I would like your collective expertise on buying my son (he’s almost 12) a new whistle. He has an assortment of inexpensive whistles and I’d like to buy him a mid-priced one for his birthday or Christmas. I’d like to spend no more than around $100 (he’s not getting a Copeland anytime soon). I have reviewed the Chiff and Fipple buying guide and have looked at many whistles, but as I am not a player, I don’t know which to get. His long time favorite whistle is his Susato. Based on his current preference, what would you recommend?
Also, he typically plays by ear, but he does love his dog-eared copy of O’neils. Are there any other good compilations of Irish, Scottish or early American music that you recommend?
Thanks in advance (Santa appreciates the help)
Kathy
Whistle: Probably a lot of people will tell you to get a Burke, but if your son likes his Susato, my guess is he won’t particularly like a Burke, which is a very different whistle. He’s likely to want a good amount of backpressure, so a Water Weasel would be a much better choice. (But there probably are other good choices I don’t know about.)
Music: My favorite books are Trip to Sligo, Mountain Road: Tunes Popular in South Sligo, and Fiddle Music of Newfoundland and Labrador Volume 1. The first one is the best book of Irish music ever printed, IMO – it has a ton of great tunes in decent versions, and it has brief bios and pictures of the musicians they collected the tunes from to provide some context. Mountain Road is much shorter, but nearly every tune is a gem, and there is a great CD to go with it. The Newfoundland tune book is more eccentric, but contains a bunch of great and interesting tunes collected from Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit, including a number that really smoke on whistle.
If he goes for the spot on intonation of the Susato,then I would suggest a Sindt from my experience (BUT…there’s an 8 month wait-OH NO! ).
Burke whistles seem to be much favoured,and have a shorter wait(though at the moment,I can’t put my money where my mouth is!)
I am currently awaiting wooden Busman whistles-they look absolutely BEAUTIFUL,have had some good write -ups-if I received one as a pressy,I would be absolutely delighted!!
Can I add that David Boisvert’s whistles(‘Greenwood Pipes’) are attracting very good reviews,and his waiting lists,and prices,are very good at present.
Another good, inexpensive choice would be the Syn (<$40) - and you can get extra bodies (in extra keys) for about $5 apiece. I like mine quite a bit. I think Syns are a steal at the price.
I’d also second the “Water Weasel” suggestion - I don’t own one, but those I’ve had a chance to try were very good whistles.
Burkes are a bit above your suggested price range, but I’ve really liked the ones I’ve tried.
I’ve never had a chance to try an Alba, but I know there are several fans on the board.
And if he wants to try a very different whistle (husky/chiffy rather than pure), a Serpent Sweet Polly or a tweaked Shaw or Clarke might be good. (all under $40)
Price vs quality can be a bit hazy with whistles - my current favorite D whistles are my Serpent Sweet Polly ($25) and Syn ($38 ). I’d kind of like to add a Burke aluminum NB, but though I loved the ones I’ve played, I don’t think it’s 3 times the whistle the other two are. And although they are very well made, for some reason I’ve never warmed to Copelands ($200+)
Another suggestion: you may want to try getting him a whistle in a different key. I had a Howard low D this summer when I was teaching a whistle class at music camp, and a couple of the boys absolutely loved messing around with it. Though a low D is probably a little too big… think about a low G. That could give him something fun to work with, learning the piper’s grip, and also give your ears a different range to appreciate.
Another suggestion: you may want to try getting him a whistle in a different key. I had a Howard low D this summer when I was teaching a whistle class at music camp, and a couple of the boys absolutely loved messing around with it. Though a low D is probably a little too big… think about a low G. That could give him something fun to work with, learning the piper’s grip, and also give your ears a different range to appreciate.
Second the Syn. Maybe not as loud as a Susato, but a very nice sound and with a very full range of tube sizes for under $100 you get a very well built whistle. He is in Austrailia so delivery is about 2 weeks. gaeliccrossings.com has an online store where you can get the D whistle though.
WOW - such great advice and so quickly! He’s gonna be home soon, so I can’t write much now, just wanted to let you know I really appreciate the help. I will digest it tomorrow and perhaps ask a few more questions. Again, thanks so much,
Kathy
A Gary Humphrey’s Narrow Bore D would be a good choice. I’ve got one and like it very much. Jessie K and Peter Laban have given positive reviews. Both of them are very well respected as whistles go. You can read more and get the contact info on the C&F “High End Whistles” web page.
I won’t suggest a whistle, out of solidarity with NorCal who is not allowed to have an opinion.
But I wanted to recommend a tune book: Ceol Rince na hEirin by Breandan Breathnach, available at http://www.ossianusa.com . I suggest startting with Vol. I. It happens to be in Irish, but it’s about the tunes not the little bit of text of course, and a translation is available online. Good stuff and common tunes.
If his favorite whistle is the Susato, maybe a Susato F, (the lower F) as I was reading about in a very recent thread- sort of the different key idea that others have suggested along with his favorite whistle. (and just $50.) -mike
Ahh…my opinion is stupid and wrong, but…
I like the Humphrey very well. I also like cheap whistles tweaked too. I learnt tweaking through ordering ready tweaked whistles and pouring through old post for hours. For the money, you could get about three already tweaked whistles. ( you can order them that way, Jerry tweaked, or O’brian tweaked) Either the Humphrey or a couple of tweaked whistles.
I’m big on chiff. That tubular chiff sound like a steam calliople. That’s the best way I know to describe it. The Humphrey is great for that. So are the tweaked whistles.
If it were me deciding, it’d be a toss up.
In case you have any trouble finding it at Ossian, note that the actual title is Ceol Rince na hÉireann, not that I myself can ever remember past the “Ceol Rince”, much less pronounce any of it. I usually just say “the CRE” and hope the person I’m talking to knows what I’m talking about.
by Breandan Breathnach, available at > http://www.ossianusa.com > . I suggest startting with Vol. I. It happens to be in Irish, but it’s about the tunes not the little bit of text of course, and a translation is available online. Good stuff and common tunes.
Mostly I’m responding to let you and anyone else interested know that an English translation by Paul de Grae of the notes, with some additions, can be found at Nigel Gatherer’s web site:
I checked out the tune books recommendations - they look great, thanks - exactly what I was looking for. I looked at the recommended whistle, still not sure, but I may lean to just getting him more susatos in other keys. Might as well stick with what he likes than risk spending money on a whistle that might just sit in the basket. Still can’t decide. Thanks again, you folks are great - but then again, how mean can a whsitle player be? (rhetorical question, of course.)
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