I have a Goldie low D, which I adore and wouldn’t dare give up. But there are times when I really would rather not have to deal with the clogging issue I have with it, which can sometimes occur after just a few minutes of playing. I seem to be what is known as a “wet player” so I use the toothpaste treatment on it regularly. I’ve talked with Colin about an easy-blower model since it has a higher windway and may be less prone to clogging, though of course there are certain compromises in playability with that design. However, I’m also wondering about your experiences (especially those who considered are wet players) with low whistles that seem less susceptible to clogging. I’ve been playing low whistles for well over 10 years, so I’m not a novice player. Any suggestions?
I have two Reyburn Low D whistles, a brass and the new aluminum, and have had no problems with clogging at all.
JD
Thanks for your input, JD. I’ve thought about trying out a Reyburn, and had a chat with Ronaldo awhile ago about his low Ds. All of the low whistles I’ve had have been some variation or another of the Overton style (all-aluminum alloy, including the head), so the acetal head of the Reyburn might take some getting used to, but certainly worth considering.
I’m lucky enough to have a collection that includes delrin, wooden, aluminium, brass, plastic and PVC fipples - ranging from Low D to High F. Perhaps that variety has made me insensitive to differing materials, but I don’t remember ever having problems getting used to something new (usually eclipsed by the challenge of getting to know a new whistle’s playing characteristics, I’d guess).
My own initial experience with the Goldie Low D was similar to yours, though the toothpaste and mild soap solution treatment pretty well solved it for me. That said, I still revert to my older Kerry Pro (much larger windway than the Goldie) when longer, continuous performances are called for. The least prone to clogging whistle I’ve experienced was the Tony Dixon Low D I started with, which had a windway larger again than that of my Kerry Pro.
In your place I’d try the change of fipple material, and you probably can’t do better than the Reyburn solution you’ve already investigated, but if you eventually decide to stick with aluminium then just go for an “easy blower” - you may even benefit by developing greater lung capacity from your playing!
(I have to add that a subconscious tendency to play quietly when practising leads to more clogging issues, while blasting out to hear and be heard over other instruments usually keeps thing clog-free).
Alba and MK Pro are among the best when it comes to not clogging.
I’ve owned/borrowed/tried quite a few makes of Low D over the years (but certainly not all) and as I can recall the only ones that clogged up on me were the Overtons. I’ve owned and played a number of Overtons, from the early 1980s up until recently, in various low keys, and all quickly clogged for me.
I now have a Goldie which is a wonderful whistle but I need to do the toothpaste thing regularly to keep it open.
I think it’s the Overton/Goldie thing of having wide flat parallel metal surfaces very close together. I’d love to try a Goldie with a wooden block, I’m guessing that it would help the issue.
I can and have played a Burke and an MK Low D for hours without the slightest clogging, no special treatment ever needed.
Re clogging, I’ve had my share of problems with it, and it motivated me to do some experimenting. What I’ve found to work best for me so far is the toothpaste treatment and then one small drop of liquid dishwashing soap on a thin strip of plastic to coat the floor of the windway. The smallest amount necessary to coat the floor. Causes the moisture buildup to sheet instead of forming beads. Hope this helps.
The only ones that have no clogging issues for me are the plastic head Kerry Optima, or the Susato. Any all aluminum low whistle has had issues for me (without toothpaste treatment-haven’t tried it yet). But most with shallower windways usually have more problems, as others have suggested, that the freer blowing ones are sometimes better in that regard, (though not always-sometimes just keeping a whistle warm does the trick), so I think partial plastic (Burke) or all plastic (Dixon, Kerry Optima, Kerry old style, Reyburn polymer new style), will be a bit better overall for not clogging as easily, or at all, depending on your playing. If you blow harder, clogging will not be as much an issue either, sometimes.
With your experience, it seems either Burke or Reyburn would be your logical choice for solving this problem. I can only wonder why the MK (being all aluminum) would not clog for most people, but I have never tried one, so I can’t comment on them. But Richard says not for him, so I believe him, but can’t corroborate his findings. So you may have three good choices to try.
Thanks all, for the feedback and tips. Something else occurs to me: I’ve heard that whistles with a curved windway (such as the MK Pro, Alba, or Hammy Hamilton’s low D) are less prone to clogging, perhaps since moisture would tend to disperse easier. Can anyone verify that to be true?
Stiofan, I’m assuming you’re playing a medium blowing Goldie from what you say. I’ve been playing much less than you, only four years, and so consider myself still much of a beginner . . . and a wet player to boot. It was me who first posted the toothpaste treatment having, like yourself, become frustrated with my Goldie’s clogging . . . and a soft blower at that! I’m now playing a medium blower and have very little problem. Just to check, are you not only cleaning the windway with toothpaste but also the bevel and block wall. First of all, let me say that the treatment has a cumulative effect and it may take two or three goes for the treatment to initially “take.” After that you will recognise when it needs to be repeated. Second, Colin instilled into me the thought that once you stop playing for 15 seconds or more you need to put a quick blast of air through the whistle to warm and clear it. It has become instinctive . . . so though I set out with major clogging problems, they do seem to be a thing of the past. Just for your amusement, watch this video of Davy Spillane and see how often he warms/clears the head throughout this sporadic performance with his Overton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAwrdiDao58. To be honest I find I can put the whistle down for a minute or two and continue to play without major problems but it’s best to give it that quick warm. Hope this helps. Like you I was determined not to give up playing a Goldie . . . and I haven’t had to.
