How would you describe the differencies between Dixon’s brass, nickel and aluminium trads? Preferably, if you compare the sound to Jerry Freeman’s Mellow Dog D, which is my “main” D at the moment.
Anyone? Planning to buy one. I’ve read good reviews, but how does nickel differ from brass or aluminium.
Hi
I’ve got a Trad Brass,very nice whistle it is to.
Get one, at the price their worth every penny. 
Cheers
I got two dixons, the Traditional Whistle in brass (DXTRAD) and the Tuneable Aluminium High Whistle (DX002)
I like them both very much. I like the aluminium a bit more, but the trad is also very good.
The trad is a bit easier to play, requires a bit less pressure to play than the aluminium one. I like the sound of the aluminum whistle a bit more, the sound of the trad is a bit more ‘sharp’, the aluminium whistle has a more smooth sound and I also like the bit of pressure you have to give (although it’s very little pressure).
Ok, now we are talking 
Any comments about the nickel trad?
I got a nickel trad and like it very much. I haven’t got much to compare it too except for some Generations. It’s my favorite whistle at the moment
I’ve got a brass Dixon Trad, and a Mellow Dog on the way. I’ll compare the two when it gets here, if someone else doesn’t chime in with a comparison first.
I have a Dixon Trad, brass, and a Freeman Mellow Dog. The Mellow Dog (MD) is a larger bore. The Dixon’ tube fits inside the MD tube. My experience is that the Dixon plays much like my Sindt and my Gen and Feadog. The breath requirements are about the same or slightly less than the Sindt and the cheapies. The major difference is that on the MD you need to blow much harder to get the second octave A and B. If you are going from the MD to the Dixon you might tend to over blow those two notes. In terms of sound, I think the Dixon has a smoother tone and the MD is a bit chiffier. I hope this helps.
Mike
Ok, I got my Mellow Dog set yesterday. I pretty much agree with burnsbyrne.
The Mellow Dog needs a higher breath requirement, but has less tendency to squeak than the Trad. Some of this may have come from going back and forth between the 2, since I normally don’t have as much problem with squeaking on the Trad.
To me, the 2nd octave on the MD has a breathier sound than the Trad, which is more pure sounding to my ears. Both have hints of chiff in the 2nd octave.
If you want, I could do an audio comparison of the 2 tonight or tomorrow. Just let me know.
I will say this: If I only had the 2 to choose from as a main session whistle, I’d be the Mellow Dog.
I find the brass Vs. nickel Trad to be very similar to brass Vs. nickel Generation. The nickel has a harder, smoother surface - this seems to absorb less of the sound energy and results in a louder whistle with more linear roll-off of harmonics. In the Generation high D family, this is most aparent at the 11th and 12th harmonics. But there are also difference in the “psuedo-noise” in-between the defined harmonics - I use the term “psuedo” because the “noise” is somewhat regular. Very much akin to the phantom traces that can be seen in the chaotic bits of any chaos graph (e.g. energy/turbulence or birth-rate/predation etc etc). It never fails to astound me how well the human ear can detect these very subtle things!
Subjectively, you could say the brass sounds “warmer” or “Darker” and the nickel sounds “broader” or “more open”.
I just bought the Dixon thick-walled tunable high D. And it is HEAVY!!! Quiet whistle (especially the lowest notes). A wee bit raspy, which is sometimes a good thing. Well-tuned.
Thanks for the well defined views about the whistles. I ended up to order a nickel trad because I already have a Freeman Mellow Dog D (which I like a lot). I have also several home made D’s (two copper, aluminium and two plastic ones), so I think this will add that “openness and clarity” when needed. Still, I guess I’m going to buy Generation D brass and nickel whistles too, since they are so cheap and easy to get.
Next I’m going to hunt some more pipe for more plastic whistles. I found a new resource for orange tube; road marking poles. In Finland the county marks the roads with such, in case of heavy snowing, so that the snowplow driver sees where the road goes. The spring is here and the poles are no longer needed. I noticed a couple broken ones near where I live, so I think they are available for recycling 
Where (online) can one find all these different Dixons? I forget where I got my trad, but they only had brass…
This eBay store has a pretty good selection & they are not too high-priced. Also sometimes that seller auctions them, & then the whistles usually go for less-- http://stores.ebay.com/North-Art-Heritage-Music. I know that Big Whistle carries Dixon whistles as well.
Indie
I bought mine from Big Whistle
Actually, just happened to coincidentally buy a fife from ebay 
“My mind is going.” - Hal, 2001 Space Odyssey
squidgirl
You can see them all on Tony’s site - http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/catalogue/dixonshop.html
I’ve watched and played Tony’s whistles since he started off with the D polymer. I have several types in most keys. My Favourite is my Ally body Polymer head Tuneable Eb. It has an amazingly rich sound. He’s a great guy, reliable and will put himself out to help anybody who is having problems. He made me a special extended headjoint for my Eb when I had shoulder surgery so that the whistle holes were down by my fingers when in a sling. He know has a fantastic website and business.
Got my Dixon nickel trad yesterday. What a fine whistle! 