Hi, everyone! This is my first post, and I’m just beginning to learn the whistle. I live in a small town in Texas, and our music store only carries Acorn, Oak, and Waltons D whistles. Can anyone recommend another brand in the ‘inexpensive’ category that I might order online? Also, what’s the next key I should get, and does anyone have any brands they’ll endorse for me? Thanks!
I like the Walton’s whistles.
Hi Aaron and a hearty welcome to the (al)most most wonderful place in the world.
For a list of expensive whistles go here on the Chiff & Fipple main board.
http://www.chiffandfipple.com/inexp.html
And once on the main board — explore — there’s tons of information on anything you might ask about whistles in the beginning. Links to on-line vendors, whistle makers etc.
Again welcome.
MarkB
Thanks, Mark and Walden! I’ve been exploring on the main page, but something I’m still confused about is where I can get the whistles that can’t be found in my town. Clarke has a fabulous Flash-manic website, but where do I order a Clarke? Are there websites that people recommend for ordering whistles?
Okay, I have an update. I found a website that appears to be great, but I wonder if I could get some input. Has anyone had experience with a website called ‘The Whistle Shop’? It’s http://www.thewhistleshop.com.
www.thewhistleshop.com This is the place to go for all your whistle needs. If you don’t find it on the website,contact Thom and chances are he has it or can get it for you.. The prices are the best and so is the service. Welcome to the world of whistles..A s for reccomendations.. I like the Oaks and will second the Waltons. Clarkes are nice if you like a flutey sound and don’t mind the extra wind…
Take a look at the Whistle Shop. If you do a search here for Whistle Shop, you’ll find loads of positive comments. They are at
http://www.thewhistleshop.com/
Also take a look at Elderly Insturments. They don’t have near the whistle selection as the Whistle Shop, but the ones they do have are generally a bit less expensive.
http://www.elderly.com/welcome.htm
For a very good starter whistle, I would recommend the Sweetone. It tends to be more forgiving of mistakes.
I like Clarkes; very good and forgiving for beginners. Sweetones are also good for learning. I however, tend to prefer Feadogs for their tone (whoo hoo! anxiously waiting the arrival of her new MK III)… It’s all about what you like, really.
Thanks! Looks like it’ll be The Whistle Shop!
By the way, can anyone tell me about the PVC whistles? In comparison to their metal counterparts, how do they sound?
I ordered twice now from The Whistleshop (my Dixon Low D and a book) and I was very satisfied both times. Good service, very approachable for questions and prompt delivery. Thumbs up for The Whistleshop, I will buy there again.
:: marcus
Fairly similar to a lot of metal whistles, though a few metal whistles have a definite metallic ring, particularly all-metal ones.
One of my favorite day-to-day whistles is a Dixon tuneable (obtained from The Whistle Shop, by the way!). It’s plastic…don’t know if it’s PVC. A regular (non-tuneable) Dixon would probably be in your price range, and they’re really fantastic beginner’s whistles (not bad for more experienced players either!).
Redwolf
I have a Dixon non-tunable. Nice whistle, pretty well balanced across the octaves, but requires really good breath control for the higher notes in the second octave - you need to really lean into them. Also a little more prone to clogging than my Sweetones or Generations.
I’d second the recommendation as a beginner’s whistle, but I’d probably get a Sweetone as well.
A Walton’s Mellow D would also make a good beginner’s whistle, I think - it’s pretty well balanced across the octaves and forgiving of less-than-perfect breath control.
I’d also go along with the Sweetone idea. It’s less pure sounding than the Walton’s I’ve played, but has that chiffy sound that a lot of whistlers would say “sounds like a whistle.” And, in my experience, wastes less wind than a regular Clarke.
Wow…I’ve noticed just the opposite. My Dixon (the brass tuning slide one) has a very easy second octave and NEVER clogs! On the other hand, I had a Mello D that was absolute crap…buzzy, and out of tune with itself besides.
Strange…
Redwolf
Welcome to the wonderfully wacky yet strangely satisfying world of the tin whistle! As has been said before, you can’t go wrong ordering from The Whistle Shop.
Redwolf, I have a non-tunable Dixon, and haven’t experienced any clogging problems with it, nor do I find it difficult as far as the second octave goes, like DCrom mentioned. Weird, huh? 
~Larry
I agree with Redwolf on the Mello D. Mine sounds very nice but is horribly out of tune with itself which is why I had it over a year before actually trying to play the whistle. I finally got a Sweetone which worked much better.
Redwolf,
I agree with your comment about the Dixon w/brass tuning slide. The air requirements are actually less than my Generation D and the increment of air pressure up to the high B is very slight. My Dixon is prone to clog, however, because I am one of those people who salivate a lot. I use the dish detergent in the airway and that has eliminated that problem. Altogether it’s a very nice whistle and a bargain for the price. Great for beginners. I also recommend the Sweetone for all beginners. Regardless of whether people like the sound, I think everyone will agree that it is very easy to play, in tune and cheap.
Mike