Key to the best Keys.....by maker

Whistle
1

I have the lovely oppurtunity to play really a lot of whistles. I’ve started to notice that sometimes certain keys by any given maker are consistently really special. Sometimes the planets just line up right and all the maker’s traits coalesce with tube length, bore diameter and fipple size to make something really amazing.

I thought it might be good to get the thoughts of other folks on this.

Now the question is not Which maker makes the best A whistle, but which key among the many keys a maker makes, seems to be really extraordinary.

I’ll start with a few:

Reyburn…Wide bore Low-D, just tempered

Copeland…Low-A, Low Bb

Burke…Composite A

Have fun,

Doc

2

Overton…Low-F

3

Ah yes, I’d agree with that one.

Doc

4

Three of my favorite whistles:
Sindt C
Water Weasel G
Goldie/Overton A

5

I second Mr. Busman on the Water Weasel G

6

I haven’t played as many as others here, but i remember going to a shop and playing the whole range of Water Weasels from high Eb to low D and the Bb really stood out among them… so much so that i couldn’t leave the shop without it. It’s still one of the best whistles i own.

RIP Glenn Schultz.

7

I’ve also had the opportunity to play the full range of Water Weasels with the exception of the low F. They are all great, the Bb a very notable one, but the low G is the most fun whistle I’ve ever played.

8

Shaw A. Very lovely.

9

I’m with rh – I own Water Weasels in all the normal keys, and Bb is clearly the best of the lot, IMO. It’s my favorite whistle not made by Pat O’Riordan.

10

Here goes:

soprano D - Copeland and Burke black tip brass
C - Walton Golden Tone
Bflat - O’Riordan and WW
G - Copeland and O’Riordan

Philo

11

I like a Sindt A. The narrow bore is really lovely on that one, but most people don’t care for it, I think.

I like a Generation C. And a Feadog D. :blush:

12

My O’Riordan B Flat is magical…

Humphrey Wide Bore High D

Schultz Blackwood High D


-James

A Stor Mo Chroi, a beautiful thought…

13

Humphrey Non-Stealthy Brass High-D
(Although, my new Hudson Winds Conical Brass High-D is giving it a run for its money)

Goldie Overton F

Water Weasel Bb

Edited to add: Susato B-natural (best Susato I’ve ever played…one of the best whistles I’ve played period)

-Brett

14

Dixon Cs - both the non-tunable and tunable plastic ones I have are great. Sound is nicely woody, volume is just right, there is sufficient backpressure. Pitching is accurate, unlike their high Ds (I’ve tried a few).

Gen Cs are gd, if you can manage to get the mouthpcs off (so that you can adjust the pitching) without cracking them.

15

I must third (or whatever the count is by the time I enter this post) on the WW-G. Mine is one of my favorite whistles of all.

Probably already mentioned, but
Generation - Bb

I don’t own or have direct experience with enough different keys of any other brands to add more.

16

My Syn aluminum C is something special all the way up to the third octave D :astonished:

I wish I could find (and if found, afford) a D that went up that high as easily and controllably.

17

WW Bb
Chieftan A
Susato B
Burke D

18

Low D Overton
Low C os Chieftain
Bass Bb Overton
Bass A Overton

19

I see there are a lot of Bbs mentioned here.
I have a Bleazey Bb in Mopani that I love. I have 2 others, a Mopani c and olivewood A but the Bb really is a delight!
Others on my list:
Hi D Boisvert in blackwood, Burke aluminum black tip session
Copeland C in nickle
Mack Hoover B and Low E in CPVC (incredible bargains)
finally my latest, a Busman high Eb in pink ivory

20

The first whistle I ever bought in 1971 or so was a Genration E flat. And I have yet to find a nicer one.