Greetings, all! I wondered if anyone could tell me about Bb whistles. I have very small hands and the low D is a behemoth. Are Bb’s much more manageable in regard to size? Do you find it a useful addition to your collection? Do you have any suggestions about other options? I love the sound of the lower whistles and don’t wan’t to miss out.
Upon re-reading this post, I see that I have fallen victim to WHOA. I am a rank amateur, having played the pennywhistle for precisely one month. I now own three penney whistles, have another on order, and already getting ‘peckish’ about low whistles.
God help me. I’ll need him when my husband leaves. 
Bb’s are great. They are manageable for all hand sizes. They sound a bit less offensive in the upper register.
Best thing: you can get a Generation Bb for $10 or so, and they are some of the best Bbs around.
also love the dixon tunable b flat.
meir
I have a copeland Bb which is swell.
Also recommend As and Gs
Try a Generation. I think the Bb is the best of their line. If you want a little more of a low-whistle sound, you might want a Burke composite. They have a nice, round, mellow sound.
I have a Sindt B-flat that is fantastic…
Here is a vote for the Hoover Whitecap Bb.
As you can see, there are as many opinions as there are…
WHISTLES!
Here’s a vote for a blue-topped Generation Bb.
I’ll second Michael’s Sindt recommendation. I have one from him that is very nice.
I’ll second the vote for the Hoover … Great whistles. My Bb is actually a Hoover CPVC Narrow bore. The sweetest sounding whistle I own.
Generation Bb either red top or blue top. It is a great sounding whistle and as Bloomfield said the price is right. It plays as well as the person playing it.
Ron
Generation Blue top, and if you like the key enough try a Burke later on.
Trisha
Bloomfield is correct…your best value is a Generation. Might need a little tweak, though.
I dislike Bb sound. OK for some tunes, but overall it’s a gloomy sounding key to me. Oddly enough I go to Eb (higher pitch than D by a tad) when I want to give my ears a rest. It sounds sweeter and livlier.
These odd key instruments are good for your own pleasure or for accompanying singing, but not for session tunes. For sessions all you need is D.
Agreed. Next thing best to a cocobolo Grinter. Totally changed my view on Burkes generally.
Finally the only total consensus missing is on the Generations’, or Burkes’ colours 
I have a Generation nickel Bb and an Overton Bb. I find that the spread is similar except for the bottom hole of the Gen, which is a little difficult for me with regular man hands, while the Overton is closer and is very comfortable. I have a Hoover whitecap on my Gen tube and I really like it for practicing. The Overton takes some getting used to.
You may want to try this site http://jubileeinstruments.messianic-webhosting.com/jubilee.htm Daniel can make some special accommadations for small hands and/or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He may be able to fit you with a lower whistle than you might otherwise be able to play. I just placed my order and have high hopes…
Dwight
Bb is my favorite…I have a Generation tube with a Hoover whitecap head
Gen Bb (Brass) for me..
I’ve played a friend’s Gen red top Bb that was good.
Unfortunately my own blue top wasn’t to my liking, even after tweaking (removed the bump on the blade and attached a thin piece of plastic to the same for a new blade edge/surface). For whatever reason, the air requirements for my Gen are uncomfortably high. Maybe I was just unlucky and got a lemon. If they sold Gens in Singapore, I wouldn’t mind buying a few more in the hope of getting a good one, but they don’t, and exchange and shipping rates are not in my favour. Most of you on this board don’t have that problem, and they don’t cost a lot, so I think it’s worth shopping around for a good Gen Bb.
I got a Hoover whitecap mouthpc for mine, and it’s good now, but no longer sounds like a Gen because the Hoover tone is sweet and pure.
For the more breathy, chiffy tone, I play my Dixon Bb, which is great.
Sounds like all you need is a bit of windway reduction. Take aguitar pic (I’d recommend an orange Jim Dunlap Tortex), cut a pice the width of the windway, make it about 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch long, drop a TINY drop of superglue on it, and balancing it on the tip of an exacto knife or similar implement glue it onto the bottom of the windway, about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch into the windway.
That should help considerably. You can remove this tweak by popping the bit of pic out with your exacto knife.