As most of you know, this has been a topic of discussion more than once. The reason I’m bringing it up yet again is that I just got a padded drumstick case and it is almost perfect for the purpose. With a little modification it could be completely perfect.
Also, I have to say this to pay homage and give thanks to the whistlesmith in question: I just received an Abell soprano D whistle, and it is hard to imagine a better instrument for its fullness and warmth of tone, its ease of playing and consistency through both octaves, its perfect tuning, and its physical beauty. If I ever buy another D whistle, it’ll be out of sheer perverse profligacy.
Jon,
I am of course a great fan of sheer perverse profigacy, the sheerer and perverser and profligacier the better.
Say a bit more about that gig bag though. What’s it like and what is the modification you are considering?
P.S. You will let me try the Abell, right? I am planning on making it to the Harp this Friday… 
You know what I would like to find? Some kind of gig bag with a strap long enough to wear like a baldric…preferably something that could be opened from the top so I could take a whistle out or put it back in without having to unsling it. It wouldn’t even have to be particularly big…something to hold one or two whistles would do just fine.
I wear a lot of dresses in the summer (no pockets to speak of), and I hate to either have to carry my whistle around in my hand all the time or find a place to set a gig bag or whistle case when I want to play. Maybe what I’m looking for is more along the lines of a “Whistle Caddy,” but whatever you call it, something that would allow me to carry a whistle or two on me and pull it out at need would be extremely handy. Does anyone know of such a thing?
Redwolf
Redwolf,
I am currently building a whistle case like that out of stiff leather. Think of a pool cue case, or a quiver. This is for use at a Renaissance Festival. My plan right now has it about the length of a pool cue case (3 feet maybe?) divided with some sort of hinge at the middle. I will have about a dozen whistles with me in all keys so this way I will divide each half into many individual compartments. If I want something in the upper half, I can just undo a latch. If I want one from the second half I simply use the hinge so the top half folds over.
I don’t know if this is making any sense. I can’t really describe it in words and I haven’t completed it yet. But I’ll post a picture of it once it’s complete.
Seth
Bloomfield, it’s a black cordura (that’s a DuPont fabric) padded bag that measures 19" by 8" when zipped shut and opens to 19 x 16. Inside it has 3 padded pockets. If one knew how to sew (I don’t), you could probably subdivide these (that’s the modification I was mentioning-obviously, on mine it ain’t gonna happen). It’s long enough to hold my A whistle easily, but might not accommodate any longer than a low G. There are many makes of drumstick bags out there; this is just the one I chose.
Now, as to your getting your lips on my new whistle, I don’t know. At this stage I’m feeling MIGHTY possessive. 
However, since you went and modified that Susato for me, I guess I owe you at least that much, especially if it’ll get you to come to the Harp. 
By the way, Redwolf, in the matter of that baldric you mentioned, would that be as in the famous S.O. Baldric?
Jon
“Master, I have a cunning plan…”
My beloved wife, who tolerates and even enjoys my whistle habit, made me the most glorious instrument bag for Christmas. It is fabric, with about a dozen pockets all in a row. The whole thing can be rolled up and tied with a string–at which point it looks a bit like Aragorn’s bed roll.
Insidiously, I note that there is only room for two or three more whistles–and it would never hold a low D. This may be a clever way to curtail my whistle acquisition disorder.
A chef’s knife roll (available from some restaurant supply stores or other specialty kitchenware places) will perform the same function. In the occasionally cramped quarters of a session, however, I always found it a bit inconvenient to have to spread it out and get in and out of it for a change of whistles.
Jon Michaels
3 feet of 3 inch abs plastic tubing, one permanent pipe cap and one temporary.
One bottle of cement (abs) and some left over cord and fabric from my mom…
I wont be posting a picture but hoefully you get the idea…
Take tube, cut to desired length. (mine is too long as I overestimated how many low whistles can fit simultaneously in it, it is about 2 1/2 feet long, which I estimated to be long enough to hold a low-low G or something similar if I ever got one…) The cutting doesnt have to be pretty, mine wasn’t, but since the next step is to glue the permanent cap over that end, who cares! I then drilled four holes, two near the top (open end) and two near the bottom (closed end) and roughly on the opposite sides of the tube. (in line etc. ) The next part actually required a bit of assistance from my mom… I sewed up, with her help, a strap that was nicely paded, with fabric, and made out of sturdy fabric that she was using as book bags fro her kindergarten class. (these bags are intended to last for quite some time, so it is definitely not thin fabric)
The cord was strung at either end of the fabric and through the pipe. (this is the only down fall. The cord gets in the way of taking the whistles in and out. In the future, I will try using four holes, two in the middle of the other two so that I can lace the cord, thereby keeping it out of the middle)
Hope this idea is visualize-able
Nico Moreno
Hmmm…close. I’m thinking of something quite a bit smaller (not much longer than a D whistle, and big enough to carry only one or two), with a slightly longer strap so I can sling it across my chest (I can’t carry anything on one shoulder…my shoulders slope so much it just slides right off).
I’m actually thinking about jury rigging something out of an umbrella cover (you know, the nylon cover that slips over one of those short umbrellas?)…sewing up one end and getting a long ribbon to sew to either side of the open top to make the baldric (I can’t really sew to save my soul, but I might be able to manage just that little bit). It wouldn’t look all that great, though. Basically what I need is an instant, removable pocket
Redwolf
Do you know any sewing people who might help you out, Redwolf..? I handsewed my bag, which is in a fetching grey pinstripe with lots of black webbing straps - and is very much in the style you describe - long overshoulder strap and hangs roughly hip-height.
It has pockets for 3 whistles, which I reasoned was quite enough to take out in public since I can’t play to save my life. (Well, actually I can impress 3yr olds. But that really is it.)
Of course, now I have more whistles, and am contemplating hunting a different kind of fabric and a bigger front pocket… WhOA accompanying syndrome, anyone..?
You could check the tuffbags site (http://www.tuffbags.com/music.htm). They seem to have all sizes.
Tery
Hi Folks,
I don’t have one of these myself but it might be what you’re after.
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_results.asp?type=12
It’s the 2nd one down, The Big Whistle Bag.
Cheers, Mac
REDWOLF… Would you like that in red, black, or Purple Crushed velvet.. desert cammo, ballsitic nylon, gortex, leopard velvet???
I have a very good idea what you are looking for, contact me offlist.
Will do!
Redwolf
Redwolf.. and anyone else Eyeing towards a over the shoulder WMD holder.. (ITs protoyped in Desert Cammo)
http://www.weddingpiper.com/gigbag.html
The lining, is automotive headliner. On velvet, I plan to do the Exposed Stitching on the Pockets with metalic thread. And Maybe do a flap, that velcro’s instead of a zipper,and sort of tucks down a bit into the HUGE pocket. There is plenty of adjustment on the strap, enough so to wear it down at gun slinging level.
YES!!! That is just the thing!
Redwolf
OH! Look at that … I’d not thought of putting elastic loops inside to hold the whistles - I was going for the more cumbersome (for this handsewer, anyway) full length pocket-stitching.
Super-sexy, Rockymtnpiper!!