CHIEFTAIN THUNDERBIRD A | LOW WHISTLE REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- Ever wanted to try the Chieftain Low Whistle? Here's all the info you need to know on the Mezzo A Chieftain Thunderbird Whistle - including purchase links, sound samples, close-ups and more! In this tin whistle review I give you the pros, cons and of course my personal opinions. Hopefully this will help you make up your mind as to whether this is the perfect whistle for you! I hope you enjoy it.
Check out the Chieftain Thunderbird low whistle here: amzn.to/38ZFUOn
00:10 - External Features
03:14 - Raw Sound Sample + General Pros
03:45 - Mastered Sound Sample + General Cons
04:32 - Details and Opinions
08:20 - Further Sound Samples
This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own :)
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LINKS YOU MAY LIKE:
A Whole New World - Aladdin: • Aladdin - A Whole New ...
Erin Shore - The Coors: • Erin Shore - The Corrs...
Rocky Road TO Dublin: • Rocky Road To Dublin |...
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I've been playing a Chieftain V5 for over a year now and I've never had a problem. Chieftains are wonderful and Phil Hardy is a master.
I've had one a couple of years now. They're wonderful aren't they.
The numbers are the date of manufacture: 26th of January, 2004. The KWL is Kerry Whistles Ltd.
I presume you have checked out Phil Hardy, who started the company in the 90's. He's a mult instrumentalist of great skill and renown, with many recordings to his name.
Despite the name, Kerry Whistles is an English company, based I think in Sussex. Also check out one of Phil's best friends and famous low whistler, Toby Shaer, he really is something else.
I bought one of Phil's Kerry Optima's from him a few week ago and they are fabulous, with low air requirements.
Check out the Kerry website for stacks of videos, and watch Phil and Toby and Orlaith McAuliffe playing Optima's. Stunning.xx🎶🤓
The seal at the tuning is cork, and is replaceable like on a Clarinet.
What a lovely sounding whistle. I always think an A whistle has a very flute like quality to it's sound. If any of your viewers fancy trying an A whistle after watching this, as I'm sure they will, the Tony Dixon brass A whistle is a very nice more affordable option. It's hard to say having never played the Chieftain A, but I don't think the holes are quite as large, so that may suit a new player quite well.
Hm, I have a Dixon brass A and I find it really hard to play. Maybe I just have a duff one, but it clogs constantly, it squeaks and it really doesn't like to be played quietly. Had that been my first whistle, I would have soon given up on whistles altogether. I have gradually got more used to this one and can mostly deal with its issues now, but it's still no joy to play. So, I just wanted to mention this in case anyone gets a Dixon brass A, has the same problems and thinks it's them. But as I say, I don't know, mine may just be a one-off black sheep.
@@mazkraut9776 Hi Maz, I have always really liked my Dixon A whistle, but by the same token maybe I got lucky and received a nice one. For me a similar thing happened with Susato whistles. I read great reviews and heard many players sounding wonderful here on YT so I ordered a "Susato Oriole" D whistle. That one I find almost impossible to play in the second octave. Maybe my opinions on whistles don't really fit the mainstream view. I'm a big fan of Generation whistles. I was lucky enough to find a couple of pre 1980's Generations on ebay and they are among my favourite whistles.
@@Reeldin58 Hi Reeldin, a sample of two of your and my Dixon A whistles is probably not enough to go by to say what they are like in general. But as you mention the Susato: I bought a Susato-like plastic whistle that plays really well in the first octave, but could I get it into the second?? I gave up on it until I heard someone on YT (I forget who, it might have been Whistletutor) say you had to play really loud to get it up there. So I tried, and it works. But as I play mostly at home, I would never normally inflict this on my neighbours. So, I guess what I mean to say is that there are probably horses for courses, and some whistles are better all-rounders and others more specialised in how you can use them (?).
Hey, "Paddy's Green Shamrock" Shore on a Chieftain, sounds great! And yes, Phil hardy's whistles are masterpieces. Speaking of which, this channel gets better and better, Stephanie. Good stuff.
