Keys of A & C - Susato.....Dixon?

Whistle
1

I asked this question a few months ago but want some new input. I don’t play in either key a lot, so don’t want to spend a ton of cash but am looking for something decent for those few tunes that require the keys of A & C and am considering Susato and/or Dixon. Any input will be appreciated…likes/dislikes, ease/difficulty of playing, wind requirements, tone, hole spacing, etc.

Thanks,
Denny

2

Both are reasonably pure-sounding whistles. The Susato is considerably louder, esp. the C, and sweeter. It also takes more air. I haven’t played either brand in A, but tested them side-by-side in G. Both are easy to overblow (i. e., susceptible to octave jumping) at the bottom end of the first octave. The Dixon is a little easier on the hands, but needs slightly better breath control.

Both are very reliable whistles and well in tune. Generally, if you want a loud whistle that you can play aggresively, you want a Susato; if you want something not as loud that you don’t have to lay into so hard, you want a Dixon.

3

Most people “know” that Susatos suck and Dixons are wonderful.

However, I’m perverse enough to have long suspected that the C Susato may be an excellent whistle, and after hearing Mick Woodruff’s recording of the “Kiss the Maid” reel on Clips & Snips, I think this is destined to be my next purchase. I’m not sure about the A whistle. It seems like I’ve heard very good things about the Dixon.

4

The Susato C is better than the SB D which is better than the VSB D (isn’t that right, Ridseard? :wink: ). It’s not hard to improve a Susato by replacing the blade with a guitar pic, and then the Susato C is a terrific whistle for the money. But maybe that’s not for the fainthearted. I don’t like the Susato A or (low) G, mostly because of the sound and because the hole spacing.

I’d be willing to sell my Susato A, come to think of it, but don’t complain to me about it afterwards.

5

Maybe so, but I keep changing my mind about the SB vs. the VSB.

Based on my experience with the SB in Bb and D, I suspect that this bore size should be almost ideal for a C.

6

You do change your mind about the SB vs VSB D, Rids? Interesting. I thouhgt you were firmly in the VSB D camp…

I think you are right about the SB bore size and the C whistle, btw.

7

I used to prefer the VSB, but lately… (Maybe it’s the Viagra.)
Yes, I think that the SB mouthpiece/tube configuration is too narrow for the Bb and too wide for the D, so it should be about right for the C.

8

LOL! :smiley:

9

I had a Susato C, and it was the best of the susato’s I had.
Now I have a dixon tunable which I prefer. I like the breathyness of dixons. I also found that it was more even in volume across octaves, but that could be just the whistles I had. I also prefer the tunable. Most of my use for a C is to play in C or F or Dm to accompany a singer. For example I have a singer that sings Ready for the Storm in f/dm. Being tunable I can adjust it to the singer’s guitar at need.

10

Thanks for the input, which is pretty much in line with previous comments gathered concerning Susatos and Dixons in those particular keys…Susato for the C and Dixon for the A. That’s probably the way I’ll go.

I have a Susato SB and VSB in D, and I’m not crazy about either one. In fact, I never play them. However, if I had to choose, it’d be the SB because the VSB sounds too thin for my tastes.

Thanks again,
Denny