There are way too many choices out there!
Session whistles: Whistles designed for more volume to hold their own with many different instruments in large sessions. Most session whistles will have a larger bore than trads/narrow bores. But be careful here. When playing in sessions, the idea is to fit in and not dominate unless doing a solo. That’s why experienced session players will have a few different whistles and use them wisely. Otherwise, you may be asked to “sit the next one out”…and leave you sitting it out. Popular “session” whistles would be the Burke Sessions, Reyburn Session D, Susato D, Chieftain, Overton, etc, but truthfully I’ve seen just about everything used in session. Whatever works in a given session environment could be termed a “session” whistle.
Narrow bores: Whistles with slightly lower volume than the session whistles and designed for more all-around playing and playing relatively quietly at home. As the name implies, these whistles in general have a smaller diameter tube with a smaller air window than session whistles. As a result, they’re quieter, the tone is not quite as full or deep, and the high end is usually more “bird-like” (for lack of a better term) and sweeter. Just make sure you get a well-designed whistle that doesn’t have a shrill high end (this applies to ANY whistle).
I might mention here that some players prefer a larger or smaller diameter tube for comfort and playability depending on hand/finger size.
Since there are many things that can affect tonal characteristics such as fipple design and construction which shapes the tone, and tube diameter, the following are very general observations regarding materials. I’m sure whistle makers will want to expand or amend these observations.
Brass: Usually a warmer and sweeter tone than other metals
Aluminum: Usually produces a bright, round tone with depth. Some whistles are made of an alloy (mixture of metals) and I haven’t heard one yet I like or sounds like an Irish whistle. But then I haven’t heard them all. The ones I’ve heard sound hard with no real tonal character or personality…just notes.
Wood: More complex tone with deeper tonal qualities than metal. Wood usually sounds like wood (now there’s a real revelation!), although I’ve played some wood whistles that went above and beyond and actually transcended the “wood” sound, sounding more like a traditional whistle.
Composite: Tonal characteristics much like wood but without the maintenance. I have a Burke composite C that’s one of the best sounding whistles I’ve ever owned or played. You can hear a quick track on Clips N Snips “Original” section. It’s the first track in the list, “Mist O’er the Shannon”.
Nickel (found on Generations and some other trads): The only nickel whistles I’ve played are Generations. They have the brightness of aluminum but with a slightly “darker” tone and more depth than brass. I have a tweaked nickel Gen Eb with red tip that’s simply amazing. It’s a treat to play this whistle.
Copper: I’ve owned and have made copper whistles and they tend to sound a bit “hard” to me and “non-whistle”-like. Copper is also heavy and can become uncomfortable when playing for a while. Sandy Jasper, maker of Elfsong Whistles, is making some very good sounding copper whistles but they’re still a bit heavy.
Polymer/Plastic: I’ve heard excellent ones and I’ve heard poor ones. When one mentions plastic whistle, “recorder” comes to mind. But don’t think all plastic whistles are crap. Susato and Dixon are considered the best of the plastic/polymer whistles and for good reason…they’re simply very good whistles. I haven’t checked but they could very well be the only plastic whistles in production. I have a standard bore Susato D and love it. It doesn’t have the tonal complexity of more traditional materials but it’s pure with dead-on intonation, sounds like a whistle…not a recorder, can be played sweetly or loudly with good volume, and is reliable. I also have a Dixon polymer tunable D with a wonderful tone. It just can’t be pushed as much as the Susato. Nice, sweet second octave.
PVC/CPVC: It’s amazing what can be done with PVC. As with any whistle, no matter what material is used for the tube, the mouthpiece design and construction is what makes and shapes the sound. I’ve heard PVC whistles that sound absolutely horrible. I’ve also head some that contend with the best of the best due to the design. It’s all in the fipple design and wall thickness. James Becker is currently making some fine non tunable PVC whistles for unbelievably low prices. I have his Eb, D, C, and A, and they’re surprisingly good. The Eb is particularly good, and the D is excellent. PVC usually sounds strong and pure, like the Susatos.
Also, each material has its own maintenance requirements. Metal whistles need warming up before playing. Wood whistles usually require periodic maintenance to keep the wood from cracking. The exception here are the Sweetheart Pros that are actually laminates and need no maintenance, although you do need to separate the head from the tube after playing because of the cork slide lining. I don’t usually have to warm up my Burke composite, Susato, PVC, or plastic whistles. I just soak them in soapy water on occasion to clean them out.
Hope this helps some.
