This is my first post. I am new to the message board and fairly new to whistling. I’m one of those “dreaded” beginners…you know…questions, questions, questions!!
I am currenty using a Tony Dixon Whistle which I like very, very, much. Of course the to be expected case of WHOA has hit…sooo…I have been debating on a Silkstone PVC whistle or a Water Weasel as my next whistle purchase. Can anyone out there give some advice on these two whistles? I also have a Susato Kildare which I really regret…I do not like the sound of it at all…too loud and just overall not beginner friendly to my mind at least. Appreciate any advice coming my way. Don’t want to make another purchase I’ll regret. Does this need for more whistles ever end!!!
If you don’t like the volume of the Susato, you might not like the WW or Silkstone either. (I haven’t played a Silkstone plastic, but own an alloy.) The sounds are quite different from the Susato – not nearly as sweet; my Silkstone is quite pure, the Weasels have a bit more edge. Both are nearly as loud as Susatos, but the volume is more even over the octaves. They have better volume in the lower register, but do not require nearly as much push in the upper. They both are pretty piercing in the upper range, though. My Silkstone takes more breath than the WW D.
If you want something with a good whistle sound but less volume, you might want to look into a Burke brass or Sindt, or Hoover if you want something quiet.
What do you want for a tone? the Silkstone (green PVC) is by far the sweetest and purest whistle I own, with absolutely none of what I feel to be chiff. It is loud, compared to a cheap whistle, though not as bad as a Susato, for example. To me, it’s sort of a contemplative whsitle - as close as I can come to singing.
The Weasel is more of a musician’s instrument. Loud, yes, but very responsive, the tone is more brassy, more edgy, if that makes any sense at all.
I like the Water Weasel. The Silkstone ended my WhOA. You’d not regret either.
[ This Message was edited by: Chuck_Clark on 2002-09-08 18:27 ]
Chuck, you say the Silkstone ended your WhOa! I wonder if I would like the green PVC goldring?? It is supposed to have a mellower tone. I am ideally looking for something that comes fairly close to the Dixon..as if that makes any sense…one could say, “Well buy another Dixon!” But that is not the point of WhOa is it?? LOL I am nowhere near being any kind of a musician so I guess the Weasal might not be for me right now…tho…maybe someday…
Now is it just me, or do you and others have issues with the Susato too?? I just do not think it has a nice sound to it at all…at least not for playing in the house. I have visions of the rest of the household running for cover holding their ears!! And I am not so bold as to say I know what “Chiffy” really means..but if it is sort of like a swishy, sort of whisey undertone, than the Susato is for sure chiffy.
Hmm…I have some thinking to do. Has anyone bought or tried out an “Elfsong” whistle yet? Those are tempting too!!
Shewt. . .give in and accept the fact that you WILL buy more whistles than you need, you will make ‘mistakes’ and 1/2 a year later those mistakes may become your absolute favorite whistle, and that you will need different sounds for different purposes.
Hi: I also own one of the green pvc Silkstone whistles. Like some of the other posters said, it has a very pure sound with little chiff in it. In my opinion it falls midway between the soft and loud whistles (i.e. it’s average in dynamic range). Because of the chamfered (sp?) tone holes, it’s extremely comfortable to play. It just feels great in the hands. Personally I prefer a more chiffy sound, but to each his own. If you like the purer sound it’s a nice (and nicely constructed) whistle.
[ This Message was edited by: GFox on 2002-09-08 21:12 ]
I haven’t played a Silkstone yet, but I have a WW high D that I love – I play it every day now. It’s not as pure as something like a Hoover, but it’s not chiffy either. It has – maybe a slight edge to it. Nice.
I’ve tried to play Susatos a couple of times and they didn’t agree with me at all – to me they have little in common with the WW. With the Susatos, I played a couple of notes and knew they were just not for me.
My guess is that you’ll be happy with either of these whistles.
I personally don’t like Susatos, but having once caused problems by stating so perhaps too forcefully, I don’t say much about it. Specifically, I really don’t much like the tone, which I think sacrifices subtlety for loudness. They also just don’t feel right in my hands (I’m speaking of traditional Dublins and Kildares, having not tried the newer VSBs). The low D, in particular, has huge, widely spaced holes that I think would require an NBA ballplayer’s hands to play. My other gripe is the mouthpiece, which I feel has too short a lip relief to play comfortably. When I’m playing it, it feels like the mouthpiece is not between my lips but barely touching the front of them.
Some folks like them, a fact that others of us find incomprehensible - but hey, their life, not mine.
I have to say I am tempted by the Silkstone gold ring model, though to be honest, the traditional Silkstone PVC is pretty much my idea of a perfect whistle, and I don’t feel like spendin the money to improve on perfection.
