Hi,
This is slightly, well totally, off-topic, but i know some of the whistle players do have recorders, so thought i could ask here.
I am looking for a small sopranino sized (or round about that size) recorder that has the bottom note of C. I love my current sopranino recorder, particulary the highness and sweetness of it, but would love one that i described. I have no idea if i can buy one off the shelf, or know of anyone who can make one either.
Any and all help graciously accepted!
I think what you’re looking for is a Garklein recorder. It’s going to be even smaller than a sporanino.
You can order a few different models at the Boulder Early Music shop www.bems.com There’s one plastic model and a good number of wood to choose from listed on their web page. I’ve bought from them in person, but never over the web.
Whatcha going to do with it? Train bats?
Hi,
Thank you for that site! I’m just looking there now.
I play the concert flute (silver keyed) and i really enjoy it, but i also seem to have a hankering for high pitch sounds. When my mum plays the whistle on its highest octave, its really nice, and again i get that with the yamaha sopranino i have, so it would be nice to have one that i can just pick up and play, and not have to worry about changing music for the instrument. But calling bats… I might enjoy that! G 
(edited to add)
The only thing im a little worried about is finger size, that might be a problem!
A Garlkein is anything but sweet! You’re better off with a Soprano which is pitched just like a D whistle-- there are tons of cheap excellent ones out there, including some really jazzy looking clear colored plastic ones by Yamaha.
I don’t know about the bats. My house ferret isn’t too keen on the really high notes on the whistle. I have a G sopranino. A rareity that came my way and after doing a bit of work with it it plays quite sweetly. Just like playing a G whistle really. 'Twill be interesting to hear one of these Garlkein. I have just got a crook bass recorder. That should drown it out!! 
um…stupid question time…
The letter-note on the back of a recorder is the key it’s in, right?
Mine says B on the back, but it’s a Soprano, I thought it would automatically be C? The fingering chart only goes to C, and show all holes covered as C, but there is no C on the recorder, only a B, right above the thumb vent…
Possibly a stupid reply (so dont shoot me), but play the bottom note and match it up to a piano note or keyboard, that would tell you for sure… right?
Soprano recorders are typically pitched in C (ie. the lowest note it will play is C). Sopranino’s are generally pitched in F. A garlkein is also pitched in C but is one octive higher than the soprano.
I definately don’t want to be around when the garlkein is played, at least not without some serious ear protection.
Cranberry,
The letter B on the back of your recorder means Baroque (also called English) fingering, which has a cross fingered Fnat.
The difference, as far as I can tell, between the Baroque and German fingered instruments is that the German do not require cross fingering for the Fnat.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Can an adult play one of these garkleins? My fingers are actually all touching when I play a sopranino or a G whistle. I may have to get one of these for my wife, who has small hands. Heck, my daughter might even be able to cover the holes.
Don’t know. Will be interesting to see. The holes from top to bottom on my G sop measure 4" and that’s close. You have to half hole and sharps on it.
Like a month after i actually posted about this i finally got my grubby mitts on one!
A tad dearer than your normal recorders, still a lovely instrument. I went for the standard plastic aulos model, rather than paying out a lot more for say a wood one.
It is rather high, wouldnt play it after midnight cos of the neighbours, and have yet to find something to play with it, but its perfect!
Any adult should be able to play it. With my chubby fingers, they are right next to each other, but managable. The only thing i have done is half tape over the back thumb hole to aid the next octave up. Rather than having to fiddle around trying to get placement, i just remove the thumb from the hole and play that way.
It’s so small though! Ideal to hide in your pocket, and right to whip out at anypoint to give someone earache! heh I look forward to actually using it, quite possibly it will be in the middle of a field where no one will complain, or finding music that doesnt go past high D so its still comfortable for people to listen to.
Now i wonder if a sopranino sized recorder could be made to play in C, by making the body thicker. 
Lifeforms,
A quick lesson in acoustical physics. No, you can’t get
a -C- bell (bottom) note on a -F- size sopranino
by making the bore larger. Only longer or shorter will
change the “Bell” note. Also, recorders are “chromatic”
and they can play in any key but again the “bell” or bottom
note is determined by the length of the instrument. It’s
a law of “physics” and noboby can change this except
maybe God but I don’t think he will bother. Hope this
helps explain things. All the best,
Kelhorn Mike
i think what i meant was by making it actually phsyically bigger (wider/fatter), not just the hole bigger.
If what you say is right (and im not questioning the length part), why is a soprano recorder fatter (bigger) than say the sopranino. If the sopranino was fatter would that not produce a different key (eg : c, if it was all measure, and tried out etc)