I have 13 kids and most of us fiddle, play guitar, mandolin or something. Needless to say when we have a family jamm I’m the only one that can hear my whistle.
I’m looking for suggestions on a whistle with enough oomph to cut through the din.
Oh incidently I have two Susatos an Eb and an A. They are plenty loud for my purposes have a strong true tone and are easy to play. I truly loathe them (why is that exactly?). I don’t know why but whenever I play one I think I can feel my Celtic ancestors rolling over in their graves. They give me the willies.
But back to topic. I’d love to know what your favorite session whistle is and why, to guide me in my next WhOA attack.
By the way anyone want to trade for a couple of really wonderful (yet personally loathesome) Susatos?
Patrick,
Beg, borrow or steal a Thin Weasel and give that a go. I played at a session recently where both a button box player and a piano accordionist were near me and the Weasel did the business. The man with the stomach Steinway was actually next to me and I could hear myself as plain as day (which is not always a good thing). I don’t much care for the Susato’s myself. I have a few decent whistles and, for sheer volume, the Thin Weasel wins hands down. I know that Dessie Seery’s whistle is fairly loud too. I don’t own one but I think you can get it from Shannaquay in Limerick and it’s cheaper than the good wooden ones. Good luck with the search.
Michael Cronnolly is now making a session whistle in either polymer or hardwood. It is much louder than a Susato but doesn’t have the “edge” to the sound that a Susato does, and has a little better balance between the octaves. Good chiff, open friendly tone, just way loud.
I have one of these in polymer; Dale has one in wood.
If you’re looking for a Thin Weasel (probably rosewood, possibly cocobola), I have one for sale. Respond in private message or email. It does indeed cut through a mass of sound.
As for the Copeland, I’ve been borrowing one, and it is in my opinion, equal in sound and tone to my Burke – good and solid, but not at all shrill. Though I like the feel of the Copeland better than the Burke, I don’t like it $175 better.
On the thin weasel point…doesn’t he make them from different woods. Any opinions there?
Patrick
Glenn does indeed use different woods, but all of them are quite hard and I personally don’t think they sound very different from each other. Tiny differences in the hand voicing of the whistle account for the differences in the whistles-- I’ve made 3 whistles at a time from exactly the same wood, and had one coming out louder, one cleaner, one chiffier, etc.
Because its PVC and not expensive, I don’t mind beer slop getting on it when I put it down on the table for a while. I wouldn’t want my wood ThinWeasel to be slogged that way.
My WaterWeasel, being PVC and not expensive, withstands falling on the floor & being dropped when passed around etc.
It can kick through the Sessiun noise when you want it too, but by adjusting playing style, can be made to sound soft and almost flute like. I might add I have 2 waterWeasels, and one of them (bought from Glenn Schultz directly)can be made to sound much more like a flute than the other (which I bought at Elderly Instruments one day when I couldn’t find my Weasel). Can’t figure out why & don’t really care.
Great Value for Your Whistle Dollars.
I might add I have 2 waterWeasels, and one of them (bought from Glenn Schultz directly)can be made to sound much more like a flute than the other (which I bought at Elderly Instruments one day when I couldn’t find my Weasel). Can’t figure out why & don’t really care.
Great Value for Your Whistle Dollars.
That’s because Glenn individually hand voices each of these whistles. Part of doing things by hand is that no 2 whistles ever come out EXACTLY the same. Each has it’s own personality and playing quirks. Beats the heck outa conformity.
I agree that these are a great value for your dollar, and make terrific session or traveling whistles. I take mine hiking in weather where I wouldn’t want to ruin one of my wooden whistles, and they work great. Off to a honeymoon in Cancun in about 2 wks, and my WW will come along with us.