Lovely tone Stephanie! I'm a beginner and looking for a Low D whistle and the Chieftain Thunderbird and the MK whistles are definitely on my list. I think in my mind I already decided for the MK but they keep selling out insanely fast within an hour (especially the green ones). :-D It's crazy. Even it's here a Mezzo it makes me think about the Kerrywhistle again. :-) Thanks for all your efforts putting these videos together for us! Wish you all the best from Vienna! Christian
Hi Christian. I'd recommend the MK as your first low, just because the holes will likely be smaller than the Chieftain. But if you have decent width fingers you should be ok! 😊. Would save the wait, and likely cheaper than MK.
Hiya, Go for a Kerry Optima, they are fabulous with low air requirements, and gorgeous tone. David 😎
@@CutiepieTinWhistle Thank you for getting back to me Stephanie! Also thank you @David Molloy - I will take a look at the Optima! To be honest, I really like the colour of the MK whistles and I think the looks of an instrument (doesn't matter if it's a guitar, a flute or any other instrument) plays a small part of how likely it is for you to pick it up and practice. Aaaaand of course I am a little bit biased because I like Stephanie's tone with her MK Low D whistle. :-)
I have a Chieftain Low D....beautiful whistle. I wish that I could play it better.
I also have a Chieftain high D. It is the loudest whistle I own (40+ whistles). I took it with me to a lesson with my tutor, the late Bill Ochs, and he gave it a go. The lessons were all in his apartment on W 46th St in NYC. He handed it back to me with the comment “well, that’s a lease breaker.”. If you want to make sure that you are heard in a session, it is the whistle for you.
Thank you for this! Im right now starting my adventure with alto A :)
Wow some of those finger holes are huge. The whistle sounds quite nice and you played it well. At 9:30 it was fun watching your quick and crisp finger movements!
Thanks for the review. For a seal on an adjustable flute, beeswax can be used. I melt it on with a low temp soldering iron. If the cork seal wears out then beeswax can be used.
Rocky road to Dublin sounds wonderful on this, thank you
I think it is hard to compare a whistle built in 2004 to current thunderbirds. The whistles are evolving over the years. Ich personally own a thunderbird made in 2005 and one from 2018. The newer version has a waaaaayyyy more comfortable mouthpiece and even smoother holes. The mouthpiece of your whistle is not the actual standard at Chieftain/Kerrywhistles. Yours is big and uncomfortable. The newer ones are extremely easier to play and more "mouth friendly". By the way... Try out the Chieftain Custom Low D. An awesome whistle. A low D with smaller holes and narrower space between them. Great back pressure. Even for people with smaller hands. :)))
I just got my cheiftain custom low D. How acurate is the tuning from one octave to the next on yours? Does it lean toward the sharp in the higher notes?
How would you compare the difference in sound between the custom and the v5?
The A whistle tone is wonderful and Erin Shore tune (tutorial) is exactly why I got an A. Lovely!
Kerry whistles! I'm getting the chieftain fixed low D. Can't wait😍💕🎶
That’s a Phil Hardy whistle!! I have a low D from him. Love it! I plan on buying many more.
I've had a terrible time covering that large bottom hole, more so than any other whistle I've owned. The Bb and C Thunderbirds, by contrast, have much smaller holes, and a crisper sound as a result. I'd be interested to know why Phil made such a huge jump in hole size between keys.
👏👍 BTW: 0:10 It has been speculated that the KWL stands for "Kerry Whistles Ltd." The number might be the serial number. 1:18 You are correct. The cork serves the same purpose as the cork on a clarinet. 😉 ♫
Definitely a thunderbird. I have the same whistle in a non-tunable version. The number on the back is the date of manufacture (26th Jan 2004 on yours). Great whistles. Plenty of 'punch' :)
is tunable vs non tunable really matter?
@@griffithsharp Depends on who you are playing with. If you are playing with yourself ;) not really, but if you are playing with non-tuneable instruments, such as accordions, then I would say it matters very much. WHich is part of the reason I have now passed my chieftan A on to someone else and now pay a tuneable Goldie A.
@@KeithMountifield thank you for the reply, i don't play with others really and i have lots of instruments that id record it with, are you tuning it to get a different key or are you tuning it to the preciseness of another instrument? in that case the tunable definitely sounds better and more versatile
@@griffithsharp Tuneable is about matching the pitch wiht the instruments you are playing with, not about changing the key of the whistle, that simple wouldn't work as the holes wont be in the right place to give you a scale that's in tune.
