I’m at the local music mega store today, (looking at 12 string guitars - don’t ask), when I spy a little Acorn D whistle. Okay, for nine and a half bucks I can hardly pass it up, right? So I pick a black one (acorn whistle, not guitar) and check out.
Get home and unbox the Acorn, only to find that it sounds horrible It’s got this nasty raspy sound on every not through both octaves. This is certainly the worst whistle I’ve ever purchased (even worse than my old narrow bore Susato A whistle!)
I’ve looked very closely at all the important parts and can’t find any rough edges, hanging chads or other defects. Now I’m 99.9 % sure this is one of the “New Acorns” and not the older version, so I’m very dissapointed - especially since I tried one about a year ago that was surprisingly good.
Perhaps I just got unlucky, but for anyone else out there considering an Acorn: I strongly suggest you try before you buy, unless you just enjoy thowing money away…
I had an Oak with the type of mouthpiece pictured on the Acorn.
I tweaked it until I completely destroyed it, but I could never get the raspiness out of it.
I still have the pretty nickel plated body in my junk drawer… I don’t know why I haven’t stuck a Walton’s fipple on it and got some use out of it.
You’re not wrong Raindog,Waltons are in a league of their own and if you remove the crappy varnish off the brass C whistles the tone and tuning is on par with many expensive whistles…the waltons D seems a little more problematic due to sharing the same size bore as its sibling.The acorn color is pretty wild and would be a real head turner with a green fipple dont you think? Mike
[ This Message was edited by: mike.r on 2001-09-23 06:05 ]
Loren,I may be a bit bent ,but I actually love the mongrel variety of whistle out there as I find the challenge of bringing some of these zombies to life irresistable …just the color is worth the price of admission for the one on the left of Raindogs post. Mike
Thanks for the warning/info/diagrams guys. Couple of weeks ago I was in a Sam Ash getting a clarinet mouthpiece for my daughter when I espied the Acorn for the first time; I had already paid, so passed it up. Coincidentally, Loren, among my worst whistles is also a Susato narrow bore A. Phil O.
It’s got this nasty raspy sound on every not through both octaves. This is certainly the worst whistle I’ve ever purchased (even worse than my old narrow bore Susato A whistle!)
or other defects. Now I’m 99.9 % sure this is one of the “New Acorns” and not the older version, so I’m very dissapointed - especially since I tried one about a year ago that was surprisingly good.