Question:
What’s the highest pitch (playable) wooden whistle you’ve heard of?
I can’t recall hearing of anything higher than a High G whistle in wood, has anyone run across something smaller?
Loren
Whithout question, it is The Picco Pipe
http://www.gs.kunitachi.ac.jp/collectiondb/dbpc/ppc2068.jpg
This instrument starts at the g’‘’(3) key and goes up 6 registers!!! It is a high pitched Tabor Pipe and uses the same fingering.
If you are only considering a 6 holed whistle, then the beaked “Bird Flute/Flageolet” used in Victorian times to teach cage birds is my second choice. It was pitched/keyed in d’‘(2) or g’'(2). I do not know of any makers of this instrument and fear it is extinct.
You may also consider “The Garklein Recorder”
http://www.sumerauer.de/early_patches/dokumentation/images/garklein.jpg
I learned recently that Abell makes a High G whistle.
Interesting tidbits, however I was talking about modern whistles T-H. No offense, but when I want info on historical wind instruments, I generally go right to Friedrich (von Huene), who I see on a daily basis in the workshop. When it comes to fipple flutes, it’s hard to come up with someone living who has seen (and measured) more historical instruments that he has. His personal collection isn’t bad either, in fact, just today I had an original Stansby Jr. Alto in my hands… but I’m off topic again 
Loren
Yes, this is likely the highest quality, highest pitch, whistle I’ve heard of, so I’m wondering if anyone has gone higher? Obviously hole spacing becomes and issue (or rather finger size) when going higher. I’m just sort of curious if any of the modern makers have bothered with anything higher, not that the world needs more dog whistles 
Loren
The highest pitch on a wooden whistle?
About 20 yards with a good arm. 
Caj
Glenn Schultz also makes a G. I’d hesitate to call either his or Abell’s higher-quality. Glenn makes each key with a different bore, though, where Chris doesn’t. Paul B can give more details of how tiny (and thin-walled) Glenn’s high-G is.
I have no idea how anyone can play a garklein recorder. My fingers touch when playing a sopranino or a G whistle. Maybe the garklein player is the equivalent of a boy soprano.
That’s nothing, you should see an angry Piper throw a recorder!
Hey, that gives me an idea 
We should have a little contest at every regional C&F get together - The Recorder Toss Olympics! One male, and one femal winner gets crowned from each region. Then, if we ever have a national gathering, we can have the regional winner compete for the National Championship. In the mean time, we can still have region vs. region awards.
You hear that Higgins? I’m throwing down the Gauntlet! Errr… plastic recorder to be precise. I say we North Easterners can kick you’re sorry, laid back, Birkenstock wearing, granola eating, surf board waxing, West Coast butts. What do you have to say to that, fancy pants? You game?
Loren
Heehee, it will be like the javelin throwing. And there could be a bodhran discus throwing. (Although I quite like the bodhran myself…)
Wooden whistles? Are they the same as tin whistles, in playing and all? I want one! I’m so ignorant about the whistle world.
Awesome! Loren, this deserves its own thread, dude. Great idea!
Best,
Paul
I’ll play. I’ve been taught how NOT to “throw like a girl.”
Right you are, I’ll try to make the move…after I do, please do like wise with related postes (cut and paste if needed)
Loren
Done, will give others time to move their RTO posts before editing/deleting mine, in order to keep this thread topic specific.
Loren
Good point about the Weasels, I’d forgotten Glenn makes one.
Loren
the olimcics sound fun 
but please dont use good bodrahns. I have 2 and find it more difficult to hurl the expensive one.
also have spit flicking contests, and who can get the highest note, and …
thats about all can come up with
Oops. I responded to the off-topic thread before I saw that it had been moved.
Sorry.
Slinking off now to find the other thread.
[quote="chas:Glenn Schultz also makes a G. I’d hesitate to call either his or Abell’s higher-quality. Glenn makes each key with a different bore, though, where Chris doesn’t. Paul B can give more details of how tiny (and thin-walled) Glenn’s high-G is.[/quote]
I’m fortunate to own one of these little jewels in blackwood. It’s a marvel of woodturning–not much thicker than a standard pencil ! Glenn usually uses standard brass telescoping tubing for his tuning slides, but they don’t make it in the size he required, so he machined the tubing for this little whistle himself from stainless steel.
Despite the high pitch, this whistle is not shrill or shrieky. It has a sweet, clear, birdlike tone. I don’t get to play it all the time, but when I do I really love it.
I make a brass (obvoiusly non-wooden) whistle that is an octave above the high-D whistle. It takes quite small fingers to play it though.
I haven’t tried doing it in wood yet. It probably wouldn’t be hard to do though.
Dan-- that is too cute for words! At that tiny size, you could solder a brass loop behind the head and someone could wear this around their neck on a thong or chain.
With low-pitched wooden wind instruments such as the bassoon, the finger holes are drilled in at an angle in a zone of thick wood on the instrument. This is done so the holes are the proper distance apart inside the instrument, but close together enough on the outside for normal sized hands to reach them (this trick might be applied to ultra low whistles) but the same trick could be used to make very high pitched wooden whistles. Whistle smiths, what do you think?
Rod