I have found a most unique way (now watch 15 of you have already done the same) to carry my whistles: Buy a pair of work gloves, push the ends of the whistles down into the fingers, roll the gloves into semi-circles, put rubber bands around them, then put them into your gig bag. This keeps them from clanking about and provides a measure of protection from other items in your bag. This also does double-duty at a cold outdoor gig for obvious reasons!
If any of you other WhOA sufferers out there have other cheap and easy solutions, please contribute!
I just have my poolgirl transport them for me.
Yeah right. As I return to this plane of reality I must say that I only have one whistle as of now, but I suppose I will use a canvas brush holder to carry them when I have more (They work good for my brushes).
Canvas brush holders come in different sizes so I’d use the one for large paint brushes. It is a piece of canvas that rolls out flat, and has individual pockets for brushes. It rolls up into a bundle with a canvas tie.
I suppose if I was a real professional whistler I’d get one of those metal briefcases (attache) with the foam inside that can be cut to fit any object you may want to store. Some of them come with the foam cut through most of the way in little squares. Just cut out enough squares to let the object fit.
Nah, I suppose if I was a real pro whistler I’d opt for the poolgirl.
I use two medium padded whistle pouches ($12 each) from The Whistle Shop for my Dixon Low G in one and Generation B flat and C in the other. I also have three Susato simulated leather pouches (also from The Whistle Shop at $5 each) for my best D whistles. The rest of my whistles I keep in cheap clear plastic pouches.
Hey, I know its not fancy or original but it works. When I can afford a higher end whistle I’ll find something more appropriate (you know, this might be my chance to skin my sister’s cat and kill two birds/cat with one stone).
If you have various whistles of varying lengths, I recommend the big Zildjian – or any other make with bigger-sized bags – drumstick bag (roughly 40cm by 20cm).
The bag comes with a shoulder strap, and a big pocket on the outside for smaller whistles, scores (you’ll have to fold them though) and other knick-knacks.
On the inside, there’s a smaller pocket but it’s only big enough to hold tiny things like a stick of cork grease, etc. The bag is slightly padded on the inside. The bag is deep enough to hold whistles with wider bores.
However, the lower whistles must be of 2-pc construction in order to fit into the bag. Low Gs are still ok, but I think that’s the longest whistle that can fit inside without dismantling.
I use a soft case meant for Chinese bamboo flutes. Its made of a durable stiff cloth-like material, has a handle and is slightly less than 3 feet in length. The inside is lined with long pockets for storing individual whistles. Quite good and handy, considering that I bought it for about $15 and it holds about 10 whistles, of any length from my Generation high F to a Overton low D.
[ This Message was edited by: Eldarion on 2002-01-17 07:25 ]
I use a Reno drumstick bag for whistles down to A. It has a nice fleece inside which keeps them warm in the Danish winters.
Actually, it’s a bit like a whistle sleeping bag.
It has a pocket for metronome/tuner.
The cover that came with the Overton Low D is a bit worn. Also, Low Whistles stick out the top of all my backpacks when I take them out. Still need to find a good solution for the Low Whistles…
I have cloth roll-up pouches for my whistles. They are blue & white checkered Irish linen on the outside and wine-red felt on the inside. I have one for four large whistles (Low Ds etc), one that holds everything up to an Bb or A and fits 10 whistles, and little gig-bag for four high D or C whistles. My mommy made them for me when she visited for Christmas. They are the envy of the session (or at least that’s what they say to my face).
But apart form that I virtually always have whistle sticking out of some pocket, in my hand. Of course there is always at least one in the car. Usually I grab a whistles or two when I leave the house…
A year ago, I bought 2 inexpensive pool cue cases from our lamented John McHaffie. With open cell foam cutouts, they hold 4 whistles, each, in perfect safety.
Cheers to all.
Byll
Like has been mentioned, the drumstick bag is great for smaller whistles. For Low whistles I use a plastic blueprint case - comes with a shoulder strap - and I put them in individual cloth bags that I had made (cost about $3 for material). You could also use a long sock.
Thanks for the lovely compliment, JessieK! What are your favorite rock & reel bands? I go for Gaelic Storm, Capercaillie, Steeleye Span and Clannad. I s’pose the Chieftains qualify, too. (They probably invented it!)
I like to design my own cases. Typically the procedure goes like this:
Buy new whistle
Design one or two cases
Pick one
Buy materials to make case
Get swamped in homework, lose interest for a month or two
Get caught up and reconsider case design
Design new case
Buy more materials, if necessary, or adapt existing materials to new design
Start work on case
Work on case
Go to session
Work on case
Go to session
(there’s only one session a month where I am)
Eventually the case gets done. I’ve only finished one so far but I just designed a few more today at work. The one I completed is a fleece/flannel roll up case that fits 8 whistles.
Someone in this neck of the woods recently recommended the site below for plastic tubing of various sorts. The stuff looks really good, although I haven’t personally used any of it.
Personally, I’ve got a set of those Susato pouches and they work well all the way down to my low F. I’m not sure if they make longer pouches, though. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure if I’d want to put an expensive whistle in any soft-sided pouch at all.
I make individual cases out of one and a quarter inch PVC. I wrap the whistle in fine
bubble wrap and slide it in the tube.It is
very snug. The tubing costs less than a dollar and the caps cost pennies. I glue the bottom cap in place and label the tube. When I am
travelling the whistle is very protected.
It isn’t very exotic but it it works.
I make individual cases out of one and a quarter inch PVC. I wrap the whistle in fine
bubble wrap and slide it in the tube.It is
very snug. The tubing costs less than a dollar and the caps cost pennies. I glue the bottom cap in place and label the tube. When I am
travelling the whistle is very protected.
It isn’t very exotic but it it works.
Here’s a whistle case recipe from Robert McElroy’s Bloody Hands whistle set instructions (which I don’t feel bad borrowing, since Robert borrowed it from me in the first place):
Here’s a recipe for making a simple PVC case from Jim Mc. First, buy a length of 1" or 1 1/4" PVC,
two matching caps and a sheet of air conditioner filter foam. Cut the pipe to a little more than the
length of the whistle and smooth out the cut end with some sandpaper. Cut a strip of foam as long as
the pipe and wide enough to line the pipe when rolled into the pipe. Cut two circular pieces of foam to
line the caps. Affix one of the caps with PVC pipe solvent. Wax the inside wall of the other cap with
your whistle tweaking beeswax.
I use a softside pool cue case I bought from K-Mart for $12. It unzips at the top. I put three golf club tubes inside, and it holds two low whistles and an Olwell cane D flute nicely. Someone mentioned using tubes of some sort, here’s a link if anyone wants to use wooden tubes that look nice and are durable - http://www.brandnew.net/hollowood/holwood.shtml
It’s called Hollowood. BTW, I just noticed, some of this Hollowood looks like it could be used for making a low whistle. Wooden that be cool, a wooden low D!
[ This Message was edited by: ScottStewart on 2002-01-18 21:42 ]
I just sew up tool-roll style whistle rolls from an upholstry fabric or similar, lined with quilting fabric and a light padding. I’ve made them for up to A’s and up to 14 slots. They Velcro TM shut and have a shoulder strap or a handle. For low whistles, I’ve made tube style bags with a plastic stiffener. — Nancy F
PS, I can’t figure out how to post a pic, but email me and I’ll send you one.
Jessie