I’ve got roughly 50$ to spend on a soprano D whistle (I guess I could spend a bit more ), and I want to ask for some of your input. I’ve been looking a lot at the Dixon aluminum body. I very much like whistles that have an extremely pure tone. That is definitely my priority. Other relatively important factors are balance in volume between the octaves, and a lack of shrillness in the second octave. So, if you have any insight please give it to me!
lastly, one specific question:
What’s the deal with soprano D Susatos? I’ve always heard of them as being screechy and generally disliked, but I recently saw an AMAZING video on kerrywhistles.com that totally confused me, because the susato didnt sound anything like that. so, whats the deal?
My Dixon tunable plastic D is one of my very favorite whistles. I tried the aluminum body version and didn’t like it at all. It’s too easy to overblow. If I were you, I’d save the money and just get the original design of all plastic. It has a very pure tone.
the only thing that worries me about that is Wanderer’s extremely sharp second octave on his plastic dixon. Was his just a fluke, or do they all run sharp in the second octave?
Susatos in the right hands can sound amazing. I love those things, play them almost exclusively. But they take a bit of control in order to really make them sound as they should.
No doubt you saw Kevin Crawford of Lunasa’s clip on there? Amazing stuff. Proof the susato is a fantastic whistle.
My favorite session whistle is now my O’Brien narrow bore brass D, which is a bit more at $80 Canadian, but worth it.
To come back within your price range, if Erle Bartlett is still making them, a Syn D is a wonderful whistle and an incredible value.
On Susatos, they are wonderful, but be prepared to spend some serious time learning to control them to make them sound their best. They are not a “just blow through it and it plays” whistle.
It seems that all Erle Barlett’s making now are the black diamonds
The susato sounds very tempting… I’ve played the clarinet for 7 years now, and feel as though I would be able to handle the susato. Thanks for all of your input thus far
does anyone have any more insight into the plastic tunable dixons?
For a new whistle, a Susato is a good choice for the $50 and under price range. Hoovers are now at the upper end of that range. I don’t know if Syn still has one in that range. There are also the mass produced Elfsongs for $25.
These will all be quite different. My Susato is one of my favorites, as is a Hoover whitecap (Hoover fipple on a Walton body). Depends on what kind of sound you are after. For beginners Susatos can be shrieky, especially in the upper register. It takes some time. However, they are spot on in tune, and have a full sound, with more volume than most whistles.
Someone was selling a Susato set D, C, Bb for $50. If that is still available, that sounds like a no brainer because you will can sell it for about what you paid, if it isn’t for you. Plus you get three keys to try out.
As a fellow clarinet player, I can highly recommend the Susato. It took me no time at all to control it (the high A’s and B’s will get you at first, but you just have to learn where to direct your air and for me, how much to tighten up my embouchure – I use both of those on my Susato). The nice thing about Susato whistles are they provide the backpressure I’m used to on clarinet.
I haven’t tried the aluminum Dixons but found the other to have a weaker bottom register and less back pressure than I would have liked.
Edited to add: I have both the small bore and very small bore and I like them both – but I prefer the small bore for most things. I’m able to push it a bit further without overblowing, which gives me some more “flute like” breath accents.
Welcome to the board, Amblingambrosia. Please check your PM. Feel free to ask those on the board about the whistle I am offering to you…
Best to you.
Byll
Best is to find someone with a lot of whistles and play a lot. I myself went to Colin Goldie and tried some 40 whistles. Then you can listen to the sound clips at the “clips and snips”-section of this site. There are many soundclips. A personal advice is to go to the Gaeliccrossings-site and look up the review of the Impempe, then listen to the soundclip which is on it, then look at Ian Turnbull’s website www.impempe.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/. A whistle far under your price, beautiful looking, with a bright, clear sound on the clips and an astonishing review. I get a D, F and C within a few weeks. You can contact him and ask him to play through the phone for you. A lot of people do that.
And I agree with Blackhawk as far as the alluminium Dixon is concerned. I had one and it was difficult not to overblow it in the lowest tones.
That impempe sounds and looks extremely good, however I’m pretty sure my parents would have some serious reservations with me sending a check to south africa.
has anyone had a polymer dixon that had intonation problems? is there any significant difference overall between the normal tuning slide and the brass tuning slide dixon polymers?
Considering that you said you wanted a whistle with a pure tone, I would think about taking Byll up on his offer. All the Hoovers I have (I’m up to 6 now) have a very pure, clean sound. In fact, I considered going after one of Byll’s Ds myself, but I am a little cash poor at the moment.
), and I want to ask for some of your input. I’ve been looking a lot at the Dixon aluminum body. I very much like whistles that have an extremely pure tone. That is definitely my priority. Other relatively important factors are balance in volume between the octaves, and a lack of shrillness in the second octave. So, if you have any insight please give it to me!
