Hello all.
Just registered but have been following this useful oracle for a couple of years.
I’ve just purchased a Dixon alloy low G and find it too breathy for my taste, like it’s got condensation (it hasn’t). I’ve two other Dixons (alloy soprano D and polymer low D) and it’s way more breathy than either. I even have a Clarke original which is generally reckoned to be a breathy whistle but it’s worse than that. The head LOOKS fine.
I bought it because I heard one in a recent session and liked the sound but I’m not too keen on this one. Has anyone else got one who could make a comment? Do you think I should exchange it or is another one going to be the same?
Talk to Tony Dixon - see what he says…
I have had a couple of Dixon whistles, a high D brass body and the low D with plastic head and aluminium body. I didn’t like either of them. The low D in particular was overly breathy, very quiet and required very careful breath control. I remember getting my first real low D (an MK) about a year later, and being completely overwhelmed by it after the experience with the Dixon.
I have several Dixons. A brass Trad in D, a polymer low D and an alloy A. I like them all for various reasons. The Alloy A is by far the ‘breathiest’ sounding of the three but I love it for that reason.
As Phil says above, it may still be worth getting in touch with Tony Dixon if you think it is abnormal in any way.
I have a Dixon alloy low G. Mine’s actually quite sweet-sounding; it’s not really breathy all (of course I can make it sound breathy by altering my embouchure.) It’s actually my favorite whistle because of how sweet-sounding it is.
As others have suggested, you should contact Mr. Dixon if you think it’s not up to specs.
Thanks for the input chaps. It sounds as though Mathyou9’s one is like the one I heard in the session. I’ll have a word with Mr Dixon though (the place I bought it from hasn’t been too helpful yet). I suppose some of the problem is the age-old one, that they sound different to the player than the audience.
Hi
I have both the low G (polymer head and aluminium body) and D. The G was bought some time ago and is a nice whistle medium volume but good tonal quality, carries well in a session. I understand that there have been recent modifications to this model.
The D was acquired 3 years ago and is the old DXOO3 model, non-tunable straight bore polymer. This whistle was on the quiet side for volumn and required a lot of air to play. I have since modified the windway and blade with aluminium from a soft drink can. This now has medium volumn and takes less air than either my Kerry Songbird or Susato Kerry Low D. It has good response and transfers smoothly from the lower to upper octave. It has not lost that elusive Dixon sound but has a deep resonance that my other Low D’s don’t have. The DX003 has been superceeded by the TX003 (I think this is the model number) and I understand from members on the forum is quite different from the older model.
As mentioned above ‘talk to Mr Dixon’.
Could you add some details - by PM if you prefer. I would like to reduce the air requirements on my new-design low D. Is it hard to do right? I rate this as a very good whistle but it could be outstanding if its air requirements were a little lower, especially at the top end.
The new model numbers are: TB003D, TB0012D, TB500D (non-tunable, tunable with polymer tuning slide, tunable with brass tuning slide). From your descriptions it sounds as if the design change has improved it lots, but I have never played the old version to compare.
Hi Dr Phill
Have sent you a PM in reply to your posting.
Ian
UPDATE:
I have added a piece of thin plastic to the bottom of the windway of the Dixon (tapered bore low D), and it has had a really pleasant effect on the air requirements. There is a slight increase in ‘breathiness’ at the bottom end, but the notes are as strong as ever. The reduction in air consumption is most marked at the top end - making the high notes much more accessible. For me this is an improvement.
The plastic is ‘stuck’ down with a non-sticky glue (called Pritt in the UK), so this is currently a reversible tweak. I reckoned that this whistle was good value before - but it just got better.
Thanks to Ian who prodded me into tweaking with his accounts of tweaking.
Quick update; I contacted Tony Dixon and he suggested I return it to him for his opinion. He agreed it was a tad breathy and sent a tested replacement which was better. So top marks for Mr D.
Have to say your ‘top marks’ don’t surprise me at all when I’ve found Tony Dixon so consistently helpful in tweaking/replacing his modestly priced whistles to meet my demands that I’ve previously (just weeks ago) complimented him on ‘probably the finest customer service I’ve ever received anywhere!’
