New Whistle

Yesterday friend of mine borrow me a Tin whistle,I usually dont like playing instrument I tried quitar but I dont liked it,but with Thin whistle i fell in love.Its so easy to play and when somebody is playing you can almost fell taste of Guiness :smiley:.I would like buy a new one,but I really,really dont know which one.I have have a little bit big hands and I dont know how to explain i would prefer the ā€œIrish sound of thin whistleā€ if you know what I mean.Btw sorry for stupid quostion and thanks for answers.

Hello Brasi, welcome to the whistle and the forum.
There are many really good tin whistle out there for you to choose from.
What is your budget and where abouts are you?
If you like your friends whistle maybe you should start with that brand, you might even be able to buy it off him or her.
Three of my current favorites are the Freeman Bluebird, the Freeman Mellowdog, and the Dixon Traditional, all in the key of high d. Which is where you want to start for Irish Tradional Music.
The Whistle Shop is my prefered vendor in the US, and Big Whistle in the UK.
But an internet search will reveal many others.

Welcome!

Thanks for quick reply.I am from Czech Republic but in few week I am going for holiday to Ireland so,it would be nice to have an irish thin whistle from Ireland :wink: .And what do you think about Clarks original thin whistle?

Clarkes aren’t bad, but there are others I like better.
Maybe the retailers will let you play a variety and see what YOU like, it won’t cost anything to ask.

As for big hands, most high D whistles have the similar spacing between the holes. Unless you’re a giant, it shouldn’t be ā€˜huge’ issue. :smiley: But seriously, try some whistles and see if they are comfortable for you.

I don’t know your budget, but there is the Dixon Trad from the UK that is a good and dependable whistle.
The Oak/Acron line of whistle is one of the lower priced whistle I like, others don’t.
Feadogs, I haven’t had much luck with, others love them.
Haven’t tried the Waltons.
See how this works? Ask ten whistlers what they like and get twenty different answers.
You won’t know what you like until you have been playing a while and experience many models.
But, where to start, oh, where to start!?!?

My advice to other beginners is to start with a decent whistle like the Dixon Trad, or the Freeman Bluebird.
IF you can afford it, own as many whistles as you can.

Thanks a lot I think I will start with dixon Trad in D.But clarks original in D looks so sexy :slight_smile:

It’s a very inexpensive whistle. Just get one! I love my Clarke Original. Even if you don’t play it much until you have a bit more experience I don’t think you’ll regret it. It does take a bit more control on the low end. I met one person who never played his in the bottom octave because he didn’t have the control to blow gently enough.

I love The Whistle Shop and Jerry Freeman’s Whistles, but I also like my Feadog. It plays a bit sharp, but was in tune with itself.

Ultimately, you’ll get one, think you’re in love, get some extra money in your pocket and start thinking ā€œI wonder what all this Oak business is aboutā€ or ā€œThere’s a Feadog Pro?ā€

Most of them are so cheap that it’s hard to talk yourself out of trying a different brand.

However, my Susato was not the cheapest, nor my Freeman Bluebird. The Susato hasn’t arrived, but the Bluebird was completely worth it.

I think the Clarke Original is the best inexpensive whistle for beginners. It’s got a beautiful bird-like tone, and is very forgiving in terms of breath control. Personally, I found it much less squeaky and squawky than any of the other cheapie whistles when I was first starting out. It’s got the added benefit that you can blow into it very softly and still get a decent tone, which is nice when you’re a beginner, and you don’t want to subject all your roommates/family/neighbors to your noobish whistle skillz.

i own a Clarke original and it is a great whistle for us beginners, plaidpotato’s thread says it all about the original, great little starter whistle, if you look on e bay UK you can pick one up for as little as Ā£6GBP and some sellers deliver worldwide

Ok thanks for comments,last question is Dixon trad hard to learn?I love its Irish sound.

nope. same as Clarke or any other… blow in one end… wiggle your fingers on the side of the tube where the holes are… have fun!

seriously… the basics are the same for all the Irish/tin/penny whistles… six finger holes… lift the fingers one at a time from bottom to top to play a major scale… beyond the basics, every whistle is absolutely unique… listen lots… have fun… copy what you hear… have fun… practice lots, but NEVER take it too serious… have fun…

be well,

jim

It’s about the most suitable beginners’ whistle I can think of (better tuned and more breath-tolerant than most comparable* models) and I’d recommend it over a Clarke any day!

  • ā€˜Trad-style’, plastic head on metal tube.

what Peter just said… couldn’t agree more. I have two Dixon Trads… they are the whistle i pick up when i want to noodle more than any other…


be well,

jim

Thanks I will buy a Dixon trad and start learning :smiley: .

Feadog whistleheads aren’t glued, but they can sometimes be too tight to move the whistlehead easily.

Take the whistlehead firmly in one hand, the tube firmly in the other, twist and pull. If it comes off, put some cork grease or the like (ChapStick, Vaseline, etc.) on the end of the tube and reassemble it.

If it doesn’t come off, heat the whistlehead by immersing it in near boiling water for a few seconds, then take the whistlehead firmly in one hand, the tube firmly in the other, twist and pull (use a dish towel or the like to keep from scalding the hand that holds the whistlehead). Put some cork grease … .

Adjust the position of the whistlehead on the tube until you are happy with the tuning.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Let us know how you like it.
Its one big family here, welcome brother.