Well, I got my first Syn Whistle (aluminum key of C) in the mail today… actually, this is the first whistle I’ve bought that was over $20. I’ve spent four years playing on Clarkes, Generations, and the like. I got the C because I don’t play it as often as D but I still wanted something nice and I’ve heard good things about the Syn. I plan on getting a Burke D before too much longer… just gotta wait for that bonus check from work
When the whistle arrived it was filthy… I don’t know if this is normal or not for Syn, but I spent about an hour cleaning it up.
It has a very light, soft sound but it is very clear. It requires more back pressure than any other whistle I’ve played to date but the air demand is minimal.
That said, I’m going to stop typing and go play it!
Hiya. As you may or may not know, I just got a full set of Syns. I also spent a while cleaning them. But I don’t mind, being that I clean ANY new whistle before I play it. Just a pet peeve of mine. The brass tuning slide was filthy, and inside the toneholes was some black residue. I didn’t mind though. They’re fine whistles. My full “review” pending, of course.
Yeah, I didn’t mind the cleaning so much… I’m very anal about that sort of thing anyhow… I like to keep things in top notch condition. I was surprised though to receive it in that condition. I haven’t the need to tune mine now as it sounded good when I received it but for future reference, were yours easy enough to tune? The tuning slide doesn’t seem to move at all when I play but I wonder if it will be a bear to move when I need to.
[quote=“ShadowBG625”]Hiya. As you may or may not know, I just got a full set of Syns. I also spent a while cleaning them. But I don’t mind, being that I clean ANY whistle before I get it…quote]
Thus far, I’ve had no problems with tuning. I greased up the slides and all whistles are fine, except for my stubborn Eb, which tends to be a little tight on the tuning slide. nonetheless, it sounds great.
Good one Paul…Usually, I mail my soap concoction to the post office where the whistles are being sent off, and tell them to open my package and clean them vigorously for me. (Statement fixed)
My apologies folks. I have come to hate polishing aluminium, and while I do what I can before they leave the workshop, its really that final polish-up in the hands of the owners that gets rid of the final traces. If I decide to discontinue the syns it will probably be for OH&S reasons to do with aluminium, I have heard lately that it may be a contributing factor to Alzheimers disease and friends of mine who work with aluminium have been diagnosed with Al accumulations in their bodies. Polishing the stuff leaves a residue all around the work station and workshop, and even wearing gloves doesn’t seem to keep my hands from being ingrained with the powder that results. I hope you don’t mind too much giving your whistles a light polish away from the workshop just to give them the final touch.
Cheers, Syn.
It’s no problem for me… The fact that you produce a quality whistle is more than enough for me. A pretty whistle does me no good if it doesn’t produce a pretty sound. Besides that, once polished up, your whistles are pretty sharp looking anyhow… Says me
Please Erle, don’t discontinue the Syns. Send them out rough, raise the price tag, whatever, but please please don’t discontinue. It would be a crime against the whistle world
Yeah. Came to think of that myself too. Some of the best whistles in the world, nearly impossible to get hold of (except some cases where people might sell theirs), I own a full set.
But still… They are so darn good, everyone should be able to get them.
Got a set of 4 bodies [Bb, C, D, Eb] and interchangeable head today. I have to say I am amazed at the value for money. These are lovely whistles with really nice tone.
I was so pleased that I ordered another set for one of my kids who is into the whistle big time - Santa will be bringing them to him for Christmas
My only complaint with the Syn’s, (at least the C that I own) is they clogg way to easily and in no time flat. As in I can’t finish a tune w/o it clogging it up so that the tone gets affected. But, I’m going to try the soapy water solution trick, and maybe my problems will go away. I hope they do, because I really like the Syn’s tone.
Dirty … grungy … beat up … the SYN is still a great whistle … and the " C " has a special quality … bordering on magic. Of course if Erle were to polish them to perfection … put them in a “beautiful” box and put a tag on them that said “handcrafted by Erle and presented to … and the name” .. he could charge a lot more.
As for the clogging … I have played solid for hours with no problems … but I am in Texas and we are having a very dry year!
My Syns (D & C) were the fastest clogging whistles I own until I first used the soapy water treatment (and later Dupanol); that took care of the problem for me.
Dupanol is a treatment for recorder windways that prevents clogging.
To make something for your whistles that works about the same way, dissolve a drop or two of dish detergent in a glass of water, immerse the fipple end of the whistle, remove, and allow to dry before playing.
The small amount of soap left in the fipple reduces the surface tension of any condensation, preventing it from building up because it will flow on out of the fipple.
On a wooden whistle, don’t immerse the fipple–just take a feather, wet the feather with the solution, and use the feather to apply it carefully to the interior of the windway and allow to dry.
Now that sounds like a good idea I’ll have to try! I’ve always used a thin strip of cardboard but after a few whistles it becomes too saturated & soft to push into the hole, so I have to cut a fresh strip…
My full “review” pending, of course.
(Statement fixed) 