If you don't play with others and all your other instruments are able to tune to your whistle then yeh, it pobbably makes no difference, but if you are playing with others you need to be able to play in tune with them. I've seen people utterly destroy a session because they couldn't or wouldn't play in tune.
It is possible to do a certain amount with breath control, but only a few cents worth.
I have probably around 2 dozen different whistles, some sound better than others, some sound great, but are so far out of tune I could never play them in a group. But they get an occasional play at home. Whereas good quality tuneable whistles can be played anywhere. Although the most common pitch is A = 440Hz, there are places, groups, orchestras even whole regions or types of instrument where that frequency (and therefore the pitch of athe note) can vary from 437Hz all the way up to 448Hz.
A tuneable whistle may not be needed by you in your own scenario, but they certainly are needed and make the instrument far more useful in general.
@@KeithMountifield thats fascinating thanks for the detailed reply. i especially find it interesting the varying degrees of hertz for pitch with music because sometimes ill try and play an instrument to a record and no matter what scale i play it just sounds like crap. you're great thank you again, now i need to find out more about training my ear to pitch and what music and instruments use different pitch than 440
Got a Thunderbird low A yesterday, and it was terrible. The toneholes and mouthpiece had very sharp edges. A little polishing took care of that, so no problem. However, it was impossible to get a usable tone out of it. Figured it could be my fingergrip, so I taped the tone holes. No, not that. Took a closer look at the mouthpiece, and it was full of dirt. I used some mouthpiece cleaner and flushed with water. What came out was unbelievable. A sort of black sludge. It was a brand new instrument. That was it, now it plays like it should.
its like tin whistle sound but crossing over into orchestra flute sound, the baritone ukulele of the flute family.
Cool. It's just like my low D, but mine is non-tunable.
Nice rendition of Loch Erin Shore!
Very useful, great content as always Stephanie 😘❤️!! Could you try and do a comparative review of Kildare and Dublin Susato whistles please?
I don't have a Dublin, but I'll see if I can get one.
I have had several whistles from Susato. I find their sound rather harsh and difficult to control. However both Lolly Cross and Sean Ryan play them masterfully. If you are wanting a reasonably priced very playable whistle I suggest Goldfinch. These whistles are individually handmade in Poland and, in my opinion, far superior to Susato, I have high D from them and I'm waiting on a low C. You will find reviews on YT.
@@soslothful Hi 😊 Thank you for some new information from your side. Are the Goldfinch whistles available in low A and low G scales in Asian countries as well?
@@RajithaRajan Hi to you too. Here is a link to Goldfinch. Also check out Becker Whistles. They are made in the US. I have a Bb from him and wait on two others.
www.goldfinch.eu/
www.beckerwhistles.com/
The Becker whistles are extremely affordable. I'm really impressed with the Bb. Well tuned and pleasingly quiet. See YT for reviews.
Thanks for the review. Your channel has been my guide to whistles, I first heard of the MK from your channel. I almost ordered the MK but I ended up ordering the Chieftain V5 for the breathy tones. I have large hands so I wasn't worried about the holes. However, It is my first whistle and I am still awaiting for it to arrive by mail, so as of now I have never even played whistle. How would you say the Chieftain brand compare to the MKs? Sound-wise i liked them both and had a difficult time choosing between the two.
Hi, I guess this is not aThunderbird model, but a Chieftain Mezzo A Tuneable. Apparently Phil is not produce this anymore, while in KWL website the only model for A is Bunker model. Bunker model seems to have a different allow and is lighter in weight. If anyone would find this Mezzo A model on sale, then please share a link. Thanks for the video.
Another interesting video, thank you so much for this review! What's the name of the song you played for the first sound example (I think at 8min 24sec)?
It's The Coors - Erin Shore. There's a link to the tutorial at the end of the video and in the video description 😊
@@CutiepieTinWhistle thank you, for you fast answer!
Super helpfull thanks
I think the serial number is actually the date it was made, but that's just a guess as I purchased a Chieftain V5 on the 28 Nov. 2019 and the serial no. is 211119, 21 Nov 2019, maybe?
Could you make a cover video with “may I stand unshaken”, the theme of Red Dead Redemption 2?
