to have a nice Bb- which is a key I have a lot of already composed music in, and would like to try out the Irish whistle with etc.

Fancypiper, I am really intrigued by your steer towards Mack Hoover, whom I’ve never even heard of before. But I went to his website and admit I’m impressed with the wide scope of his whistle making, and all the really cool mp3s of his whistles! It is very interesting that he offers just heads for anyone’s presently dead sounding Clare’s, Generations, Feadogs and others etc. I have a dead sounding Gen C and a Feadog D I’d like to get a couple of his heads for, but I’m confused about what the difference is between his white and black heads etc. (Not very clear on his site) If you know, what is the difference?

Last but not least, Greg Connor, I just have to comment on that awesome song I just heard of yours! Really a beautiful song! (Check out everybody! The link in Greg’s recent post above!)
That style of music is very similar to things I also like to compose, although I do not have any talent with lyrics-(brain = box of rocks!) I wish I could write awesome lyrics like that- very nice! My strength is more in the composing music thing, as I have had the bug since I was 10 yrs old. If you’re playing and combining other instruments too, I bet we have a lot in common. I also play banjo, mandolin, Octave mando, harmonica, 12 string guitar etc. It would be kind of a cool thing to get together sometime! (I have years and years of music-God just gives it to me! But have not really tried to record anything for quite a long time.

Hey all, thanks again for all your helpful comments!
Don, the guitarman

16

It’s hard to explain. I have owned two Generation C brass tubes, one with a blacktop (lost) and the other a whitecap. The blacktop was my favorite C whistle.

The blacktop seemed to have a bit more of a husky sound than the whitetop. The whitetop seems to have a more “pure” tone.

Another interesting whistle is the Every Whistle by Park Whistles, but I have only tried the D whistle. I’m not positive that he makes a Bb, though.

17

To Don, the guitarman…

I see you have come down with a severe case of WHOA!!! They will be calling you guitar and whistle man soon!!!

Enjoy…(ps…I just got a Jerry Freeman tweaked Bb Generation last night—joined to the collection!!) WHOA is something you do not recover!!! Just to let you know!

I can’t wait to try it out on some Xmas music…I’ll bet O Holy Night rocks with that whistle! Just waiting for work to be done..and on to whistle practice!!!

Have fun with all your wonderful instruments.

Nancy

18

B flat is one of my very favorite keys of whistle. I have a Burke and a Reyburn as well as a couple Generations. For the money, the Generations whistles are really quite good. Of the three, I like the way the Generation plays the best actually - as far as backpressure goes anyway. I like the tone of the Burke best. The Reyburn is the loudest. It’s LOUD for a B flat whistle. It has very, very low backpressure though, so I tend to take breaths a little more frequently. ETA: The Reyburn is also the chiffiest of the bunch and has some very sort of “gravelly” tonal qualities.

Double-secret-ninja ETA: I should also mention that of the three, the Burke is easily the most “stable” of the three. It just does whatever you want it to do when you want it to do it. The Reyburn I find I have to stay more on top of with regard to things like octave changes & such. The Generations can be a bit finicky like that too.

Here’s a quick video I made comparing the three:

B67’s Big Bb Whistle Comparison

19

Hey, wow thanks for the replies!

That is a really cool comparission video of the Bb’s you did Buckeye! Just listening, it sounds like the Generation sounds the best. But I know what you mean about the Burkes- I have 2 already and just ordered a brass Bb yesterday.I know I will like it. But I’m also willing to bet the John Sindt Bb may be a little sharper and louder in tone- so that it may be able to “cut through the mix” a little bit better. I really don’t have any way of knowing this, but I hope so, because I ordered John’s A/Bb set- arriving in May.

You’re a lucky duck, Nancy! You already have your Generation Bb! How does it sound? Did you get the Freeman tweaked one?
Yes, I think you nailed it- I must have Whistle Acquisition Obsession Addiction (Is that what you call it- WAOA?) From a musical perspective though, it only makes sense when you hear a truly wonderful combination, like my style of acoustic guitar with the Irish whistle. (I went through a very similar phase a long time ago when I found out I could learn to play the harmonica with my guitar- another great combination. I now have a bunch of those little things around here- in many different keys.)

From what you said Fancypiper, do you mean that the huskier Black heads have more of the raspy, chiffy sound, but the White heads have more pure tone with less volume? If this is true, I may get some white heads for my dead whistles from Mack Hoover- who emailed me today. I asked him too but I’m still not clear on it. I guess I like tone more than rasp etc. Thanks for elaborating!

It would really be neat to get my hands on a Water Weasel, but It looks like they’re not being made anymore and right now a Glen Schultz D w/case is going for $525 on ebay- wow!

God Bless to all!
Don, the guitarman