I’m considering getting an inexpensive plastic beat around “camp whistle” to take with me to places that I wouldn’t take my Overton. I have tried a Susato and am familiar with that. I was wondering how the Dixons and Hoovers are different.
Thanks
“Watchin’ the sky, ready to fly!”
[ This Message was edited by: skywatcher on 2002-08-12 12:26 ]
I have all three (the Susato is a Dublin model). The Dixon is much closer to the Overton in terms of hole spacing and bore. It also seems to take a lot less air that the Susato
I personally find the Susato to be very uncomfortable to play, even with a piper’s grip, for two reasons. The finger stretch involved causes cramping in my right hand and the holes are so big that I cannot get a tight seal, especially on the E hole (right middle finger). When the whistle is held horisontally and viewed from the side, that hole and one other seem to show a concave profile and actually follow the curvature of the barrel resulting in a higher top and bottom rim than the side rims, if that makes any sense to you.
Chuck,
Which do you prefer: Dixon or Hoover. How are those two different?
Thanks!
Hmmm… I guess I´m respectless or something..
I use to bring my Copeland Low D and Sterling D when kanoing, rock-climbing, homepartys, and sun/bath vacations.
I also use to bring my Lowden O23 and Martin D16T ($2500/$1700) on similar tripps.
Don´t mean to sound snobby or something, but I feel that if something breaks/becomes damaged then… shit happens!
I feel (for me that is) that it´s wrong to not use these beloved instruments when it counts the most. Putting down all this money and “only” bring it out in the home is a pitty IMO. I want these instruments to make nice music whenever there is music played, I want them to be used as much as possible.
/Pan
Pan, thanks for your opinion. I prefer to have the odds of something happening to my finest whistle pretty low. You’re right in the fact that “stuff happens”, but I also wear my seatbelt whenever I am in the car to keep the odds of something happening to me as low as possible. I occasionally play in + or - 30 degrees F. I haven’t ever
been able to keep an all aluminum whistle from having difficulties playing in these temperatures. I wouldn’t have such a problem with a plastic whistle.
I don 't have a Hoover low D, and apologize for giving that impression. That said, I have absolute faith that if Mack sells it, it’ll be a fine instrument. I nearly did buy one, in fact, except that I’d just blown my wad on the Overton and about that time found myself cured of WhOA (or at least more interested in holding my marriage together than buying more whistles.)
A year or so back, Loren did some measurements of various low whistles, but that thread would have been on the old forum and not recoverable. Perhaps someone saved that information???
On 2002-08-12 16:20, Pan wrote:
I use to bring my Copeland Low D and Sterling D when… rock-climbing…
AND:
I also use to bring my Lowden O23 and Martin D16T
Pan
Dude, Rock Climbing with a Low D and a Dreadnaught guitar on you? Don’t they bounce around a little too much when ya gotta throw a wicked dyno up to a some dinky crimper, bro? 
Loren
When did Mack start making low D’s? What material are they made from?
JP
sorry. I just assumed that Mack had made low D’s.
Sky,
I know the entire exercise here is to find a whistle to play in various temps. I think you might find that even a plastic whistle is going to have a hard time in colder temps and wind conditions. I had a Susato that I took w/ me up Sisters and couldn’t hardly play it due to the wind and altitude. 'Course my fingers didn’t stick to it like an aluminum whistle would, but hey what’s a litle skin.
If it were me I would try the Dixon, seeing as the air requirements aren’t as severe as the Susato. If Mack makes a Low whistle definitely go that route. I recently acquired one of his soprano D’s and it’s awesome.
Loren,
why chose the easy path in life. Always in for a good challenge.. 
/Pan
I’ve owned an Overton, Susato, Hoover and Dixon… all low D’s
The Dixon is the only one I kept.