I know this is almost a religious debate 
but I would like to get some opinions and experiences on the two makes of Low D whistles. Apart from the considerable price difference I have a hard time making up my mind which one to get.
I would appreciate any comments, insights and experiences from this very knowledgable crowd here. Things that come to mind: sound, air requirements, ease to play (i.e. manageable by a novice) etc.
Thanks in advance,
Iâve never played a Copeland but my Overton is special. Good volume, that lovely âreedy, buzzyâ sound you get from the Overtons. Stretch is easy on the newer type with the smaller and closer-in hole 6.
Not a religious debate for me. 
Both whistles are of course very, very nice.
As for air requirements, both makers (Copeland / Goldie) can customize their whistles to a certain degree, to suit your preference in that regard, but my impression is (see another recent Copeland low D thread) that âstandardâ Copelands take more air than âstandardâ Overtons.
Both whistles are relatively easy to play, as low Ds go. A new Goldie-made Overton has (I believe) a shorter finger reach than any other low D out there, but the Copelandâs reach is also very managable, and IMHO the much smaller diameter of (especially the lower part of) the Copelandâs tube more than compensates for the slightly longer reach.
I believe your main criterium for choosing one of the whistles should be which sound you prefer. Overtons have the âclassicâ low whistle sound; imagine blowing into it and getting that ghostly âoooohâ sound back. 
Copelands, on the other hand, have a more flute-like tone, ranging from soft and silky, to hard and reedy if you lean into it (although some Overtons can be quite reedy too). In my opinion, a Copeland feels more like a âvery big high whistleâ, whereas an Overton feels more like a different instrument altogether.
Jens
Well, I own a Copeland, and used to own an Overton (still own it, but the person I lent it to is an arse). If I didnt have any low whistle, I think that today Iâd go with an Overton because itâs half the price. Youâre getting much more than âhalf the price of a Copelandâ whistle with an Overton, and I think itâs the best value for the price.
Iâm telling you this because I love both sounds, but I love Copelandâs slightly more. If they were the same price, Iâd go for a Copeland. But I think Overton is the best whistle out there considering the price, and Copeland is getting way too expensive for what it is.
So, if you donât care about money and an extra 200$US doesnt make a difference for you, go with the sound you prefer, if it is Copeland. If not, go with an Overton.
Iâve tried friendâs Copeland Low Ds, and they are great. I was struck by they ease with which they play.
And still I wouldnât trade my Overton for one because of the visceral pleasure I get from playing the Overton. Iâve started and deleted about fives sentences, trying to describe it, and it is of course purely subjective. But the Overton sound and feel just does it to me.
Is there any way you can get to try these babies for a day or two? If you can find out what excites you more, that would be best. You canât go wrong, either way.
Thanks, those posts help a lot already. Unfortunately I have no way of trying out or hearing any of the whistles, unless somebody here on this forum lives in the San Francisco area and would be willing to play one for me. Well, I kinda know what an Overton sounds like by listening to âThe Beauty Spotâ on one of the Solas CDs or the Live DVD, which is of course not the real deal, just a recording.
The biggest issue will be to get my hands on an Overton, I have already tried pretty much any store that I could find, also sent an email to Colin Goldie about wait times but no reply since days (maybe on holiday or something).
Yes, itâs a holiday in Germany (May 1st, Tag der Arbeit) and generally, it may take Colin & Brigitte a while to respond.
If you live in San Fran, I am sure there are whistlers around. My advice would be this (feel free to ignore, of course):
First off, donât rush into a low D. How long have you been playing? You should be pretty solid on the high D before attempting the low D (DISCLAIMER: I didnât follow this advice, but whish I had).
Do you go to listen to session? Are you in contact with other bay area whistlers? Find the sessions, use C&F to find area whistles, and donât just listen to Copeland & Overton (and Burke etc) low Ds. Play them. You might even be able to find someone willing to lend you a low D for a weekend. That is really the best thing.
You should also note that if you have never played an Overton before (and are not an experienced wind player), you will have to adjust to it: Overtons, especially a low D, really require you to play with proper breath support and pressure. That is very different from most other whistles that you merely breathe into in the gentlest fashion. (But, oh Boy, is it worth learning to play a Big O).
Hey there,
Someone mentioned in another thread â sorry, canât remember who â that theyâd sold their Copeland and bought (in their case) an OâBriain, because they wanted a whistle that sounded like a whistle, not one that sounded like a flute.
I play a Goldie Overton low D, partly for that reason. I also play flute, so I donât need to have a whistle that sounds like one. (However, if anyone was about to send me a Copeland anyway, you should go ahead.)
You might try looking at the recordings posted here:
http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm
as many of the recordings note the whistle used, and Iâm pretty sure both Copelands and Overtons are in evidence. Maybe thatâll give you an idea of their respective sounds and help you in your decision.
You might also try listening to the OâBriain whistles at www.whistleanddrum.com , as theyâve been getting good reviews, and have quite a unique sound unlike either Overton or Copeland (but still distinctly âwhistle-yâ). Iâm considering a low F, myself, once I figure out my car situation (long story, theft, insurance stalling, etc. . .)
Good luck, and have fun.
Hi,
with regard to OâBriain whistles, if you can, have a listen to Paddy Keenan on the CD âpoirt an Phiobaireâ, Paddy plays an OâBriain low D. Whether you should get a Copeland or an Overton, thatâs a good question, I have a Copeland and it sounds different to any other Low D Iâve tried. I had a Chieftain which I liked, tried a long reach Overton which I didnât due to the finger position on the lower hand, I have a Kerry-Pro which I like. I find that the Copeland can go up to 2nd Octave B really easily compared to the others which are all cylindrical, the Overton had probably the best 1st octave, slightly better than the Kerry-Pro. The Kerry-Pro was more balanced with regard to air requirement/pressure over both octaves than the Overton. The Chieftain was pretty close to the Kerry-Pro, for obvious reasons (same spacing on the tone holes). To be fair to the Overton, my first low D was the Chieftain so the Kerry-Pro suited me better than the Overton. I should have tried a short reach Overton. If you like the sound of say Lunasa go for the Overton (or Chieftain, Phil Hardy isnât making the Kerry-Pro any more) otherwise go for the Copeland. On 2nd thoughts, get both 
Cheers, Mac
Good thread. I would agree with Jens that the key to understanding the difference is that Overton embodies a classic Low D sound and the Copeland tone can only be described as flute-like, to my ears anyway.
I think the Copeland is more flutelike than
a flute. It doesnât really sound like a flute, however,
because Irish flutes donât sound like flutes.
But personally I like it better than the
Overton, of which Iâm one of the few
who has never been a fan. However
I like flutes better than either.
I also play flute, so I donât need to have a whistle that sounds like one.
I donât really agree with that. The Copeland has a flute-like tone, but that doesnât mean it sounds exactly like a flute. Copelands still primarily sound like big whistles, but in order to distinguish their sound from that of other low whistles, a descriptor like âflute-likeâ is handy. Personally I enjoy playing both flutes and my Copeland low D.
Jens
Yet again all you guys have been extremely helpful with your advise and suggestions. I listened to quite a few suggested sound samples and comparing what I heard to all the descriptions here I think that I somewhat prefer the sound the of the Overton given that I have to make a choice.
I also managed the almost impossible and found a tunable Overton in a store today and itâs on the way here with 2nd day delivery service
The Copeland also sounds lovely, maybe I can someday afford it as well.
Thanks again,
:: marcus