Hi. Would you whistle people kindly let an uilleann maker have some info on the value of a second hand John Sindt whistle, circa about 2005 (or at least looks just like the picture on the expensive whistles page of C&F which mentions 2005) please?
I have 4 from the estate of a sadly passed away piper. I like them, and might buy one or two myself, but there is definitely a C for sale as there are two of these.
If I can afford them - or rather justify it to myself - I’ll be having the other three, D, C, Eb but if not then they are all for sale.
They are pretty lovely things to play, especially the Eb.
Since there’s a full waiting list for these whistles new, directly from John (and I understand the list is “closed” for now), they had been going for a premium. A whistle in D went for about U.S. $350 in March, and similar prices $300+ on eBay around the same timeframe. One went for $455 in February. John’s new price in 2013 was somewhere around $150 delivered in the U.S.
Some people with a craving for Sindts have taken to purchasing the Killarney whistles, looking a bit similar (no brass tube, though), and at a lower cost. http://www.killarneywhistle.com/
I got a C here a few years ago, traded it for a bunch of recordings and a photo. I got it on behalf of a friend/neighbour. I passed it on for around 60 euro or so. I think that’s reasonable, the new price, that’s at my outer limits for a whistle but I’d get one for it if I felt the urge.
Anything over, silly money.
The Killarney e flat is extremely lovely. Can’t beat it at the price. If you don’t like the nickel tube, you can stick a brass Feadóg tube on it. Job done. I actually prefer nickel tubes so that’s me sorted.
I feel in an ethical dilemma now, as really I agree that more than twice the new price is ludicrous, but at the same time I think my first duty should be to maximise the value of Bill’s estate, for his family. I don’t fancy explaining that I let them go for less than the market value.
I’m certainly out at more than the new price. So I suppose that means they are all for sale, and I’m inviting offers by PM.
Two C’s, a D, and an Eb.
I will give them all a good polish, and wash so they will be “like new” except probably more expensive.
I like their pitch stability, and that they’ve made me dig out my Hunter E which I haven’t played for yonks, and is equally as good fun as the Eb. I’ll be sticking to that!
I may well ebay them, and hope that no-one bids more than $150, whilst simultaneously hoping that they go for $$$ which I can pass on to some very nice folks.
It is certainly an odd situation when second hand work goes for more than new. It has happened to me in the past.
