Greetings-
I have a Susato on order, and after reading these posts, I’m a little concerned… what is so bad about them? Please enlighten the newbie!
thanks!
You may like yours a lot. I haven’t liked the two I tried, but when I gave them to a friend, she did like them, so it’s just personal taste, I’d say.
Fear not, there’s nothing “wrong” with Susato whistles… they’re just different.
They’re certainly not for the person who desires a traditional tinwhistle sound, but they are still quite respectable whistles.
If you still have any worries, just listen to Mick Woodruff playing ‘The Mason’s Apron’ on his Susato soprano D… that’ll make you mad with anticipation to receive yours! 
http://www.fingertrip.net/whistle/index.html
I have a Susato Kildare Sop. D, and I really like it a lot. It’s got good volume, and is in excellent pitch, in addition to having a pretty tone. However, it can get kind of piercing on the high notes…
Susatos were voted the most popular cheapo a while back. You can look for it on the main Chiff & Fipple web page.
Do you play another whistle, too? And what did you order, a VSB D, a SB D, or maybe a different key? I think that Susatos are not the best first whistle because they require quite a bit of courage & determination for the upper notes, and I remember being shy at first about playing the high notes…
WHOA! That’s fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing that! So, controlling the highs will be something to listen for! I’m really looking forward to this coming!
I did read the Chiff & Fipple cumulation on popular cheapos – I’m a librarian and can’t resist the research urge!
I ordered a Susaso Kildare in D – regular bore. And I have to confess to getting the laser etching – to honor those onery Celts in my ancestry.
This (and two less expensive whistles) are the first I’ve ordered. My first instrument was clarinet and I’ve played (shhh) bass clarinet and recorder, so I’m not as worried about having enough wind, but modifying old habits and listening carefully to what these instruments require.
THANK YOU – you all are a fabulous group of folks!
It’s all in the ear of the beholder! 
Like others have said and I’m sure will say, don’t knock it 'till you’ve tried it. You may very well fall in love with your new whistle!!!
I’ve not ever played a Susato, but I’ve heard many of them, and I think they have a unique ‘voice’ to them… one of them was REALLY LOUD, but the others weren’t quite so, and they sounded ok to me… so who am I to judge somone elses creation!!!
Just be sure to post a clip after you get it, or at least tell us about it!!! 
Take care,
John
As stated, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Susato whistles.
They are quite nice, and they can be played quite sweetly, though it takes a good whistler to do it.
Here is an example:
http://www.flutesite.com/fianna/arran_boat.mp3
That is Sam McReynolds on a plain old Susato D whistle, me on German flute, Pat McReynolds on Yahama 12-string.
Best wishes,
–James
As so many have said, it’s all in what you like. Find what sings to you and enjoy it. I have some expensive whistles, and some inexpensive, including Susatos. I still have all the VSB’s they make and I use them fairly regularly. They can be a little shrill and the tone is not as complex as a more expensive whistle, but sometimes you just need to have something to jam really loudly with.
James?? That was you that did that wonderful recording of The Arran Boat Song???
WAAAY COOL!!!
That’s one of my fav. online mp3 ‘downloads’ to listen to… 
I like mine too. What I like is that there is no tweaking needed. They are in tune. They are fairly easy to play except for getting over the mental block to hit the high B. I have a VSB which is a tiny bit quieter than the SB you ordered. You’re going to not want to play the upper octave in a small room. 
Enjoy.
If you have only played Generation-type whistles, the first things you will notice are the greater volume and stability of the Susato. By stability I mean that it won’t slip up an octave when you don’t want it to, and also the notes are very centered in pitch (the intonation doesn’t wobble much with changes in breath pressure). You do have to lean into the Susato (give it plenty of air) to play in the upper half of the second octave, and those notes could become uncomfortably loud. I keep a bag of small cotton balls (the kind used for removing makeup) with my whistles, and place one loosely in each ear if I’m playing much in the upper register. If you don’t find the regular bore Susato to your liking, you might try the VSB. It’s a quieter, gentler instrument, which I like very much because it’s responsiveness and volume are very similar to my Burke whistles.
I’ve got a bunch of Susatos and love-um. F E Eb D C Bb A G and a Low D
They are louder than the traditional whistles but they’re alot easier to play in tune. I ordered the whole kit and kaboodle at once and got a 20% discount. The VSB F E Eb D sound great (after a little practice in the upper octave) I think they’re a great buy for the price.
Hi Laura,
Susatos take a bit more breath, and breath control, than many cheaper whistles, and as has been said above, you need to be bold with it - shrinking violets need not apply. This is especially true playing G and up in the upper octave, you really need to attack the notes.
For a total beginner to both playing music and wind instruments in general, this is usually too much to cope with on top of trying to read the music, put the right fingers down etc. As you have experience of clarinet and other wind instruments, you should have no trouble. I played clarinet (albeit 20 years ago…) and it still took me over a year of playing whistle to have the confidence to use my Susatos. I have a Kildare like yours, and a Dublin (untuneable).
Susatos have really spot on tuning, need no tweaking (in my opinion) and are loud enough to be heard in a big session. I’ve seen them used by professionals in Ireland, especially when playing into a microphone.
Plus, they come with a thumbrest! If you don’t use it for its intended purpose, leave it on but slide it down to the bottom end - the added mass can help stabilise some notes (I think this is a bit like having vent holes - see the vent hole discussion).
all the best!
Thanks for the tip, Martin!
I did use a similar trick to stabilize a couple low whistles I have with a “buzz” at bell tone. Except I used a sailor’s knot with rope. Tried bungie rope too–works maybe better, but looks less good.
I don’t know if it’s akin with vent holes; I suspect it may be more a question of perturbating the vibration of the thin walls, a bit as a “silent-block” would.
But I’ll try the thumbrest out of my Aulos tenor on the big-bore buzzing whistle, as you suggest.
I’ve gotten so I enjoy the daylights out of my Susato D. I discovered I was shy of the loud high notes.
My practice room is accoustically designed for major ear damage so I usually plug my ears with cotton. But outside I let it rip.
My Susato Bb is VERY nice.
Here’s an interesting little exercise. Play the Susato D for about 1/2 hour on the 2nd octave. Then play a Generation D. Anyone who’s done that probably knows what I mean.
On thing that should be mentioned is that the the “regular” bore Susato D is finnicky when it comes to fingering. In particular you cannot stabilise the whistle on the upper notes with you sixth hole: xoo oox for high b, for instance. That is annoying if you are used to doing that on Gens or such.
Also the best c-nat on the Susato is oxxooo (like most high-end whistles such as Overtons, Silkstones…). On Generations, Feadogs, Waltons and Oaks you will get the best c-nat with the forked fingering oxxxox.
Now that we are swimming on such a wave of positive Susato feeling, maybe I can mention that I came to not like the sound, timbre & volume of the Susato so that I stopped playing mine. That is, until I replaced the curved Susato blade with a straight guitar plectrum.
Thank you! I’m particularly proud of this piece, as I wrote the flute countermelody.
That recording is now quite old, but it is still one of our favorite slow pieces to play.
We have also played this as a waltz for a Russian Orthodox wedding before, and it worked quite well for that.
There is actually a funny story that goes with that: the bride wanted us to play a jig after the wedding so she could dance a jig for everyone. We were playing hard and fast and she tripped and fell on the grass. Fortunately, she wasn’t hurt, jumped back up, and promptly started dancing again.
The best part is her husband had grabbed up Sam’s Bodhran and was playing with us when it happened–and he was the one driving the tempo faster and faster.
Best,
–James
Russian orthodox Irish ?
I wondered what meant the white color on the Eire flag