I don’t think its a matter of which whistle…
I’m not much of a low whistler, however, I am a wet blower and I find that the slobbering diminishes as I continue playing. The worst wetting is always when I start playing. Also, I play after meals and not before which seems to help with the reduction with wet blowing. Try and track when your worst wet blowing occurs and possibly alter routine.
I do use the various methods mentioned in the clogging threads, soap, toothpaste, warming, air blasting, etc. and just keep playing. Even the best of the players clog.
Mike: My Goldie whistle is indeed a medium-blower, according to Colin. And yes, I do give it the full treatment - windway, bevel, wall, everywhere I can get to. Actually, I did the toothpaste treatment last night – probably a bit more thorough than usual – and it sure makes a difference. I could probably benefit from doing it more often, as you suggest. And I’ve talked with Colin about this, who offered some good tips about blowing technique to reduce clogging, and that makes a big difference as well.
Barry: Thanks for the input. I play a Burke session D, so definitely appreciate Michael Burke’s craftmanship, though I’m not sure the low D is for me, personally. The Reyburn is still a possibility, though I’m also wondering about an Alba or even more so about Hammy Hamilton’s low D (which we don’t hear much about), since it has a delrin head with a curved windway.
Richard: You’ve obviously played a lot of low whistles, and your remark about the MK Pro is definitely worth considering. MKs are certainly well-regarded.
ytliek: You’re probably right. As Mike pointed out, even players like Davy Spillane have to clear the windway while playing.
Seems that I could be more proactive with the toothpaste treatment, and more often, and that might make all the difference. Still, I might give another kind of whistle a try as one to complement my Goldie.
Cheers all.
Stiofan
Stiofan, I would be very interested to hear what Colin said about blowing techniques to reduce clogging. Also to hear from you if you try out the Alba and Hamilton. I’ve wanted to try them but for different reasons.
Mike: Colin’s suggestions to me are essentially to keep the airstream focused, maintain sufficient backpressure, and breathe from the diaphragm. And of course, blowing out condensation between (or even during) tunes as needed. He also recommended following the tips in Grey Larsen’s Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle (chapter 5, pp. 74-80, and pp. 93-96 in chapter 6 on flute playing). There’s a common misperception that there’s not much to sound production with the whistle other than simply blowing into it, and you’ll get a desirable tone. It seems especially with the low whistle, this is clearly not the case (but also with the D tin whistle). I sometimes find that I’m not as relaxed on the whistle as I could be, so bringing awareness to the physical aspects of playing is always important.
Thanks for coming back to me on that, Stiofan.
Yes that’s the one to put a link to, when people come on these boards claiming that whistles don’t clog when “properly” played. I think Spillane plays as “properly” as anyone could desire.
Survey time: How often do you folks apply the toothpaste treatment?
Yes, I know, “mileage will vary,” but just wondering how frequently you all find it’s needed/beneficial. I’m rather diligent when it comes to oiling my flute but probably less so when it comes to the toothpaste treatment on my (currently, one and only) low whistle, and as mentioned above, it might help to do it more often.
That video certainly makes a good case for clearing out the windway while playing, and does make one wonder how D. Spillane gets through those long, moody pieces of his without seeming to do much blowing out of saliva/condensation, or for that matter, M. McGoldrick, M. McSherry, or B. Finnegan during those breakneck reels they can blaze through without hardly seeming to need to take a breath. 
The question remains is tooth paste or dish washing soap a good substitute for duponol/Sodium lauryl sulfate?
From http://www.lazarsearlymusic.com/Recorder-Care/recorder_care.htm
Preventing clogging: For plastic instruments, remove the head joint and run some warm water through the windway from the large end or window. Blow out the excess water and let the windway dry. Then fill the windway (4) with Duponol or dilute dishwashing detergent, also from the window end. Then hold the head joint with the upper end down, cover the large opening of the head joint (5) with your palm and blow the excess moisture out by blowing air through the window (3). This procedure cleans the windway. In addition, the residue of detergent or Duponol lowers the surface tension on the condensed water droplets, allowing the creation of a smooth film that can drain away more easily. After this treatment, it is necessary to let the instrument dry thoroughly outside its case (just like after practicing).
Well, the video does show him clearing the windway regularly.
Are their other live performance videos on YouTube showing him playing the same whistle without ever clearing the windway?
Studio recordings we can set aside, because who knows how many passes are patched together to create the seamless final product.
A friend of mine, a professional tuba player, did a couple albums with a brass ensemble. One of the pieces was a Bach keyboard work, with notorious long passages of continuous notes giving the brassplayers no place to breathe. They did these with different “takes” with the players breathing in different spots each take; this gave the engineer plenty to work with to create seamless long unbroken passages.
I realize Colin Farrell with The Elders is playing a Goldie low F, rather than low D, but the long playing without clearing the whistle he does well. I’ve seen Colin on a few occasions live and the whistle clogging doesn’t appear to be a problem even in the longer parts. He does blow it out on occasion just not too often, which appear to be more at a convenient time.
This is five plus minutes of Colin playing with a lot of camera time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4klmKr9t0HM