After going to see Lunasa last week, I started thinking that I might want to get a slightly lower whistle than my C - perhaps a Bb or A.
I have a marked preference for Clarke Originals (C and D), so I was considering a Shaw. The air requirement the Clarke C doesn’t bother me (my other hobby is long distance running), but I wasn’t sure how much more air the Shaw would require. I am assuming that the Shaw also produces a nice chiffy sound.
If anyone can offer up suggestions or a little bit of a review of the Shaw Bb or A, I would appreciate it. I am aware that Jerry Freeman tweeks Shaws, so I know that is a consideration too.
I am an intermediate whistler, and I play for an audience of one, so I don’t necessarily need a high end whistle or one with volume - but I wouldn’t mind hearing some thoughts on this too. From what I can gather, the Overtons are highly regarded, especially for the A - but I am not sure if I want to lay down those kinds of dollars right now (although I have not ruled this out completely).
I can’t say much about Shaws. Only tested a low D once and found it very quiet with a high air requirement.
What I can offer is a tuppence worth of opinion on keys: with the A, you get D as a secondary major key. That could be handy for any number of trad tunes in D that have the first note “walking up” from A. Also trad fiddlers at my sesh tend to play Scots tunes in A. (As Phil Cunningham once said, “it’s the fastest key.”)
With the Bflat, you can try to play along with pipes & drums recordings and learn Scots tunes by ear. Not all the notes match up, but as you say, with an audience of one it shouldn’t matter.
I play a Gary Humphrey A and a Generation Bflat nickel body with a Mack Hoover whitecap. Both are excellent whistles. (And a Burke aluminum Bflat is waiting in the wings…)
The Chieftain whistles are good in those keys, too.
Nice sound and they cost less than Overtons.
As you are an audience of one, non-tunable
should do fine. Indeed though I play with other
instruments I don’t need
tunable whistles.
Cheaper still, the gen Bb is probably the most
consistent Gen. Jerry F tweaks these too.
You may want to look at Jubilee whistles - Daniel can make a whistle to your specifications and it’ll cost you less than $80. He sells many different kinds of instruments in metal and plastic including some whistle keys not available anywhere else. It is a fascinating site just to visit.
Mack Hoover whistles are also available in the key of “A” for under $70. However, his whistles in lower keys are only available in plastic and, due to my extreme and unreasonable prejudice against plastic whistles, cannot be recommended in any way by myself, except through gritted teeth . You, however may be more open minded than I.
Mack Hoover and Daniel Bingamon collaborate on whistle making. You can actually get a Jubilee body with a Hoover head on it, if you like.
I have not yet played one of Daniel’s whistles, but I seem to have a penchant for less popular whistles and I will definitely be getting one for myself. I have been trying to acquire an “A” for about a year now. If Serpent Music was still in business, I’d recommend a chrome molly serpent as I have played a Serpent in “D” and found it excellent.
I myself have found that “A” whistles are about as low as I can go and still use a normal grip. Your experience, of course, may differ.
As for Shaws, I have not played one myself, but I have heard some negative comments about them. If I wanted a Shaw, I would only consider a tweaked one from Jerry Freeman. Mind you, Shaws are not tunable - that may be a consideration for you, even with an audience of one.
Good luck with your choice and, if you do decide to get one from Jubilee, let me know what you think of it.
FJohnSharp, have you ever played on a Clarke C or D, and if so how would you compare the air requirment to your Shaw A?
It occurs to me that I never really see much about Shaws, especially in the lower keys on the message board. Either these people are so happy with their whisltes that they don’t have time to post, or Shaws just aren’t very popular in the lower keys.
I do have a gen Bb that I was never completly happy with, and I have considered ordering up a Whitecap for it.
Go Bb!! Mine’s my favorite whistle and it’s my go-to instrument if I don’t feel like breaking out the flute or pipes. I have a Burke in brass that I’m quite attached to.
I was refering to a Hoover Whitecap on a Generation Bb tube. I hope this clears up the confusion. If you are relatively new to the board you may want to search for Hoover Whitecap, or just visit Mack’s website at:
I’ve played a Clark original D and the air requirements are similar, taking into account the differences in size. I think it’s very much like playing a big Clark.
At home, I mostly play my C whistles, which are a little bit mellower, and richer to my ear.
I have a couple of Bb’s, including a home-tweaked Gen, but neither has quite won my heart. I’m awaiting receipt of a Freeman-tweaked Gen Bb. Based on the quality of what I’ve seen from Jerry so far, I’m guessing this will fit the bill nicely. Of course, there are a number of higher-end options out there as well. (I try not to think about them).
no i 'm not new -but i have never heard of this-----its alot of thought for a whistle -----------how does it sound -are these really that good of a mouth piece------ that would alter someones decision from just buying a higher end whistle
Mack’s Whitecaps have a pretty good reputation. I have one that I keep on a Clare two-piece D. I like it a lot, but I still usually reach for my Clarke D most of the time - this is simply a matter of taste, as the sound of a Clarke is quite different to my ear.
As far as “are they that good” and how they compare to higher end whistles - I would leave that topic for another thread, since the debate could certainly hijack my post. With that said, my $0.02 on it is this - there are many whislte choices out there, and what once person likes another may not. For me this is just a hobby, and I make no claim at being a musician. I enjoy whistling a few tunes, and the process of trying to teach myself new tunes. Which kind of returns me to why I started this post - just trying to find a new key to play around with.
i actually love clarkes---------and this thread had me curious about shaws-i have always hoped Clarke would make more keys-Years ago, there was a rumour the Clarke company was going to make a low whistle -----but only rumours or I think they got bought out----------anyway the style would make for a nice LOW----that being said -i have tried Shaw’s before------they are just to tinny–maybe the LOWER shaws would be nice--------------the copelands might be the closest to a “PRO CLARKE”–if you get me ----i might get a copeland
. You, however may be more open minded than I. 
