i’m thinking of getting a beginner low D, i’m looking for something not too expensive and doesn’t require too much air. i was thinking o f susato, or a dixon, i know susatos can be loud and some poeple don’t like the sound, but i have a low G, i and quite like it.
i also came across a Merlin polymer low whistle and a Brady whistle, i don’t know much about these whistles, has anyone had experience with them?
which would be the best amongst the relatively inexpensive low whistles?
Hi
Just as another option, you might want to check out Guido’s websitehttp://www.ggwhistles.com/
He makes a very nice Low whistle, and at 49euros its a good deal.
I got one from his whistle exchange scheme and I like it a lot 
You could always have a go at making one yourself 
Hope this helps.
Personally I would always opt for a Tony Dixon. The polymer low D’s are ridiculously cheap and as long as you are prepared to live with the sound created by polymer over aluminium you should be happy. However there is the small issue of ease and comfort and I would urge you to try before you buy. Depending on your handsize, you may find the Dixon polymer a bit uncomfortable. Having said that I have never found any difficulty with my aluminium.
But the main thing I must empasise should be to try and find one you can play without having to stretch too far. Maybe nip along to your local session and talk to some of the whistlers - they are almost always a sociable gang and for the price of a pint will talk the legs off a donkey.
I have experience with the Susato, the Dixon and the Guido Gonzato low D’s. In fact I just received the Gonzato today. All three are whistles well worth owning. All three have a different character. The Susato is not a loud whistle. It has a nice tone to it, IMO. The Gonzato has a good strong voice. Of the three, the Dixon is the quietest but still has fair volume and a nice sound. I would not suggest either the Susato or the Gonzato as a beginner’s whistle due to tone hole size or spacing. The Dixon is the more user friendly of the three for a beginner.
I have no experience with the Brady or Merlin. You should do a search on both. They have been discussed here in the past.
Have you looked into Daniel Bingamon’s economic stimuls package? http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=63906
Feadoggie
Dixons aren’t bad whistles at all, though a bit quiet. It may take you a while to get a solid low D since it’s rather easy to pop into the 2nd octave D.
I have medium-sized male hands, and find the Dixon easy to play. That being said, since I started playing flute my Dixon doesn’t get used much. I can play my flute just as quiet, if I desire. And if I am in a low whistle mood, I’m more likely to grab my Howard. The Howard Low D was a bit harder to learn to play - bigger holes, more backpressure - but it has more of that cosmic drainpipe low whistle sound, too. But this is quibbling - the Dixon is a good whistle, very affordable, and one of the easier ones to start with.
Also, if you get a Dixon tunable low D, you can get a flute head to go with it (it’s sold with both flute and whistle heads as the “Dixon Duo”). Be aware that it’s an OK flute, and an easy way to try flute without spending a lot of money, but if you get serious you’ll want something better - at the very least, a higher quality cylindrical flute like a Tipple or a beginner-model conical flute. I occasionally still play the Dixon as a flute just because I have it, but it’s harder to get a good tone on than either of my conical flutes (Cochran R & R and Burns FF)
ahh, i 'm afraid its not possible cause there aren’t any sessions where i live. but about finger stretch, i do play a susato low G , and i find the finger spacing manageable, so would a low D be much harder? i’ve heard dixons have the most manageable finger spacing when it comes to low Ds
My first low D was a Howard. It took me several weeks to get beyond sounding like a flock of sick ducks. Almost gave up. But I did practice and finally muscle memory in my fingers took over, and I was able to land the pipers gripe on the holes. I sold it to fund an Overton low D. I also now have a Dixon plastic low D. The Overton will play louder and takes less air than the Dixon. Laying the Overton, and Dixon side by side shows the bottom holes on the Dixon a little closer. Some of the holes are smaller on the Dixon. I have to use the pipers grip on the Overton, and I can play the Dixon with my finger tips if I want to. The windway on the Dixon is taller than the Overton, and i need to take a few more breaths to play the Dixon. One thing with a whistle is do not look at your fingers. Just keep practicing till your fingers find the holes, and muscle memory will take over. It’s just like your computer keyboard, and there is only six holes not 26 letters to find.
althoughthereareonlytwentysixlettersonakeyboardyoumightalsowantto
locatethespacebarandtheshiftkeysomepunctuationmarksmayalsocomein
handyhaveyoureadsrchyandmehitableitsabookaboutacockroachwhotypes
onanoldtypewriterbuthecantdopunctuationfortunatelyhecandospacesthough
On a more serious note, I think that finding the holes with fingers rather than eyes is good, and is another reason not to submit to WhOA or whatever it’s called. It’s harder to switch between lots of whistles with different hole spacings than just concentrating on playing a few whistles well.
Stay Hoopy,
Mike
If you can handle a Susato low G, then a Dixon low D will/ should be a piece of cake. People on the thread have also spoken about Howard’s and Overton’s and undoubtedly these are beautiful instruments, but I think that for a beginner the Dixon is your best bet.
Sorry, Mike, I had to reset your, er, sentence. The overrun was driving me crazy.
I love Archy and Mehitabel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archy_and_mehitabel
Oooh - can I wear my “I’ve been moderated” T-shirt now?
Stay Hoopy
(and punctuated)
Mike
..
hmm i also read that dixons take a lot of air, although some say they take very little, so i’m confused. i’ve asked whistlers on youtube, one guy said it really took a lot, and another said it doesn’t require that much, i guess it all depends on the individual.
how would a dixon compare to say a susato? someone in the forums said that it takes even less air than an untweaked original clarke, 
, while i’ve had someone tell me that he played it until he was blue in the face lol
hmm i also read that dixons take a lot of air, although some say they take very little, so i’m confused. i’ve asked whistlers on youtube, one guy said it really took a lot, and another said it doesn’t require that much, i guess it all depends on the individual.
YouTube! Aw, c’mon, we’re the experts here working day and night just for you, right? Basically, it’s all relative to your prior experience. I’ve owned a dozen, if not more, low D’s. The Dixon is one of the easiest Low D’s to start out with, all things considered - stretch, hole size, air and price.
Feadoggie
That is correct. The difference in opinion of how much air to play a low D probably comes from whether a person is a shallow breather or breaths with their diaphragm. Shallow breathers take in air with the top part of their lungs by raising the chest a little. Breathing with the diaphragm the tummy will raise. Shallow breathing can be changed. With some practice a low D can be just as easy to play as a smaller whistle.
i love my dixon low D easy to play and never lets me down