Hello, this is my first post in this forum.
I have played Irish instrumental music for years and I have always got along just fine with my high and low D.
But now I started playing in a singer-bouzouki-whistle trio and I’ve become aware of the need for other keys…
So. Do you know any nice set of tunable tin whistles? Good sound and reasonable price would be great. I’m looking for especially:
mezzo Bb
mezzo A
alto G
alto F
I found a quite nice offer from Kerrywhistles: “We are now offering a complete set of Chieftain tunable whistles. The set comprises of Mezzo D C Bb A (NR) and Alto V3 G F and Tenor V3 D. If you buy the complete set you will save £238.” The price was £550.
I actually own Chieftain low D and I’m quite happy with it, but I’m not sure about the higher whistles, they are so wide and short… It usually means louder and colder sound. I’ve really liked my Dixon brass trad (but now I have lost it somewhere, sniff! ó_ò).
I know that Susato has whistle sets available, but I wouldn’t want to go back to plastic.
Is there anything that you would suggest?
I would really appreciate all replies. Thank you very much in advance!
Sincerely,
Vesna, Finland
Well, I’ve got that exact set (bought last summer), but would never have bought some of them outside of the set…
but I’m not sure about the higher whistles, they are so wide and short… It usually means louder and colder sound.
Have to say I’d rate the High D as misjudged and inexplicably popular where the C, Bb and A (all the same bore) are progressively more ‘normal’ and the last two (despite the Bb still being a bit quirky at the top end) really lovely whistles. So check out my blog piece for a more detailed assessment, but note also that Phil Hardy’s own recent YouTube video of the D demonstrates the problem of extreme (near Eb) sharpness described there!
As for the V3s, they’re breath-hungry but I love the F (think he got that one just right), quite like the low D (it’s still pretty decent but I’ve gone back to my old Overton and don’t play it much) and find myself somewhat less enthusiastic about the G (which IMHO is ‘OK’ without ever feeling as consistently ‘right’ as the F off the same bore). So, while I (like you?) was tempted by the package price for what I saw as a ‘core’ set of quality whistles, I’d probably only have gone for the Bb, A and F with hindsight.
Thank you for the reply, Peter!
You wrote in your blog that you got replaced your D, C and G and got even some tweaking done to Bb? Well, that doesn’t sound very good… Were they even decent whistles?
sigh The more I read about these Chieftain whistles, the more I start to doubt… But I guess that great sound generally needs a bit more puff?
Hmm, I think I’ll try to find Bb, A and F separately… Any suggestions? 
I would suggest - and no doubt so will others - that for quality, you should go for Colin Goldie whistles. They’re not cheap but they’ll last you a lifetime, they’re totally reliable and you can get them made to your exact preferences.
Kerry Pro’s would be another option, but I don’t know if Phil makes them in the keys you’re interested in.
Definitely not. Do a search on the forums and read about backpressure.
As mentioned above, Colin Goldie can tailor his whistles to your requirements (as indeed I’m sure, can others. It’s just that I have experience of buying from Colin). A medium backpressure whistle can have excellent quality in build and tone and needs less in the way of breath requirements than a low backpressure whistle. It’s mainly to do with the manufacture of the windway.
As also stated, they’re not cheap, but they are wonderful. I’ve reached the point where I want to buy more of his whistles. I just haven’t got the money at the moment 
Since the replacements were much the same as the first ones, you’d have to conclude that they were representative samples and quite simply are what they are. Which IMHO means consistently good build quality and finishing applied to some great designs, some qualified great, some OK and one that’s not.
sigh The more I read about these Chieftain whistles, the more I start to doubt…
What puzzles me is how the likes of the high D got into production ‘as is’ and continues to sell when we’re apparently talking problems of design rather than execution from a maker who’s quite clearly capable of designing great whistles (as demonstrated by a lovely A and Bb that I’d rate even better but for its quirky top end). So others may disagree (as you’d have to assume Phil Hardy must because he’s still making them like that), but I can assure you my opinions here were neither formed nor shared lightly.