As long as I was in the neighborhood….
I had to drop my girlfriend off at Bradley Airport in CT. I figured as long as I was going that way, I might as well stop by and try out a Ralph Sweet whistle. I’m glad I did.
It took just a few moments to know I would purchase one. It passed the Inner Light test.
I’m no expert, but here are my thoughts on the Ralph Sweet Pro Model Dymondwood D whistle:
Appearance was nice. There was a problem with the maker of the laminated wood product, Dymondwood that Ralph uses and the top and bottom pieces aren’t exactly matched in color. The bottom is a shade or two darker than the top. Ralph had a good eye and found two parts that were pretty close together, so it really doesn’t look all that bad. Your audience would never be able to tell.
The whistle was very comfortable to hold and the weight was lighter than I expected. The mouthpiece is a bit more bulky than what I’m use to, but I quickly became accustomed to it. The whistle has a conical bore.
Volume is on the loud side and would certainly hold it’s own at session.
Checking the tuning against a KORG chromatic tuner, the tuning is dead on or really, really close.
C natural is dead on played OXXXOO.
Low-medium breath requirements and very little back pressure.
Transition between octaves was smooth. Higher notes are loud without being shrill.
From low D to the third D, all notes were clear and solid.
Overall, this is a pretty whistle, that is unusual in appearance and easy to play. It sounds pure while maintaining a certain amount of “chiff”. It sounds like a really fine whistle should.
I’m told that proper care requires only a swabbing after use and to store the whistle in two pieces to preserve the cork’s tight seal.
The regular price is $135 US. Because of the mismatched pieces, you can get them for ten dollars less while they last.
I would recommend using that ten dollars toward the carrying case that Ralph offers. It appears to be heavy nylon, has two compartments, so you can store the whistle according to instructions. It also comes with a tube of cork grease and a swab that fit in there with the whistle. The case has loops on the back so you can put it on a belt for hiking or whatever. You can always have your whistle with you!
Considering the quality and performance of this whistle, with it’s modest price, this is definitely a great buy. I highly recommend the Ralph Sweet Pro Model Dymondwood D.
To learn more about Sweetheart products, visit http://www.sweetheartflute.com
I received nothing for this endorsement and I’ve got the receipt to prove it! 