I ordered a Tony Dixon DX203 Tuesday which shipped that night and got here about noon today, maybe 36-40 hours later. US Post Office done good. Priority mail.
What a whistle! The easy playability amazes me. Shifts between octaves seem effortless and stable right into the third octave. Unlike all the other high D’s I have [eight of em so far. all cheapies] , the tone is so pure and sweet that the upper half of the second octave and beyond doesn’t pierce my eardrums. It will still cut through extraneous noise because the notes are so focussed. <yes, that’s the spelling I prefer. I notice also that getting the second octave D does not need the C# hole opened to produce a clean tone. My Bb Chieftain is the same way.
Notes can be bent/slid easily and half-holing is also easy, though the holes are not large diameter, but are deep because of the thick brass. The weight is noticeable but feels good, and the instrument looks and feels high quality.
The only weak point I’ve found this early in having it is that the low D has to be babied a bit with precise breath control or it will pop right up into the next octave, but that seems to be not difficult if you’ve ever dealt with that sort of thing before.
Sorry about any excess of enthusiasm in this report. But I do love this thing; it makes me feel like a better player.
Have to say I love the 203 so much that I’ve now got two 203 Ds (long story, but ask and I might tell) and a 203 C! Also that, from experience of the trad and a 006 (which shares the trad mouthpiece now given to the 204, but I sent back), I can’t see how the 204 can be a sonic improvement (with the main reason for the change apparently being easier manufacturing and repair if you’ve broken it)…
I just don’t see how it could be made much better. The 203 seems nearly perfect to me, as much as anything can be “perfect”. Just for the heck of it, I played all my other high D’s yesterday afternoon before ending with the 203. Wow. I like all my little cheapies, but this Dixon is head and whole upper body above them. Worth every penny and more. shhh, don’t tell Tony I said that last word. It may be because of the thickness of the brass, the resistance to vibration it gives, plus the depth of the tone holes. If that’s the case, the 204 may be very good; I’d love to hear one. I suspect I’ll get one of them when I can afford it. I’ve suddenly become a Tony Dixon fan.
How is the C? I’ve pretty much decided on one of those as my Christmas, or any time whatever, present to myself if I can find one.
Okay, I’m asking, how did you end up, [so far], with two?
I love mine so much that I may need a backup just in case of accidental destruction.
Very, very nice (just couldn’t put it down the night I got it, when it seemed even better than the D), although back with Tony at the moment for him to look at a slack tuning slide and strange (as in having developed since new) tendency to clog to mushy sound very quickly.
I’ve pretty much decided on one of those as my Christmas, or any time whatever, present to myself if I can find one.
Imported mine from Canada (got the last from North Art Heritage Music), but think I might just get away with whispering (not implying anything, mind!) ‘Tony still has the tooling’…
Okay, I’m asking, how did you end up, [so far], with two?
Got the first one and loved it, but thought the tuning slide over-tight and the bell note just a tad fragile for the pressure I felt it wanted (not ‘popping right up into the next octave’ as you describe, but maybe just tending to burble slightly on occasion). So discussed this with Tony and arranged to try a second one (note that they can differ with even the ‘plastic’ voicing being hand-finished) with the intention of sending one back, got the second, found he’d given me exactly what I asked for (perfect slide friction and firmer bell note) but there was still an extra indefinable magic about the first (a ‘fantastic silvery sheen that’s silky smooth in a completely non-woolly way, making it a Very Special Whistle Indeed regardless of the points that prompted me to request the second for comparison’). So couldn’t let the first go, couldn’t let the second go, and kept them both (just subtly different, but still enough to tell them apart blindfold) to enjoy!
I wasn’t commenting on the whistle, it was just a throw away quip as you get plenty of here. It does sound a bit like a motorbike don’t you think - Dixon DX203
I don’t actually care what Peter Duggan thinks is the best whistle. It’s all just opinions after all.
Ah right! (As light slowly dawns.) The name sounds a bit like a motorbike. Not (necessarily) the whistle. And not that there’s any one particular whistle that is oustandingly better than all others no matter what.
OK, TBH I didn’t get this either and assumed bogman to be having a go at my ‘burbling’ and ‘fantastic silvery sheen’ comments, which I found a little uncomfortable when I’ve stuck my neck out a bit by quoting my own (fairly personal) words to Tony Dixon, who’s gone out of his way to help me at a price point where you can’t necessarily expect that level of attention.
Funnily enough, neither do I, so challenge any of you to find anything anywhere where I described any whistle as the best!
It’s all just opinions after all.
Surely some things are subjective, some objective and some both. But, yes, we’re talking opinions here and, like I said, I never claimed it as the best… just said I liked it so much I had to keep two!
Well, now that’s settled to the satisfaction of all. And no blood spilled.
I must admit there is a little burble before the low D jumps up like Johnny. But I would hesitate to alter anything whatever; that “silvery sheen” is too good to lose by mucking about with it myself in any way, and I live too distant from the courteous Mister Dixon; I’m in far-off Florida, USA.
If we’re talking about motorcycles, I used to own one that had the model name: X6.
Hmmmmm… I had Puch 125 and with the muffler off it still did not sound like a whistle.
How bout a sound clip. I have never head a whistle that sounds like a motor bike.
That is absolutely lovely, both the playing and the whistle sound. I’ve never heard that tune before so I found the music (http://tinyurl.com/6sc8kpt) and will learn this one. I love airs so thank you for introducing me to this one. I’m also going to record it with my whistles so I can compare the sounds.
On the Dixon website it says this model is custom order. I’m wondering if I should get one before they’re no longer available? They say the 204 replaces it and that one uses the same head as the Trad so I know it’s the not same whistle head and from the quick research I did, the 203 is reported to sound better.
Thanks. Not sure about the playing (as always, things I’d change even now), but think it’s a fair sampler for the whistle.
I’ve never heard that tune before so I found the music (> http://tinyurl.com/6sc8kpt> ) and will learn this one. I love airs so thank you for introducing me to this one. I’m also going to record it with my whistles so I can compare the sounds.
It’s absolutely one of my favourites, and one that strikes me as particularly well suited to a limpid high D (sometimes I play it on low D, but not sure that’s an improvement). But I definitely prefer it without the accidentals (yep, I know many folk play them) when it’s surely Aeolian through-and-through, and can’t quite see it at the 100 bpm (almost jig time!) given in the Q field of that notation…
On the Dixon website it says this model is custom order. I’m wondering if I should get one before they’re no longer available? They say the 204 replaces it and that one uses the same head as the Trad so I know it’s the not same whistle head and from the quick research I did, the 203 is reported to sound better.
While the 204’s taken its place in the regular Dixon catalogue, my understanding is that the 203 will continue to be available indefinitely as a ‘special’. Also not sure how much real info on the 204 quality there is out there yet, so hoping you’re not just referring to my speculation on earlier threads here (informed speculation because I’ve got the trads and had the 006 to compare, but speculation nonetheless).
I notice also that getting the second octave D does not need the C# hole opened to produce a clean tone. My Bb Chieftain is the same way.