I am learning to play whistle about 4 months. I keep buying inexpensive whistles. Finally, I am thinking of buying high end whistles. For the inexpensive whistles, I like Susato D and C because the volume and clear. I expect the high end whistles I am going to buy has volume, clear and sweet tones. My current selection is either Burke Al Pro C and D or Brass Pro C and D. I hope all of you can provide me valuable knowledge to help me making final decision. Thanks.
If I were in your position I would get a Burke Brass Pro D and put in an order for a Sindt D that should arrive by next Christmas. That way you will have two excellent whistles with somewhat different sounds and characteristics. I rarely play my C whistles although I have several. The Burke Al Pro D is also excellent with perhaps fewer overtones than the brass. I like to recommend the Sindt because it is the easiest, most responsive whistle I have ever played. People will complain about the Cnat. being out of tune. I have never found this to be a problem.
Good luck sorting through the flood of recommendations you will probably get! Recommending whistles is our favorite sport on C & F!
Best wishes, Tom
The sound of the Burke brass and Al whistles is extremely similar. I agree with Tom that the Al is just a hair purer, the brass just a little more traditional. I play the brass much more, partly because it’s heavier, so it feels better to me.
The Burke has nowhere near the volume of the Susato, but it still carries pretty well.
If you really have your heart set on a C and D, I agree with Tom that you might want two different makers. In addition to the Sindt, the Water Weasel is a fine whistle, and it has a lot more volume than either the Burke or the Sindt. It’s also a tad less clear than those, though.
Charlie
Thank you, Tom and Chas, for the inforamation. Originally, I planned to buy Sindt D and C but I found the waiting time is approximately 6 months. Could you give me an idea the whistle volume among Generation, Sweetone, Susato, Burke and Sindt? I am fimiliar with the volume of Generation, Sweetone and Susato. Thanks.
As far as waiting time goes, that tells you something! A very desirable whistle is going to take time to get. When I put in my second order to John Sindt there were about 700 whistles on order ahead of me! But the time goes by and the happy day finally arrives!
The Susato is no doubt the loudest whistle of the ones you listed so, using Charlie’s information, the next is Water Weasel, Burke, and Sindt. I could recommend a C Susato but I have a D I never intend to play again. It is just too difficult to play in the upper part of the second octave without screeching! I like a whistle where the air pressure requirement is only slightly increased in the second octave. I’m not familiar with the Water Weasel but this is true for both the Burke and Sindt whistles. I think they are both loud enough to be used in sessions unless you are playing with an accordion orchestra!
Best wishes, Tom
A Burke Session Pro D is only a tad louder overall than a good Generation or a Sindt. And that’s as it should be IMO. What is noticeable about the Burke is that the lower octave is strong, but the volume of the higher octave is similar to that of the Sindt and Gen. I assume this is due to Mike’s amusingly named “perturbed bore”.
A Water Weasel is considerably louder, though a deal less loud than a Susato. If you want a loud whistle with a unique sound, an excellent choice is an Overton.
But be careful with loud whistles. Are you thinking of sessions? If so, remember you can easily be way too prominent with a Susato, WW or Overton. Which, if you’ve only been playing a short time, you may want to think twice about.