I’ve tried a search, and didn’t come up with much. For a Low D specifically, what makers are great? I know Susato, Kerry, Overton, Chieftain all makes Low D’s, any other GOOD makers? Anybody’s take on Low D’s is welcomed. I’ve heard that currently Overton’s and/or Kerry’s are out, and/or HARD to get. Any info is welcomed. Thanks a bunch,
Eric
I’ve heard that Dixon’s are good. I know Daniel Bingamon makes “cheap” PVC Low D’s, which are apparently very nice. Ever think of making your own??? 
Dixons are OK, but they’re pretty quiet. Very easy reach, though - can be played with a standard grip if your hands are medium-to-large. Good for late night play, but not the best choice for a session.
Unless you’ve got monster hands, a Howard Low D will require piper’s grip as well as much better breath support, but it’s a wonderful sounding whistle. I love mine.
Susato Low Ds seem to get a varied response on playability (they have a fairly unique sound and have huge finger holes), but they are fairly inexpensive. Even more than a Howard, they demand piper’s grip. I’ve played them a time or two at parties, and they seem OK once you adjust to the grip requirements, but I was still working on piper’s grip the last time I held one.
I’ve never played a Shaw Low D, but they have a reputation for easy reach but huge air requirement.
I know there are list members who are very fond of Alba Low D’s, too - perhaps some of them will comment.
I believe that Serpent Music is making Low D’s (if he’s back to whistlesmithing - last I heard Bill was in the middle of a move). Can’t comment on the current models, but they’re pretty inexpensive. I like my older Serpent F, A, and high D whistles quite a lot, but the new models are so different I can’t do more than mention them.
How about listening to the Reyburn low D sound clips on this site:
That’s tempting me, I can tell ya.
M
Have the Rayburn .. WB and NB .. both are great whistles … the WB is great for slow airs … haunting for sure. NB gives a different sound .. also very nice and can keep up with anything I try to play .. while the WB can’t seem to handle the fast ones. Of course this could be my playing LOL!
In MHO .. no finer Low D on the market.
Jim
No surprises here. I have been through a dozen or two low d’s the last couple of years. Overton (low end of the high priced) and Bleazey (high end of the high priced) are the two that have stuck with me.
One that I REALLY liked was a Burke Composite low D. If I remember correctly the holes were decently spaced and sized. The sound was very nice. They are extremely light and the air requirement was on the high side of medium or low side of high. Decently priced too.
I’ve got a Dixon low D and it is very nice. The Dixon is a great beginer’s low whistle IMHO for the reasons listed above and because it is pretty reasonably priced.
Hi everybody!
I’d like to add another question to that as I’m currently thinking about getting a low whistle myself. I read through everything chiff&fipple have to say about low whistles, checked out builder’s websites, but there was just one thing I couldn’t find: does anyone know whether there’s a sound clip available from(of/by??? those darn prepositions… 
) a Howard low D?
So far I checked out the Chieftain and Kerry sound clip and rather preferred the chieftain sound. I think I remember someone stating somewhere that a Howard sounds more like a Kerry??
Thanks for your help!
Katta
Nevermind, just remembered that following page and found two Howard sound samples:
http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/slowairs.html
There are a lot of other sound samples, too, in case you didn’t already know (which most of you probably did 
).
You will not go wrong with a Howard, its a lovely instrument with a great sound. i do not find it too much of a stretch and imo its easy to play requiring little breath. You can oick them up at a really good price too.
Lots of good suggestions here,but…
why not get the best?
If you plan to stay with a low D whistle for a long time
start at the top. That would be Copeland and Bernard Overton.
Play your way up to them.
Goldthorpe.
I prefer Colin Goldie’s versions of the Overton whistle. He has more flexibility in how he tunes them to a persons desired playing characteristics.
Well, theres Copeland
and of course Copeland
ooh did I mention Copeland?
Well, there’s a slight money issue, that’s why. I plan on getting both a Low D and a Burke soprano D and I don’t have enough money for a Copeland (plus I hear the waiting list is really long and I was kind of hoping to get these whistles within the next two months or so - possibly earlier - well, as soon as I decided on something I will probably want them right away… 
).
If I had like three times the money available that I have now, I’d probably get a Greenwood soprano D. A friend of mine has one and I do have to say, I think I’m in love (even though I wasn’t able to hit any note above the e in the second octave…), but as matters are, I decided to get a nice high D and a probably good low D I like - since so far all I own is one Generation high D.
I’ll speak up for Albas. I have a tuneable Alba Low D and love it. I never have trouble with it clogging, as whatever Stacey uses for the fipple (albanite, she calls it) is quite moisture resistant. Blowing is in the medium to low side of high range. Definitely worth the money.
Best,
LJ
I have four different low D’s and have played most of what’s out there. Hands down, I think the Sweetheart is the best to play. Easy to finger, easy to breathe, great sound. The Copeland and Overton have a bigger sound, but it doesn’t make up for the Sweetheart’s playability in my book!
Tyg
Hello Eric,
I have several Low D’s.. My fave is the Howard, which I have 2.. I have
one Overton low D in blue, and if the weather is not cold, I would choose
that one to play… I just got my first Reyburn Low D.. And have not
had a lot of time to practice with it.. But it’s got a great sound and ease
of play.
I have ordered 2 overton whistles.. D and a low C.. and while I have had
to be patient and wait for Colin to do a “run” of whistles, they are not
hard to get…
Rgds,
-Ricker
My favorite low D is my Michael Burke AL-Pro.
It has a break between the hands so that I can offset the holes and let my elbows drop to my sides and I can play it standing up.
It is very ergonomic, the best I have played.
It has a nice “swell” for some notes that makes it ideal for slow airs, but a little balky for the fast stuff, but it can be done with the right breath control.
If you can hold back your “air” for a whistle, I have several Mack Hoover low whistles that I really enjoy playing, from low E to low G.
I have both the howard low D and an Overton Low D. Both are excellent whistles. I went to the site you listed here and played (Black is the Color) on the Howard. That is what a Howard sounds like. But I think the person playing was also useing a revirb to get the echo?
Yeah, I thought so, too. Thanks for your opinion. Right now I am leaning towards the Howard, but I won’t make a final decision just yet. On Friday I will meet with a friend who has a couple of different whistles, from high d to low d by different makers and she allowed me to try out some and then I’ll now more I guess.