Sindts are rarely talked about but on the other hand Burkes are mentioned a million times a day and I recently traded a Burke DASBT for a Sindt C. It could show something else but we may never know. Also Bleazeys are not mentioned a lot but the few who have them agree that they are amazing whistles.
I think Sindts are mentioned a fair amount. But certainly Burkes seem to be mentioned here far more than I run into them in the ITM scene. I’d say in the last year or so I’ve run into about the same number of people playing Sindts as Burkes. More O’Riordans than either, though, despite their reputation for being hard-to-get.
Really? I have seen a way higher number of Burkes in fact I don’t think I have ever seen another person playing a Sindt.
Is that like a metaphysical thing: If a person plays a Sindt but noone sees him or her, is a Sindt being played? 
Philo
I’ve seen at least two. One at my regular session and one at a workshop in Dublin Oh. Plus Mike B has one which I’ve played.
I’ve not seen any Burkes except for mine.
The world may never know…
Ah…
…only if the player is deaf?
Yes, really. At the local session, Colleen and Linda, both primarily whistle players, use Sindts. (Or O’Riordans, but I think they both play the Sindts more often lately.) Alison (a fiddler) and Jim (her father, a guitar player / singer) play Burkes, hers new, his old. I play O’Riordans (or occasionally Water Weasels, for keys other than D), and Dale plays an O’Riordan or one of a variety of tweaked cheapies. Other occasional whistlers play cheapies.
This pattern pretty much holds in all the Ontario sessions I’ve been to as well, except if anything, there are fewer Burkes.
People tend to talk either about those whistles that are quintessential examples of particular types (like Overtons) or else those cases where two fairly similar whistles are seen as close competitors for such a slot (Dixon/Susato in the “reasonably priced plastic” category, and yes, I know they’re very different except for those characteristics). People are interested in comparing them because they are often trying to decide between them. There’s also a lot of talk about new designs, of course.
I think whistles that don’t fit those criteria often get little discussion. People who like them already know they do and don’t feel the need to write about it repeatedly, and since there are so many different ones, people who don’t like them have no reason to ask about any particular one. For instance, I love Silkstones. I have eight of them, in various materials and keys. I haven’t posted about them lately, though, because I’ve had them for quite a while now and the novelty has worn off. I have posted about my Reyburn recently, even though I play it less, both because I just got it this summer and because the wood head on a metal body is an unusual design.
I was in Montreal once and happened to stumble across a Session and there were a lot of Whistle players there that night about 7 including myself 5 were playing Burkes.
So true.
Jessie is wise.
I’m still alive…rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Stephen, don’t be put off by the age of my website…I’m just not particularly motivated to update it. I try to do as honest a business as possible…I just don’t do high-volume. I still make the occasional whistle, but as always, only on an “as ordered” basis…so there aren’t a load of Parkys floating around. I’ve also noticed that people don’t tend to resell my whistles. I agree that my whistles aren’t for everybody, but I don’t try to make them as such. Some people don’t like copper whistles, and others swear they will only give up their Parky when they’re buried. I think of my work as a very personal thing and the product as such. There are some phenomenal whistlesmiths out there, and I wouldn’t want to compete with them… I’m content to make the occasional whistle and collect other fine maker’s work.
Cheers!
Dave
p.s.: Grannymouse is still a cutie pie… heh heh heh
Perhaps some of this newbie phenomenon occurs. Then again there is the buzzkill created by the “nothing but an X, Y, or Z whistle will do.” folks.
As an occasional poster, I sometimes get (maybe wrong) the perception that comments about one whistle or another (sometimes whistle maker) get a chilly reception. 
Where comments about other (i.e.: Burke) whistles (and makers) are universally loved. 
Peace,
It wouldn’t 
- - couldn’t 
-
possibly be whistle snobbery based on branding.
Like do we all cool people here wear Armani?? 
I know I am a pretty new guy to the forum, but I’ve read the forum way longer than when I joined. I kinda have to agree with the last two post. Doesn’t it really come down to personal choice. We all have certain qualities that we look for in a whistle. Just because the majority of people like a certain brand doesn’t mean that its the best whistle for me. I have played a Burk. Is it a great whistle? Yes. Is it a beautiful whistle? Yes Did it play well? Yes Was it for me? No Does that mean I am a newb? no It just didn’t speak to me like other whistles did. Doesn’t mean its a bad whistle, cause it isn’t. Sometimes (and I know I am guilty about it) We put to much emphasis on the whistle, and not the whistler. I know for myself that I need to practice more so that I can sound good on any whistle. So that I can make any whistle sound good. Look at Phil’s site. On it Kevin Crawford is playing a sustato, which I know many people despise. (I’m one) And yet he makes it sing. On the other hand, thats what makes whistle playing partly so fun. The hunt for the whistle that fits you perfectly.
Actually, I think you’ll usually find those people are newbies too. Or maybe that next stage past newbie, where you think you’ve got it all figured out, but actually you still don’t have a clue. (That was me in 2000-2001, for sure. I think I’m starting to get a clue now.)
Where comments about other (i.e.: Burke) whistles (and makers) are universally loved. >
I roll my eyes every time I see someone praise Burkes. I think there’s a darned good reason that despite being probably the most readily available high end whistle, Burkes are not the first choice of a majority of experienced whistle players, at least in my experience. (Someone mentioned Kevin Crawford – believe me, he’s not playing that Susato because he cannot afford a Burke.)
What is the first choice of a majority of experienced whistle players?
I don’t think there is such a beast. Most of the good players I’ve run into play Sindts, Overtons, or O’Riordans for high ends, Generations and Susatos for low ends. If you had a carefully sorted list, Burkes might sneak in at #5 at best.
I don’t think this is surprising – people want wildly different things from whistles, as the survey on this board a few weeks back clearly showed. No whistle is going to make every player happy.
But this is why I roll my eyes – it seems that whenever someone asks for whistle buying advice, no matter what characteristics she’s looking for, a couple of people will recommend Burkes. If you want a loud whistle, they’re loud enough; if you want a quiet whistle, they’re pretty quiet. Etc.
They’re not nearly as universally well-loved as this board manages to make them sound.
I agree.
It was Col. Mustard in the parlor with the lead pipe.
But seriously, the “clue” has changed for me based on my learning curve and exposure to different whistles. Yet I occasionally still find myself playing The Cat’s Jig on my second whistle - a Freeman tweaked Shaw - and the old Sweetone still sounds sweet.
Regardless of my cluelessness, I must give my thanks Michael - as the Burkes are terrific, especially at the short end of the learning curve. They are forgiving and easy playing. They helped my first experience with a Low D sound trifling more like a melody than a flatulent walrus. 
Cheers!