Any good ideas for a sorta cheap whistle for a relative novice? I already have a Clarke D (with the diamonds) and love the sound but I thought it would be interesting to try something with a little less “chiff.” (Also, some of the paint is cracking off the mouthpiece of my old one.)
While it may be more than you intended to spend,I highly recommend the whistles of Tony Dixon. They are not really expensive,yet play like they are. His tuneable D is around 24.00,and if you are like me,you will spend far more then that on “cheap whistles” looking for a good one. Eventually you will end up with a drawer full of them you never play..Save yourself the trouble and get a good one early on,you’ll be glad you did…
If you don’t need to tune it (as in to match other people’s instruments) I suggest the nontunable Dixon D for about $16. It’s my favorite plastic whistle and I like it more than the tunable one.
I started out with the clark with “those hideous diamonds” too. When I got my second and third whistles together, I got a Generation D nickel and a Clark sweetone. The Generation I hate but the sweetone seems to have a little of the character of the original while being more responsive and forgiving.(and brighter)
P.S. I have Dixon high and low D’s (nontunable) on the way, everybody sais they are good.
My list of whistles is always growing, and my favorite whistle is always changing from day to day. Today, I decided that my Susato D was my favorite…yesterday I thought my Generation Eb was my favorite, the day before that I hated my Susato but loved my Clare 2 piece (now my Clare is assigned to the glove box of my wife’s truck…but I’m gonna order another one for the glove box of my truck). Anyway, the one inexpensive whistle that is always near the top is my Waltons Irish whistle. It is more in tune than my other cheap whistles (except the Susato). It is pretty stable and not as twitchy as my other cheap whistles. Pretty strong across the octaves. I also own a Waltons Little Black whistle that performs well.
I might note, though, that the next whistle on my aquisition list is a “Tweeked” Clarke from The Whistle Shop…I REALLY love(d) my Clarke original until I drank too much scotch one night and decided that I could “tweek” it myself…oops!!!
Another note…I’ve got the Dixon low D and it is great…a perfect low whistle to learn on.
Good Luck!!
Eric
I’ll chip in with a vote for an all black Feadog.
Although they don’t get much mention here, mine is very sweet, plays oxxooo Cnat in tune enough for me, and the coating means no tarnishing or slippery nickel blues.
I also say, there’s nothing quite like a Generation!
I’m also very impressed with the quality of the Oak Nickel body, it’s got a nice solid feel, though I find it is a bit quiet compared to similar style whistles.
Thanks, y’all! Any more ideas?
Yeah - - don’t bother trying to decide on just one!
I guess I’m warped, but I kinda like the diamonds on the Clarke, tacky though they must be! The Whistle Shop’s tweaked Clarke is supposed to be good, it’s tweaked to require less breath. I want to try one myself, and after hearing about the Dixons will probably try them too.
Alas, WHOA is me . . . 
Yah, I really like the Clarke…
But my baby sister was throwing it around the room one day (I did NOT know about this)and it got kinda dented… Besides, I want a good excuse to BUY MORE WHISTLES! (Not, of course, that anyone ever actually needs a good excuse…)
I’ve been playing since my son was almost two, and my solution was to let him play his own. He’s five now and treats things with more respect than at 2. Curiously, though he’s not very into music, but he loves to use my pile of whistles to “build” things.
Let lil sis join in the fun with her own whistle, a Sweetone or Generation perhaps!
Cj…I am so glad someone else likes the “tacky” gold diamonds