I want to get another whistle, as it’s been a good 5 months since I bought my last one. My current (and very small) inventory consists of Hoover Whitecap, Susato, Clarke, and Gen, all in the key of D. Of these 4, the one I play 95% of the time is the Hoover.
I like the Hoover a lot, but I’d like to get a whistle that will stand a bit more air pressure. As a runner and trumpet player, I have surplus hot air, and I feel like I have to use a “whisper” breath to make the Hoover play that signature sweet Hoover sound. Any more air pressure, and it starts jumping octaves and squawking. I’d like get a whistle that will let me play with a bit more air flow while still retaining a nice (and non-chiffy/breathy) tone.
Any suggestions of whistles costing up to $100? Would buying a wide bore whistle satisfy my air needs as opposed to a standard diameter?
My D Water Weasel is a great whistle that has a wide bore and can take whatever you throw at it. One of the biggest bangs for the bucks! You can usually by one to ship right away from one of the on-line whistle shops.
I tended to get light-headed from playing my Clarke Original, because it took so much air. The nice thing about them is that you can adjust the airflow with a hammer.
However, although it takes a lot of air, the Clarke doesn’t have a lot of back pressure, which is more like resistance. All of my current whistles that have lots of back pressure cost over $100, except for the Serpent Village Smithy, but I’m sure there are others that can be recommended, if it turns out that back pressure is really what you crave.
You would think that with a thread entitled ‘I need another whistle’ that it would just be one continuous thread, pages 1 to 5 kozillian around here!
Anyway, it sounds like Brewster is after back pressure, as Mike said, and a clear tone(not chiffy/breathy).
I don’t have many high D’s, and the one with the most back pressure is a Chieftain gold. But it’s nowhere near trumpet level! I don’t know if there are any that have lots of back pressure, but it seems like Overton might be right, if you could find a used one, probably a little more than $100. Of course, the harder you blow, the more sharp they blow, and unless it’s tunable by a good degree, then it might be pretty far out of tune.
I’m sure there are plenty of high D players that can help you find one that requires more push from you. Most all of mine seem to need holding back on the breath control, except the Clarke, but that is breathy.
I’m with Nick and Colomon. If you’re looking for a whistle that you can really push, is in perfect tune, and has excellent sound, the Water Weasel is the one for you. Plus, Glenn always has some in stock, he’s a gem of a human being, and the WW is indestructible and, well, just way cool.
Be prepared for some volume. Especially if you’re playing a Hoover much of the time.
You do have to learn to blow a few of the notes into perfect tune (C-nat and high A & B) but I’ve found that I’m now doing this without thinking about it.
Let’s not get too carried away – I managed to kill one, and I’ve seen another that was broken. The tuning slides are (relatively speaking) weak spots on the smaller diameter WWs. (On the other hand, the Bb and A are nigh-indestructible.)
But still, if you want back pressure and a pure sound in a whistle which is readily available, it certainly fits the bill. They are great little whistles.
