I’m trying to decide between two tuneable alto A whistles - a Dixon polymer DX007 and a DX107 with an aluminium body.
I have four Dixon whistles already - in E, D, C and a low D. I really like the nickel high D and the polymer low D. The E whistle is ok (it sounds better with the D head). The C is ok, but it looks a bit odd (small head on wide shoulders) and I’m not sure if this change in diameter adversely affects the tone and volume.
The polymer A whistle looks like a scaled down version of the low D, whereas the aluminum version looks like a scaled up version of the C whistle, which makes me lean towards the polymer option, but I do prefer the idea of an aluminium whistle.
I’d appreciate thoughts / comments from anyone with experience of these whistles. Please don’t reply suggesting alternative manufacturers. (I’m making do with a homemade modified Gen Bb at the moment.)
I’ve tried both: the polymer is very good but the aluminium has a bit more character in the sound, fuller and with a bit more volume, so I bought that.
Mike, I carried a set of polymer Dixons to work with me each day for many years including the DX007 low A. I liked it. I’ve played a few Dixons with the aluminum bodies and never felt a need to “upgrade” to the aluminum. My observation is that the heads (on the current models) are the same design on both and render a similar sound. But YMMV.
Looking again, the heads do appear to be similar from the pictures. I’m a little concerned that the joint is the same way around as on the C whistle, with the bulge on the head rather than on the tube, but I guess that opens up the possibility for me to make my own tubes (very occasionally I could make good use of a a B and an Ab whistle).
Update: In the end, I went for the polymer whistle, which arrived last week. It’s lovely, with a rich tone and it has plenty of volume, maybe due to the wider bore than the tweaked Bb Gen that I played as my A whistle before. I’m still getting used to it - which fingering do people prefer for C natural on this whistle?
I see I’m a bit late, but I was going to suggest the Dixon polymer A anyway. I use it a lot at our session mainly for backing songs and love the sound of it, many have complimented the sound of it too. I also have the polymer Bb and the same goes for that. However I’m not mad about the polymer C from Dixon, but I’ve no idea what I would replace it with. I got the aluminium low D but TBH I think I would have preferred the polymer, I had tested both in a shop and was undecided and only went with the aluminium because the guy I was with just said it looked more solid. My only other Dixon then is a Trad high D in brass.
I’m not sure about cross fingering on that A whistle as I mainly half hole the Cnat, but I don’t recall having any issues with the standard OXXOOO either. Don’t have them here to check at the moment. I think you’ll love the polymer Bb too if you don’t already have one!
Thanks for that, Blaydo. oxx ooo almost works, but doesn’t sound quite in tune to my ears. Odd that the polymer C isn’t great whereas the Bb is. I wonder if it’s the design, or just variability between whistles in the same key. I’ve posted before about loving my Dixon trad in D, but I have a whistlehead on my Dixon trad E whistle which just isn’t as pleasing, so I generally swap heads if there’s time to change.
Maybe a Dixon in G is next for me, but I’ve heard mixed reviews…
Mike, I’ve had enough Dixons to be able to offer that there is a bit of variablity from whistle to whistle and from key to key. But in general they are pretty good whistles.
The Dixon G I had was my favorite Dixon whistle. YMMV.
Yeah was thinking of buying a Dixon G and F myself, I got to try them and they’re nice. I do also need an Eb as that seems to come up enough times at the session. Do Dixon do a good Eb anyone know? Or can you recommend one?
I have a whole fleet of Susato whistles that I really enjoy. But when I got my A whistle I decided there are some ranges that just sound better on a flute. My Tipple A flute is 20x better than my A whistle. I don’t doubt you can buy a better whistle. I’m just not sure my Tipple wouldn’t sound better.
(On the other side, I’d rather play a whistle than a piccolo on anything higher than high C. The ones in the middle are less clear.)