I know that there has already been a poll and a post or two on this same topic, but i thought i would do my own post. I prefer very pure and sweet sounding whistles, although i also like my clarke a lot too. My main whistle right now is my self tweaked Lbw head on a feadog body. The feadog body seems to be better in tune the the lbw whistle’s body. The Lbw is so pure and seet sounding. i recently purchased a used Kerry songbird, very nice whislte, sweet tone, but a little bit of chiff. But i still seem to like my Lbw better. Many people haver told me that burke is a very seet, pure sounding whistles, but if i were to purchased one what model should i get if i what my pure tone. Carol recomender the brass and told me that it was the purest. Anyone else have any other thoughts or any other recomendations on pure whistles. I am not looking to spend more than at max about $150. Also what is the purest inexpensive whistle.
Either Burke or Elfsong would satisfy your need. I believe Elfsongs are a little cheaper.
Blackhawk what material should the burke be made from and what bore size?
Hello Cass,
IMO, a Sindt is as good as it gets and if memory serves me, Blackhawk was trying to unload one a couple days ago. See if he still has it. You won’t be disappointed.
Mike
That’s personal taste, my friend, but I like brass for durability and looks. I like quieter whistles so I like the Burke narrow bore, but there’s nothing wrong with any version of any Burke.
The Burke narrow bore has less chiff/breathiness than the wide bore. I have a brass one.
I believe Sindts are pretty pure sounding.
Gary Humphrey (raindog) puts out a whistle as pure as these and cheaper. Very good whistle.
Cillian O’Briain’s tweaked whistle is very pure and the quieter of these.
O’Riordan is in a class by himself for pure tone, but I think he’s retired from whistle making, or at least, not taking new orders.
Tony
Tony thanks for the info. but i have another question for you. I have enjoyed listening to all your sound files that you ahve posted on chiff and fipple tune site. I have been trying to learn hole in a hedge by ear off of your recording, but i cant seem to figure out the second part. I have the A part right but was wondering if you could posssibly post the B part in sheetmusic for me. i would be grateful
thank you
andrew cassidy
P.S. to everyone i was told that the burke composite marterial offers a more mellow sound, is this true.
Also slowair i ask blackhawk about his sindt, but the only thing i had to offer for it was a kerry songbird. He told me he was looking for another wood whislte.
The purest sounding whistle? Sounds like maybe you should try a few recorders 
Loren
P.S. to everyone i was told that the burke composite marterial offers a more mellow sound, is this true.
.[/quote]to my ears their the purest, but the main thing is that you’ve got the like the sound. it’s also a very well balanced whistle across the octaves, have a listen in the link below
For inexpensive, I have found my Oak to have a sweet, pure tone, and a lot of nice chiffy “pop” between notes. It’s a lovely little whistle.
–James
The purest whistling sound you’ll get is Loren standing on a hill on a breezy day with the wind going through his ears. Can be a bit shrill in the upper octave, though. <Loren’s favorite smiley.
Hole in the Hedge? I’ll work it out when I get home. I learned it from a Martin Hayes cd, I think it’s on Under the Moon.
Tony
Hiya,
I’ve not sampled a great many whistles. I have a Burke composite in C which is pretty damn pure and sweet sounding, especially compared to the cheap whistles (I actually find some expensive whistles are very rough in sound compared to some of the cheaper ones). However, my favourite is my Laughin Whistle in C. I have a few problems with it clogging up, it tends to do this pretty quick if I don’t treat it, but it’s got an incredibly pure, sweet, quiet sound to it. Also quite cheap relative to some of the more expensive whistles (at least it was when I got it spring 2000 - I think the price has increased because Noah Herbison has gone back to uni and so isn’t spending as much time making whistles and needs the money).
TTFN.
I’ve owned a few different whistles, Sindt, Copeland, Burke, etc. The purest I’ve found so far is the Hoover. As pure as the others are, there is still a slight bit of chiffyness upon the attack of each note. The Hoover doesn’t have this, to my ears. All of them are great whistles, though. I think any of them would be a good choice.
I find the Burke aluminum very pure sounding, but not at all sweet. The Susato is very pure and sweet, if you also like loud whistles. If you like a quieter whistle, I’m with James, the Oak is a really sweet, pure whistle.
I haven’t found a whistle as sweet and pure as a Hoover.
Purest I’ve played: (completely subjective mind you)
- O’Riordan
- Burke
- O’Briain Improved
- Hoover (any)
- Harper
Dunno if this helps ya any though…
B.
Like I said, it’s all due to those pesky termites… 
My serious answer to the pure sounding whistle question is that Rose and Laughing whistles are probably the purest I’ve heard. Never did have the pleasure of playing any of Mack’s whistles though. Hard to imagine, come to think of it.
Loren
This raises the issue of what is meant by the word “pure.”
One meaning is that there is very little chiff or breathiness.
Another version of “pure” can mean that, in addition to having little chiff or breathiness, the whistle’s voice is less reedy/has less audible overtones/is less “complex” (all the same thing). This may be what some people mean by “sweet.”
As far as I know, there isn’t one, standard definition for each of these terms, so we have to try to spell out what we have in mind.
In general, it is my understanding that wider bore whistles have fewer audible overtones and thus, all else being equal, are “purer” or “sweeter” if less reediness/less audible overtones/less complexity is part of your definition of those qualities.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Any Burke D in the Pro series will be pure (absence of chiff or breathiness) and sweet (not harsh or strident).
I’m with James and chas regarding the Oak for a cheap whistle. And, for a more expensive instrument, blackhawk nailed it with the Elfsong.
~Larry