Send me a a link, I'll check it out. 😊
Hello! Congratulations on your videos, very interesting. I've been following you for a while, can I ask you for advice? I started studying the flute again, practically from scratch! I'm not young anymore, but I still enjoy blowing in the tube !!! I am intrigued by this instrument that I did not know, or rather I never stopped to listen to its sound. Following your videos you have intrigued me. The question is, but if I wanted to buy one, which ones should I take? I don't know anything about this tool. Thanks
I have a video here for choosing your first low whistle, and there's also one for choosing your first high tin whistle too 😊 ua-cam.com/video/6wTTiCBkkE4/v-deo.html
@@CutiepieTinWhistle Hello! Thanks for the answer, I saw the video you recommended me, I am even more confused ... I saw this Chieftain Thunderbird flute which I think is a good product, but which shade to choose? I like warm and deep sounds, which advice do you give me? Thanks
I adore it my dear :) About the song, why not : "Maid Behind The Bar" ? :)
Is it harder to play with other instruments on an A whistle compared to D?
And do you recommend tuneable or fixed flutes? :-)
Gwendal!!😍
An excellent review there. I can nearly tell’ it might be an easy whistle to play. However ‘ the price leaves me gasping.
It's actually cheaper on the Kerry whistle website! £125
Hi I am going to get myself a new low D as soon as I can. How does the cheiftan compare to the MK Pro? A comparison would be great if you would ? Thanks
Hi Stephanie, I love your video's. I'm wondering if it's normal to have issues with finger placement in the beginning? There is something going wrong when I transition from e to d but from what I can tell my finger pad is completely covering the hole. It's quite frustrating never knowing what will come out when I play this note as it can be different every time. I don't suppose you have any tips? Thank you!
Yes, completely normal 😊 Maybe something in this video might help: ua-cam.com/video/6BIM-nmAawU/v-deo.html
Not sure the maker recommends taking head all the way off! Pipers grip, second knuckle) best for bigger whistles.
I'm not sure, I'd never thought about it, especially considering some whistles come in a set with one head and multiple bodies...you have no choice then 😆
@@CutiepieTinWhistle Exactly, Stephanie. I have a set of Chieftains, 3 bodies - low D, low Eb, low E, all with a single head. There's no logic in the maker not intending them to be taken apart, in fact, they need a little cork grease which would be impossible to do without taking them apart. Cheers.
I've Viewed all of your Videos, I'm Still Waiting for "The Orphans Lullaby" by Wilykit of 2011 Thundercats.
Thank you for the review, i'd love to see you play some brian finnegan on this whistle. Also, can a begginer start on this one or is too difficult because of the larger holes?
I think beginners would be fine with this whistle, as long as you don't have slender fingers 😊 slightly 'meatier' fingers world be perfect! Any song request in particular?
@@CutiepieTinWhistleThe song "fly" from the album "The Ravishing Genius Of Bones" is a great song, but any other one would be fine
If you have slender fingers I recommend trying out the Chieftain CUSTOM Low D. Extraordinary. Easy to cover the holes. Narrow space between them.
@@cftotti2459 Thanks, I'll take a look. I don't have any problem with wide hole spacing, but the size of the holes often troubles me. I can't even get a note out of my Setanta low D when trying the double Piper's grip because I just don't have enough finger to cover the hole 🤣
I might be a little late here, but I just wanted to comment that this is NOT a Chieftain Thunderbird. Based on the date, yours is just a Chieftain. Thunderbirds are an improved version that is louder, with a completely modified mouthpiece and head design, and weren't produced until 2014.
Awesome, thanks for the info ❤️
Cuttie, try that MK A, and you will not ever think again about Chief.
😍
You can contact Phil Hardy. He is the owner of the company, Kerry Whistles of which you own. His are is Kerry whistles.com and his contact info is there.
I would like to ask you to play the music in this video with notes.
ua-cam.com/video/LM4vmJxx9a4/v-deo.html
As in, sheet music score? Or tin whistle tabs?
Sheet music tin whistle
@@CutiepieTinWhistle Sheet music tin whistle
@@CutiepieTinWhistle Please! answer me
its very expensive here
If interested I sell a Chieftain thunderbird Low D - 90 euro
I am interested. Did you already sell it ? Is it a tunable one ?
You are a charming woman and a talented musician.