I am 88 years old and I have been playing the Irish whistle for two years, almost everyday. There are so many of us that love the Irish whistle and have to be content with whistles in the key of D or C because of small hands or a limiting physical impairment. We would love to be able to play a low D whistle, but cannot. Yes there are some whistles being made with “close finger spacing”. They are either too expensive for the average player or the close spacing is not close enough. That was before the relatively new Howard Low D Close Spacing Whistle. It really is close spacing and should be playable for those of us who want a quality low D whistle at an affordable price. My right hand is missing my index finger. I have to use my pinky to cover the bottom hole on my various keyed whistles, which includes alto A and alto G (quite a stretch on both but doable). Howard’s whistle has given me the opportunity and ability to play a low D whistle. I am really happy with it
Folks might appreciate seeing the hole spacing of David O’Hagan’s new Howard Close-Spacing Low D compared with some other options.
From left to right in the photo:
Carbony Celtic Winds Low D (without close-spacing technology)
Carbony Celtic Winds Standard Bore Low D (with close spacing)
Howard Close-Spacing Low D
Howard Low D
mk Low D
Burke aluminum Viper Pro Low D
I’ve emailed back and forth with David O’Hagan, owner of Howard Whistles. David has continued Brian Howard’s ethos of making a genuinely affordable Low D whistle. David also put me in touch with Brian’s wife, and I’ve been corresponding with her. Brian is still alive, although for several reasons communicating by email or telephone is difficult for him now.
Bernard Overton pioneered the modern Low D, and Brian Howard was one of the important early makers who helped make the instrument available at a much more affordable price. David seems very conscious of continuing that legacy.
I also spoke with Rob Gándara, owner of Carbony Celtic Winds, about David’s new close-spacing whistle. Rob told me that he communicates with David regularly and is very happy to see this new whistle. He doesn’t really view it as competition for his Carbony Close-Spacing Low Ds because the instruments occupy very different price points. With a smile, Rob said he was actually surprised it had taken this long for someone else to produce another serious close-spacing alternative to his Standard Bore and Big Bore designs.
What really struck me when I put these whistles side by side is how far David has taken the idea.
This isn’t simply a conventional Low D with the holes moved a little closer together. Look at the tone-hole placement compared with the other whistles. The spacing approaches the hand position familiar to someone used to covering the holes of a High D with the pads of the fingers.
Having had the opportunity (thanks to John!) of playing the close-spaced Howard and close-spaced Carbony back-to-back I think the Carbony is a much better player.
It’s also more expensive, but in this case you get what you pay for.
(I didn’t really care for either Howard, regular-spaced or close-spaced.)