I just bought a 2nd hand low d whistle in nickled brass no brand name on it but it says made in India that is killing me trying to play my left hand ring finger feels like its gonna fall off (its a GOOd stretch between holes)…what is a good relatively inexpensive Low D whistle to start on and anyone looking to trade? 
any information or tips would be great.
Thanks
Most people recommended to me that I get a Dixon…but I really didn’t like it. I would probably go with an Alba.
Inexpensive low Ds include Dixon, Susato, mid-east cane whistles, and possibly Shaws (semi-expensive).
I have a Dixon low D that I like but it has lower octave issues sometimes, still a good whistle, though, and a cane low F. Do you specifically need low D? Sometimes low G, F, or E whistles don’t have so much of a finger space issue and still have a characteristic low whistle sound.
I think the Kerry Low D’s are good bang for the buck at thewhistleshop.com and relatively easy to finger. I started on one, and liked it. I gave it away recently (loaned it for “an indefinite time period” to my fav session cat). There are some lemons, though.
I wouldn’t get a Susato low D, even though they are pretty cheap, because they are hard to play.
The new Albas are good, but a real challenge at first because of the breath requirements.
If you are serious about playing the low D, it may be cheaper to just get an Overton low D right away. You’ll get one eventually, anyway. (Well, or a Copeland.)
I bought a used Dixon Low D that I like. However, I’m not sure I’d like it as much if I’d paid nearly $100 for a new one. The reach is no problem, but I have fairly large hands. I have a little trouble blowing a clear bell note, but that could be technique since I’m still a rookie.
I also have a Dixon A, which technically I guess is not really a low whistle, but I love the tone and it’s very easy to play. Have you considered a Low G? Shorter reach, nice low tone.
Lawrence
Does Daniel Bingamon still make the low D practice whistle? It’s probably a good starter whistle, with an easy finger-spacing.
And i should add my usual recommendation: for price and quality, a Hoover low is hard to beat. Find one of Mack.Hooover 's posts, click on his “WWW” button.
g
Yeah, what glauber said. I hope there’s a Hoover Brass Low G in my future.
http://home.bresnan.net/~mackhoover/
Lawrence
Daniel definitely does still make the low D starter whistle, which is an amazing bargain for only $18. Does anyone have any experience with these? I would love to know more about them.
“Practice Low-D PVC Whistle (No tuning joint, short fipple, delrin plug)
It comes plain unpainted, people love to paint & decorate these to their liking. The short fipple beak does not clog very easily.”
http://jubileeinstruments.messianic-webhosting.com/jubilee.htm
(Go to the very bottom of the webpage.)
Best wishes,
Jerry
The mid-east (the companies name, the whistle is actually shipped from Florida) cane whistle is $10, but they’re hit or miss.
KerryKerryKerryKerry
I have that, a Cook, and a Burke, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Kerry beats 'em all. Well, for me.
Burke is the easiest to finger, as there is a joint between the hands that lets you rotate to fit your comfort, but the lack of back pressure was a killer. Gorgeous sound, but a real ‘lunger’.
I’ve played a Shaw that was quite nice, easy reach, sort of breathy, raw sound.
Played an Overton…Burke in reverse…more back pressure than I care to push against. But lovely boomy sound.
Tyggy (Oh-phish-ul Session Cat) (waving my Kerry Low D at Bloo)
Well, here the Serpent takes off again, sticking foot in mouth and trying to sell someone else’s whistles.
My first (non-Serpent) low D was from India. It is a major PITA to play. I finally bought one I really, I mean REALLY like -
Alba non-tuneable low D. It isn’t exactly cheap, but it sounds just simply wonderful, and is reasonable to play even for me, with my (fairly small) hands. If I’m playing for recording, I do use piper’s grip, but out at the Renaissance Festival, I just played normally, no problems.
Stacey’s non-tuneable Alba is made to last, and last. Easy to play, good volume, nicely in tune all the way up. What’s not to like?
Cheers, 
serpent
My first low whistle, heck the first whistle I EVER bought (but not the last by a long shot 
) was an CG Overton Low D. Maybe it is my inexperience or I just got lucky but I do not understand it when people say how much back pressure it has. Mine is actually quite light or at least similar to our high whistles.
I recently got a Howard and have a Susato sitting at the Post Office (stupid rural non-delivery). The Howard has a larger finger spread for the lower two holes and about the same as the upper holes compared to my O. The H sounds just a bit chiffier/airy than the O. Renee likes the sound of the H. I like the O. I have not fully evaluated the tuning on either or between each. Oh, backpressure, the H has slightly less back pressure compared to the O.
I wish I could talk about Alba and Hoover, but that will have to come in a couple of months.
Wow, that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I want to starting trying to play a Low D, but I can’t justify (to a certain someone) ordering what I really want (Alba Low D) without knowing that I’ll be able to play it.
I’m going to see if I can arrange to get one of those by Christmas. I’ll let you know if I do
I think you really do yourself a favour by starting on the best you can afford. That means that I’m really recommending that you get a good instrument, even if it stretches the budget. You’ll improve more quickly and you want want to trade up immediately which is what will happen with a lot of cheaper instruments.
With that in mind, Overton or, if you can afford it, Copeland. Just one qualification. If you’re new to low whistles and worried about the stretch, a Reyburn with offset holes might be easy to play, will have a nice complex sound and will be relatively cheap. I find them slightly harder to play because I’m now so used to piper grip on low whistles. But someone coming to them cold would probably adapt more quickly than to ordinary low Ds.
In addition to what Wombat has mentionedconsider the following. Just because a certain low whistle fits your hand and sound requirements does not mean the next one will. Of the three whistles I mention above (Overton, Howard and Susato) no three are the same in material, sound or finger reach. The Overton and Howard both have reasonable sized tone holes. When I pulled the Susato out of its package this morning my jaw dropped.
“How am I EVER going to cover THAT hole?” was the first thing that came out of my thoughts. The F# hole (second from the bottom) is HUGE. Well, it looks huge on first observation. Mostly it is oblong 11x13 cm instead of 11mm round like the others.
For E to F# hole finger spread the Overton has the shortest, the Howard the longest and the Susato is between them. None of them is out of my range.
As an aside, I was just able to get the Susato to go to 3rd octive G with balanced volume between 1st and second. 3rd octive was quite loud. I have not been able to get either of the others to go past 3rd D yet.
Hope this information helps you decide how to proceed in your selection.
As to this $18 “practice” low D …
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What does "practice mean here? Is he practicing how to make them, or what?
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From the picture it looks to be narrow-bore. Anybody know how wide it is?
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Anyone with any experience as to how well they work (say, compared to a Dixon)? :adminok: :adminno:
1: Practice means that it has no tuning coupler, it’s in tune at 70 Deg F.
2: It’s 3/4" Sched.40 PVC. That 0.824" bore, that’s not narrow for a Low-D.
3: I’ll leave this question to someone unbiased who owns one.
These whistle are made on a CNC, it’ll drill all six hole in 80 seconds.
Well, it’s not a toy. It’s an instrument which happens to cost only $18. An instrument being cheap means a maker’s bloody (bloody) generousity, and were it not for his/her passion to make those “practise” whistles, there won’t be any Generations (for “Practise”?) or Practice Daniel Low Ds or Susatos or…
I suggest getting one for youself and see what happens!
I have a Dixon and a Susato Low D and haven’t been able to play them well. The reach is tough even though my fingers are fairly long for a woman. Part of the problem is me as it does take some skill and mastery of the piper’s grip (though some folks don’t use it). It may be that you can have to spend some $ to get a low D you like (unlike the high Ds, where you can get a good one cheap). Good luck!