Good morning. 
I’m considering a Busman whistle and would love your reactions. I don’t suppose there is anyone in the Kansas City, Mo area who would be willing to let me take one for a test drive?
Whitey
I’m afraid I don’t live in your area (otherwise I’d be happy to let you take a “test drive”), but I can tell you this…my Busman is one of the finest instruments of any type I’ve ever owned. It has a strong, clear, richly textured voice that is a joy to hear. It’s not a “beginner’s whistle” (but then, anyone who’s thinking of spending $200 for a pennywhistle probably isn’t a beginner anyway)…if you’re used to Generations and Clarkes, it will take a little practice to get used to the back pressure…but it’s well worth the effort. You couldn’t get mine away from me with a machine gun.
Redwolf
I was just playing mine last night, and gained a whole new appreciation for it. I’ve been playing mostly flute lately, and one thing I love about the flute is how much you can vary the volume in both octaves. I took out the Busman last night and played an air that I’ve been playing on the flute. I was able to vary the volume of the whistle with minimal octave dropping/jumping, and also with minimal affect on the pitch. This is very unusual, and I think it makes this whistle more expressive than any other that I own.
There’s been a lot said about Paul’s whistles on the forum. I think the consensus is that they’re very beautiful, very well balanced across the octaves, with a pure sound that has just a hint of breathiness that makes them kind of mellow.
I personally use it mostly for airs, O’Carolan, and such, rather than for rip-roaring jigs and reels.
I play mostly airs on mine as well (actually, I play mostly airs, period), but I have noticed that it’s one of the easiest whistles for me to use on fast dance tunes as well…something about being able to “lean into it” seems to free up the fingers.
Definitely, though, if you do a search on “Busman Whistles” here, you’ll find a lot of happy campers.
Redwolf
Busmans are excellent.
I’ve had my Busman ebony soprano D for over a year now, and it is one of my most-played whistles for things that require a sweet, low-chiff sound. It has fairly high backpressure, and a very easy blow. It tends to the quiet side - probably not gonna kick butt in a large session, but small group work is wonderful! Perfectly in tune from bell note to the top, with excellent response in the octave, too!
Speaking as a maker, I can truly appreciate the exceptional care and craftsmanship that Paul puts into his work. This is a fine whistle, indeed, and in my opinion, worth considerably more than his $200 pricetag. To get a whistle of this quality from anyone else, expect to spend over $300.
Paul Busman makes an outstanding whistle!
Bill Whedon
Serpent Music
Have to agree…
My Dogwood Busman is a very fine instrument. It is the one that I use by far the most. It has the character I like the most, and is the one that I feel really lets me put soul into my whistle music.
I have had it about one month, and as I get use to it, I can put more and more feel into the tunes; this holds true for all types of tunes. I play a lot of waltzes along with other reels and jigs, and the waltzes can be really moving.
I am doing a recording project at the moment, and this is the whistle I’ve been using for all but one tune.
For the money, it seems to me to be the best deal I’ve spent on any quality instrument.
I own an early Busman Kingwood D. It is my only wooden whistle. I am used to Burkes, and yet the Busman back pressure is acceptable and satisfying…Both the man and his whistles are first-rate…
Best.
Byll
'Course, now comes the really hard question: Which wood? Will it be stately kingwood? Rich pau rosa? Beautiful bocote? Exotic cocobolo? Basic blackwood? And will those fittings be in warm brass or shiny stainless?
Ah, such exquisite torture! Don’t laugh…I agonized before finally choosing kingwood and brass for my beautiful Nightingale!
Redwolf
Are they really quiet? I’d have thought they were on the loud side based on past postings and their similarity (maybe only skin deep) to Thinweasels.
How do they compare to the volume of a Burke Pro-Session?
-Brett
Another happy Busman player. I think Chas’s initial description summed up my feelings about it’s specific qualities. It’s my favourite wooden D which means I like it better than my Abell and my Thin Weasel and, when I’m playing it, it’s my favourite D period. Sometimes my thin Weasel and some of my metal Ds seem just a touch more responsive—I suppose this is what people who think it’s best suited to slow airs are getting at—but in all other respects it’s my best D, although by no means my most expensive. Make no mistake though, if it’s not responsive enough for dance tunes, I suspect that’s the player not the instrument, even though some metal whistles do ‘pop’ a little more readily.
Now, since I have a pink ivory tube with blackwood head I’d have to recommend that you buy something else altogether. 
I don’t want to lose the one feature that makes my whistling unique. Seriously, I don’t think Paul would make you one unless he’d just had an accident with an ivory head and a blackwood tube. I’m not sure that he even works with ivory any more since it’s notoriously temperamental. That’s a shame since it looks and sounds beautiful.
Now to the question of volume. I was thinking that my Thin Weasel was far and away my loudest wooden whistle until the other day when I noticed the Busman getting really quite assertive. Perhaps it has a slightly more complex sound that makes it seem softer. I’m not sure but I doubt that there’s a huge difference although most of the time the Weasel seems louder, especially a the top of the second octave. The Abell and the Busman are about the same in volume.
No…I wouldn’t describe mine as quiet. It has enough volume to carry quite handily in a session.
Redwolf