Anyone have experience with these whistles or with their maker?
A (belated) search of this forum reveals that I am locked into what appears to be a long-standing pattern with Noah Herbison: he has my money but offers no clue as to when I might hope to see a telescoping D (it’s so much more fun dealing with Michael Burke–he’s remarkably conscientious about the business end of his craft).
It looks like I might be wise to hedge my bet and order a David O’Brien whistle, but this time shall make enquiries first.
BTW, the O’Brien Rover three-piece wooden model looks (and sounds) like a helluva nice pocket whistle too: any personal experience with those would also be much appreciated.
BTBTW, his home page shows an update yesterday; that’s a hopeful sign!
David O’Brien posts here on a fairly regular basis. I don’t have one of his telescopic whistles but have had one of his three-part wooden whistles which was a fine instrument. When I got the whistle (via ebay) it had a couple of minor issues. I sent it back to Mr. O’Brien who did some minor tweaking and maintenance at a very fair price and returned it promptly. An easy transaction. Hope this helps.
Best wishes.
Steve
Indeed he does: I should have searched first. Seems like a guy serious about doing business.
I don’t have one of his telescopic whistles but have had one of his three-part wooden whistles which was a fine instrument.
What kind of wood was it, and how convenient was it to pack around?
When I got the whistle (via ebay) it had a couple of minor issues. I sent it back to Mr. O’Brien who did some minor tweaking and maintenance at a very fair price and returned it promptly. An easy transaction. Hope this helps.
Indeed it does. Thanks.
It was a lovely piece of olivewood. Broken into its three parts and in the cloth bag that came with it, it fit neatly into a shirt pocket and was about the size of a pack of cigarettes (although it smelled a lot better when used). Very convenient to take most anywhere.
I notice Mr. O’Brien is having a sale on delrin Rovers. Also, if you are looking for convenient-to-carry, resistant to the outdoor stresses, you might also look carefully at Carey Parks Walkabout whistles out of cpvc.
Best wishes.
Steve
I can’t speak to his telescopic whistle, but his 3-piece blackwood Rover (I have a C/D set) has been my session kit for years. David is one of several low-key makers who deserve more attention. I’d recommend his products to anyone.
You might want to look at a Carey Parks Walkabout, too - I like mine a lot!
Pat