No, I’m not selling any. I just wondered what whistlesmiths think when one of their whistles gets put up for sale. From a business point of view, they might see it as a lost sale. From an artisan’s view, they could see it as a rejection of one of their “babies”. Or maybe they see it as the opportunity for one of their whistles to find a more loving home.
Just wondering.
John Mac
Something related that I’ve been wondering is, what about contacting a maker when you’ve bought something second-hand, but it’s still quite new? I have done this once, and the maker was quite responsive. What do customers/makers think of this?
To give one possible response to Goes’s question, I think the second-hand market is good for a maker in a couple of ways. First, the used market gives a maker some idea whether he’s pricing his whistles realistically. Most of the high-quality whistles like Weasels, Burkes, Copelands, etc., go for the original price plus or minus a little. O’Riordans go for way more than the original price. Second, the knowledge that a one can recoup one’s original investment with minimal loss allows some people to take a chance on a high-end whistle when it’s a major investment for them (ie, the maker can reach a broader audience). On the downside, if there’s no market for a particular whistle being sold second-hand, it gives some indication to the maker that maybe he needs to change something.
…Kind of like my Chieftan Bb that remains for sale after two attempts, huh?
Best.
Byll
Well, your Bb could find a home with Blackbeer, if you’re ready for swaps–check out his thread. :roll:
I am a spare-time knifemaker and lampworker. I don’t ever have to repair a bead or glass pen, but I do sometimes find myself doing something with a knife. I have one story that may be apropos of the subject.
About 6 years ago, I was asked to make a special knife as a gift for the customer’s friend. I did. Nice knife, too. About a year and a half later, I got a phone call from Idaho. The original owner was in California. He had given the knife to a friend and I was getting a call from a fellow who had seen it. Then he was shocked at how expensive ($200) it was and didn’t want one. Heh.
I was not offended that it was given away by the original recipient. Perhaps it just didn’t fit his hand. Possibly his hunting days were over and he wanted to see a good tool actually get used. For me, if I ever see one of my knives for sale, I’ll be glad. It means that it isn’t in the bottom of a toolbox, right?
Were I a whistlesmith, I’d be glad to think that the work I put into the whistle might be more appreciated by the second owner. And if there is any kind of waiting list, the maker has enough business to last him and needn’t worry about losing any due to resale of an earlier product.
-Patrick
I’d have mixed feelings naturally. There are quite a few people on this board who buy and sell whistles on a regular basis. Although I’d like to think that my whistles were EVERYONE’s favorite and that they could never bear to part with one, the reality is that there are a LOT of wonderful whistlemakers out there, and everyone has his/her own personal preferences in a whistle. In the long run, I’d rather that one of my whistles be in the hands/lips of someone who loves it to death rather than someone who has so many whistles that they only play it once in a while.
I would definitely like all of my customers/friends to feel free to contact me at any time about their whistles ( or just about anything else-- some of these folks have become real buddies). Like most whistlesmiths, I want to stand behind my whistles, and if there is a problem I want to fix it to everyone’s satisfaction. So far, I’ve only had to do a very few very minor repairs ( plus one rather stupid one, which thankfully I was able to fix anyway).
I have seen only one of my pieces of jewelry up for second-hand sale. When I saw it at first, I felt a little hurt, but when it sold within a short while of being posted, I felt better.
I’m mostly flattered when I see second hand Hoovers. Yard sales might hurt a little.
My policy is to repair, replace or refund any whistle someone isn’t pleased with, so that translates into buying back any whistle for the retail price.
To sell a whistle that I gave as a gift (especially back to me) would take some nerve, but I would honor that. It WOULD take some of the fun away that I get from making whistles.
Mack
By the way, Mack…I never sold the whistles you gave me. I still have them.
I haven’t been at this long, so I’m still rather attached to my whistles. If someone didn’t care to keep one, I’d be a bit hurt, but more than that, I want to know what about the whistle was found inadequate. If it’s an issue of craftsmanship, I want to fix the problem. If it’s taste, then I’m not bothered.
Buy my own whistles back at retail? Why, yes, if the return was within 30 days of receipt by the client, and I would also include postage both ways. It’s part of the representation I make when I sell one. I don’t even move purchase funds from my business bank to my personal one, until 30 days after receipt. Thus far, nobody has ever returned a purchased whistle, but the possibility exists, so I prefer to not count a sale as complete for a month after receipt by the customer.
Seeing my whistles in a yard sale would actually give me a laugh! 
You’d have to wonder about the business acumen of the seller, now, wouldn’t ya?
Cheers,
serpent
Jessie,
Thanks for that really nice compliment!
I’m trying not to blow my own whistle, but I have given away probably a couple of hundred whistles, and the registery numbers on the ones sold are in the eight hundreds.
The reality is that any gift or purchase belongs to the recipient to do with as they wish.
But:
If what I make is appreciated, I’m tickled. If it isn’t, I feel responsible.
My return policy will be good as long as I am.
There was an incident where a whistle I had given was put up for sale. I wrote the individual offering to buy it back and got a sincere apology (which I wasn’t asking for). I think the person just had so many whistles, the source of that one was forgotten.
Mack
I would hope that its source was not forgotten Mack. But I think there is a real lack of respect for craftmanship in the good old US of A. We live in a very hurry up mass produce mantality and its a shame,to me anyway, that craftmanship goes so unnoticed. I know that the few treasures I have, if nothing else, remind me of the people who made them and the time they spent in the creation. I for one have all the respect in the world for you and Serpent and Dixon and all the craftsman that create these little jewels that bring such a big grin to my face. I`m not to the point in my playing that I could decide on the sound I want or the feel or any of that but I sure am glad that when I get to that point(If Ever!!)that I will be able to choose a hand crafted instrament. Tinker on all you creators.
Tom