A few years back, I bought a Whistlesmith “Wicked Good” low d. I played it a little, and decided to I really didn’t like it that much. A year or so later, I made a low tech low d, and was never happy with that one . . . just couldn’t get it tuned right. The other day I started working on the low tech one again, tweaking and got the tuning much better. It is louder than the Whistlesmith whistle. But then, I picked up the whistlesmith whistle, and realized I really liked it better. Yes, it was quiet, but it had a mellow sound. It was in tune. The holes were big and easy to find. I think I’m going to enjoy playing this again. I had a similar experience with a classical guitar . . . put it away for a few years, then got it out and compared to to some others, and realized how good it really was. Any others had a similar experience . . . or ANY experience with the whistlesmith
Hi Cloydw,
I’ve been looking for a good Low D whistle for some time, I had a Dixon Non-Tunable which is O.K and a Susato Tuneable which again is O.K. Played both for about a year. Last month I was able to get my hands on a second hand Kerry Songbird Low D from the Local Hobgoblin shop. After a little time with the Songbird I went back to the Susato and Dixon and what a difference in tone that I get from these. The Dixon is good for slow airs and the Susato for reels and also slow airs.
I guess the breath control need for the Songbird has somehow given greater control over the other two whistles. I also find that I am able to play my other whistles with greater effect.
Ian
This is common with many whistles. I had a feadog that I thought was terrible. I set it aside for a few months and came back to it and I loved it. The opposite is also true. Many whistles are praised by everyone for awhile and then they show up in the for sale lists or on ebay.
This has become commonplace for me. When I first took up the whistle I acquired a few high D’s and then a couple in Bb. Then someone was offering a Burke composite low D at a phenomenally low price so I took a chance on it. I found it to be about as difficult to play as it could possibly be. I didn’t understand pipers (aka super easy) grip then but even the breath requirements were beyond me. I, since I’m clearly a superior being 
, logically assumed that the whistle was defective so I bought another low D from Impempe which proved to be, although different, just as disappointing.
Then I bought a low F from Burke and struggled with it too so I swore never to buy another of Burke’s whistles. Clearly there was a conspiracy between the Michael Burke and C&F going on. How could all these recommendations keep coming in for a whistle line that clearly was defective in design and manufacture!
Long story short, after I played the D’s and Bb’s daily for a year and became fairly proficient, I picked up the low F again and surprise, surprise, since suddenly it was a much better whistle. I worked for a few weeks at picking up Super Easy grip with MT’s instructions and now all is well with low whistles for me. And after playing these, I’ve become more proficient with the higher whistles as well, even some that gave me trouble in the beginning.
I’m convinced that someone snuck into my house, fixed all my Burke whistles and never told me. It couldn’t have been a problem with me that caused this…right?
ecohawk
No way - the customer is always right! 
Many whistles are praised by everyone for awhile and then they show up in the for sale lists or on ebay.
Careful …WHOAD comes into it too you know…and with a shrinking economy, sometimes fast sellers are reluctantly forced to go by SWMBO.
I liked my Copeland a lot when I had it. I didn’t think much of letting it go - back then, I used it for classical repertoire, and like a recorder, found its octave range rather limiting.
That was probably the biggest whistlestop mistake I ever made. It’s taken me years …and now I’m out to try a new whistle after dissing loads I’ve tried. Granted - I’m buying a new one based on youtube clips and reviews, rather than trying them out first hand. Or fingers first. Whatever.
There is another reason I like the wicked good whistle. It is soft. My wife simply cannot tolerate the sound of the high whistle. When I go into the second octave, she insists that I play “softer”. I try to explain that I must get a faster air stream for the higher notes, and . . . well, it is no good arguing. But she really doesn’t mind the low whistle at all. Not every song sounds good on it, but many do. I is giving me more playing time (don’t have to wait for sometime when it is cool enough to go outside, or for my wife to leave the house).
I don’t know your skill level, I consider myself a low intermediate whistle player with about two years of daily practice and playing. But I have learned a lot about whistles themselves during that time having a serious case of WHOA and an insatiable curiosity about finding the “perfect” whistle. This has led me to correspond with and acquire several customized or tweaked (choose your term) instruments from some of the best makers around.
The “soft” or “hard” and “shrill” comments we see and hear about seem to have two causes but definitely are not related to a specific key. I have low D’s that will blow your ears out at the high end and high D’s that are as mellow as butter at the high end. Your skill level will have a significant impact on these dynamics as well. As you learn each instrument, just as you saw with your wicked good model, you will be better able to move between high and low ranges.
For example, when you are starting out, often you will mistakenly believe that playing slow airs is easier. But notes are generally held longer and take longer to achieve. Whether it is faulty finger placement causing leaks and screeching or inadequate breath control causing you to search for notes those eighth notes can become whole notes or more despite your best intentions. Short well done high notes sound like bird chirps. Long, poorly constructed notes can sound like cats fighting. My wife regularly comments on how she prefers the quieter instruments I now practice with at home. She doesn’t believe me when I tell her that the instruments are the same, it’s me that has changed.
So practice often and if you still believe it is the whistle at fault, most makers of even moderately priced whistles will adjust their instruments to your taste. If all else fails get one of Carey Parks models with the built in squelch mechanism. You can play it soft or make it roar as you desire.
ecohawk
Yes echohawk, I agree with all you said. My wife has a problem with high sounds. Most of the time with recorded music, it doesn’t bother her. However, I have a Linda Rohnstadt cd of old 40’s songs, “For Sentimental Reasons.” It hurts her ears. She LIKES that kind of music. But I really can’t play the cd when she is around. Linda’s voice hits too many high notes.
Some whistles are “shriller” than others. The “softest” high d’s I have are a dixon plastic pro d (my favorite) and a walton mellow d. The “shrillest” high d is a Susato. The Susato is my favorite for playing outdoors. (The thing looks like it should be practically indestructible. She simply does not like the second octave on the high d. When I really get in trouble is when I am trying to play “softly” and attempt a high b and get a honk.
As I look at this, I think I am politely trying to vent my frustration. But I believe that it does hurt her ears, and I need to be careful.