I got a Tony Dixon polymer tunable high D (DX004) a few months ago as my first whistle. It is not a bad whistle but does not sound exactly what I want. It sounds pretty good on the first octave but too breathy starting from the second octave E. I am a recorder player, so I like a purer sound. The second thing toubles me is the whistle is not that tunable. Whenever I stick out the mouthpiece, it will tune but some notes will be off as well. So, I am looking for another whistle that will work for me. Does anyone have any idea?
I tried a number of inexpensive (under $90 US) whistles before I found what I was looking for. Much of it is personal preference.
I prefer a rather pure sound as well, and the first one I really liked was the Freeman Mellow Dog (around $35 i think). Not tunable, but if you get the D/C set, it only comes with 1 mouthpiece (around $45?) and should be somewhat tunable as a 2 piece.
Even not being tunable, the intonation is great. I’m sure others will recommend great options as well.
Oh sure it is. The head should move easily. I tune mine all the time, while shouting: “Hey, everyone, watch me tune my Mellow Dog!” I’m very annoying … 
atelescope: Don’t know specifically about your DX004 … But any cylindrical whistle is going to tend slightly flat in the 2nd octave, unlike a conical bore recorder. So you can’t approach it with the same breath regimen as a recorder. Try easing off the 1st octave, and pushing the 2nd octave a bit, and see if that helps. And if the tuning slide is in the neighborhood of A440, plus or minus say 15 cents, the self-intonation shouldn’t be thrown off.
MTGuru gives good advice. I’d follow his lead on the breath control. That will help quite a bit.
I’ve owned several of the tunable Dixon polymer D’s. They vary a bit but I find them to be a decent enough whistle and I like the tone. Your tuning observation is probably a good one and it has to do with the design of the tuning slide on the Dixon, IMO. When you pull the slide out just enough it will leave an expansion in the whistle bore which can cause some funky tuning. I’ve noticed some differences in the three or four Dixon D’s I have owned. And it appears that Tony has worked on trying to address the issue too. Slides on later whistles have differed a bit from earlier ones.
Feadoggie
FWIW, get a Susato (Kildare model). They’re made of ABS (plastic), they’re tunable and they have a very pure tone. I love’em!
How about a recorder?
I’ve played both Susatos and Dixons and when it comes to intonation the Susato beats the Dixon hands down. The Dixon I have I bought several years ago so maybe the intonation has been improved or possibly I just got a lemon. But on this particular whistle the intonation is terrible and the first octave so weak that any more wind than just a faint breath causes it to jump an octave. The Susato meanwhile has a strong 1st octave with a solid stable bell tone (low D).
I’ve not played Susatos but I like the Dixons. Ok, they’re quieter and take much less breath than some whistles. The bell note may be weaker but they’re much less shrill at the top of the second octave (which I believe Susatos can suffer from) and I prefer that sweeter sound for certain tunes. I have no issues with intonation either.
On the other hand I do like my Parks whistle (I know. Not a Susato but closer to it than a Dixon), which is louder, stronger in the first octave but shriller in the second and needs more breath, for other tunes. It’s horses for courses.
Yes, Susatos are a little piercing in the upper 2nd octave. The O ring tweak helps a little in this regard. I’m considering checking out the Parks. I’m hearing good things about them.
I like my Parks Every Whistle. Full sounding. One you can ‘lean’ in to. I like the ‘tone ring’ for volume control. I can practice anytime, anywhere without annoying anyone.
Thank you guys. I am just wondering if anyone can compare Freeman Mellow Dog and Susato?
I have both a Susato Kildare and a Freeman Mellow Dog (one of the newer versions). The Mellow Dog is a solid medium volume whistle - very much a good all around choice if you like the classic generation sound (an excellent generation sound not a “meh” one). MTGuru described it as a gen on steroids, and I think that’s an ideal description.
The Susato take a bit of practice to tame. I’ve had my current Susato for a year or two, and you really need to push the whistle for it to sound its best. It’s louder than the Mellow Dog, and I’m not comfortable playing it in smaller/medium sessions. But outdoor gigs and large sessions, it’s grand. Never, I repeat, never, play this whistle while driving in an enclosed car while steering with your knee on desolate stretches of highway…your ears will ring for hours afterwards.
I’ve received quite a few compliments on both whistles from session mates.
Eric
Thanks for the comparison, Jayhawk. I just have one more question, can Susato and Mellow Dog play the 3rd octave D well? Because the 3rd octave D is super loud on my Tony Dixon.
Why, oh why, would anyone want to play high D on a high D whistle? It’s by nature super loud on any whistle. However, I just shut every door between me and my wife (3 doors to be exact) and played all 3 D’s on each.
On the Mellow Dog’s it’s really easy to get and the mellower of the two (that’s relative, though, but for the highest D, it’s not too bad at all). The susato makes you want to wear ear protection…it’s exceptionally loud.
Eric
Thanks MTGuru, it helps.
Thanks Jayhawk for testing it out, I was just wondering high D is a problem of my Tony Dixon or just not practical for all whistles.