I’m on the lookout for a decent/ good quality case for my low D whistle. Probably like most of you I get a ‘bit’ precious about my musical instruments and somehow hiking it around the country in just a plastic case or a cheap PVC bag doesn’t do it for me. My other instruments (guitar, mandolin and bodhran) are all suitably protected but ‘Toots’ (Ok I admit it, I’ve given it a name) is deprived.
I went on the web and found a cheap bag from Eagle in the UK for about £5 ($10), but this looks a bit basic, similarly, a US site was offering an identical bag but handcrafted, but wanted about $30. The whistle is aluminium so it doesn’t ‘need’ a hard case, but ideally I would like one. Having said that, as long as the padding is good and the casing solid, I will be content with a thick canvas one.
Just to complicate it I don’t want a multi-whistle case - I feel like a plumber when I pull one of those out.
I know - I’m a picky git, but hey I think I have a point. After all we spend a lot of money on our instruments and there seems to be a big gap in the market here. Any entrepreneurs out there?
I’ve looked at the pool cue cases here in the UK and the ones I have seen are approximately 9" longer than the whistle - doesn’t this mean it is rattling around inside the case?
A guy called singteck does a lot of really nice leather work. He was living in England but just moved back out to Malaysia. Anyway - amongst a few other things he has just made me a pouch to my specs for a wee d whistle. Check it and some of his other creations out here http://www.flickr.com/photos/-st-/
It was around a tenner sterling - you may also just be able to see the logo (my own decal) that he ‘burnt’ into the leather using a small metal ‘brand’ that he made. It is a snake - the light doesn’t show it up well on this photo. I am talking to him right now about making a wrap/roll for a few whistles - black leather on outside and the yellow inside. He is also looking at designing a wrap for straight razors for me too. You draw it and give measurements - he can do it. Google ‘singteck leather’ and you will get into his blogs and more of his work. Just a satisfied customer.
There should be no problem for him to add a layer of padding to make it more protective. Depends if you just want protection (then go for plastic telescope jobs) or, as I read it, you want something more befittting your precious.
If it’s just a bit of protection you want, the telescoping plastic carrier from Big Whistle might be the thing at £1.40. A hard case, in effect, but lightweight and snug.
Looks suspiciously like the plastic covers big drill bits (typically for concrete) come in.
My Impempes have covers like that as does my Dixon Trad. I think the Cheftain C I had a brief encounter with also may have come in one, or was it the Alba A?
Yes, the pool cue case is too long, but it’s not a bother if you buy the soft case with lots of padding. Mine is made of black nylon fabric (can’t remember what you call it) and has lots of padding. It also has a couple of external pockets. The brand name is “Excalibur” if that helps…
I have 2. One I made and one a friend made as a gift.
The one I made is simply a scaled up version of a nice rectangular box one of my Whistle Shop orders came in. I also added some foam cut to make a nest. Not off the shelf, but protects quite nicely. All materials were available in craft stores.
The gift cas uses the standard cardboard mailing tubes for documents. They come in a variety of lengths and can be cut to size. They even have snug end caps. Of course, the friend added a nice fabric sleeve and nifty shoulder strap.
Thanks for some of the suggestions. What seems to be emerging is that there is no purpose-built canvas/ leather case for a low D! Most of us seem to find things we botch together, or alternatively, we find individual artisans (often very talented - as I have seen from the links) who are willing to make things for us.
But isn’t this a sad state of affairs given the number of whistlers in the world. I don’t want to have to ‘make-do’ with a plastic roll, a cardboard tube or a piece of piping - my music is of a better quality than that and I want my instrument and me to be respected. The whistle companies (Generation, Feadog, Waltons, Howard, Abell, Kerry and Overton) are quick to take our money, but less inclined to offer us the peripherals. Can you imagine Canon selling you a printer, but not selling the ink? Not sure about the rest of you, but it feels like they are offering me a pint of Guinness - with no head! Tastes good enough and if I drink enough it would get me drunk, but there is something badly missing.
So come on all you business-folk out there, stop ignring the needs of your customers and start coming up with a case we can use, something that looks good, something that is waterproof and something that is hard-wearing.
Thanks for some of the suggestions. What seems to be emerging is that there is no purpose-built canvas/ leather case for a low D! Most of us seem to find things we botch together, or alternatively, we find individual artisans (often very talented - as I have seen from the links) who are willing to make things for us.
But isn’t this a sad state of affairs given the number of whistlers in the world. I don’t want to have to ‘make-do’ with a plastic roll, a cardboard tube or a piece of piping - my music is of a better quality than that and I want my instrument and me to be respected. The whistle companies (Generation, Feadog, Waltons, Howard, Abell, Kerry and Overton) are quick to take our money, but less inclined to offer us the peripherals. Can you imagine Canon selling you a printer, but not selling the ink? Not sure about the rest of you, but it feels like they are offering me a pint of Guinness - with no head! Tastes good enough and if I drink enough it would get me drunk, but there is something badly missing.
So come on all you business-folk out there, stop ignring the needs of your customers and start coming up with a case we can use, something that looks good, something that is waterproof and something that is hard-wearing.
There are folk out there doing ‘production’ answers to your question - if you don’t want bespoke. Have a look at this flute case for about £23. You would need to get it shipped to the UK, but still…
just thought I mention that every Overton comes with a nylon padded bag and this has for years been part of the package and Bernard Overton always used to have a quite thick felt bag they came with.
Brigitte
Added: And Chris Abell offers an additional bag on his page for his instruments.
P.S. It is not nice to find oneselves name listed and blamed for something that is not correct and could be easily checked, so please in the future do check before you name or accuse makers for something they do not deserve or have nothing to do with.
I have a real nice low D whistle case from Sweetheart whistles. I think it cost $35.00 but it is canvas and has a Velcro closer. Also has some pretty good padding. And the whistle is in two parts in the case. I do not know it this would help you or not but you can check out Sweetheart flutes site or email ralphsweet@aol.com . I also do not know if this is just made especially for his whistles or not. Good Luck .
