I’ve been whistling for a couple of years now, And have, for the most part, been content with my cheapies. But I read the C & F posters who talk about their Sindts. I’ve looked around at The Whistleshop and Lark in the Morning, but have to find a retail source for Sindts. Where does one get a Sindt whistle?
You get them from John Sindt - simple as that. Good whistles.
Cautionary note: they are not right off the shelf. There’s a multi-month waiting list for these beauties.
Best wishes.
Steve
Contact John Sindt via email, and get on the waiting list.
Sindt gave me a price quote of $145 for a high D brass tube 18 months ago
but that may have gone up. The cost of metal has been skyrocketing.
BTW, expect a very long wait. 18 months ago the wait was said to be 9 months.
Still waiting anxiously, but all good things come in time.
I contacted John Sindt recently and his reply is that he isn’t taking new orders “at this time” and not adding names to the waiting list because pricing and availability of materials will change while contending with his current backlog.
Has this changed? Does John Sindt post on C&F Forum?
Of course there are used Sindt’s for sale occasionally
Haven’t seen him posting here. And, yes, for instant gratification, used Sindts are the way to go presently. Of course, with him closing his list, the price for used are bound to go up…
Best wishes.
Steve
I just wanted to add to my earlier post that when I stated “contacted recently” that was as of February 29, 2012
I won’t pester anyone with repeat emails, so if anyone knows when availability returns, I’d appreciate a posting msg
Meanwhile, about that whoad…
Don’t forget you can always post a WTB (Want To Buy) listing on the Used Instrument page. I do it all the time and rarely fail to get what I’m looking for. Although it took me two years to get a Copeland Brass high D…
It’s worth a shot. Some Sindt whistles do sell from time to time. I’ve bought three that way.
ecohawk
I’ve seen a couple of used Sindts for sale, but they last no more than 5 minutes.
If your not the first person to see the post, yer out o luck.
I placed my order for a Bb and an A in December 2010, got them about six weeks ago. Worth waiting for, and John is a very nice guy to deal with. I bought my D at a music store in Vancouver, Prussin music, but I think they were reputed to be the only place you could buy an off the shelf Sindt (they list Sindt on the website http://www.prussinmusic.com/pages/salesrentals/instruments/folkceltic.php) …they had one, and I bought it, at a premium. I like that all the ‘hand made’ whistles from different makers sound and play differently.
Since Sindts are hard to come by these days, it may be worth pointing out some excellent, readily-available alternatives, that I’d rank right up there with Sindt whistles: Freeman Bluebird and Gary Humphrey whistles.
Excellent whistles both!
But, I don’t think I’ll be happy till I have a Sindt of my own.
I would concur, that Sindt whistles are indeed very fine and perhaps under valued?. I have an A and waited 10 Months for it to arrive (2 years ago). I can understand why John has closed his list. I wish that I had ordered a D at the same time as my A.
Actually John says it’s up to 2 years now.
Edit: oops didn’t read the rest of the thread, but yes I believe the list is still closed.
I wrote thses folk an email a few days ago, and no response.
Has anyone got a Sindt from them recently?
Just a quick bump (if the powers that be are okay with that), I’m in the same boat as ytliek - contacted Mr. Sindt around March and got more or less the same answer. Since he has no website and I don’t want to continuously bug him every 6 months, here’s to hoping someone out there has more info on whether he’s taking orders again or not.
I can see why he’s so popular, the price is certainly in the range of what I’d be willing to pay for a whistle and the reviews are all solid.
You don’t build up a following and waiting list like John Sindt by making an inferior product / whistle. The market will surely shift relative to the principle of supply and demand with prices moving upward. Quality takes time, effort, and dedication. Well deserved by all accounts.
Cayden
Not disputing that … But a big part of what’s now driving the demand is the meme that took hold a few years ago, for whatever reason, that a Sindt D is what you need to compete in and win All-Ireland. That it’s what your competitors will have and that, correctly or not, it gives you an edge with the judges. So every doting parent wants their Comhaltas kid to have a Sindt. And I’ve seen somewhat desperate pleas to locate a Sindt D around fleadh time.
IIRC Mr. Gumby once gave a description of the phenomenon. And it happened fairly suddenly. When I bought my Sindt D/C set, wait time was 4-6 weeks and prices <$100. Now his list is closed, prices are way up and wait times on the order of several years.
Not disputing your point regarding folks purchasing Sindt whistles for competition. Surely it does not take a Sindt to win All-Ireland, but very few are in the class of hopefuls for such a title if they are dealing in reality. There are a number of folks that want a Sindt to say the have one, or for their own playing pleasure, or as a gig whistle, or because they are collectors, or because they are in high demand and the day will come when John no longer makes them, etc., the list goes on.
As said, the availbility and price is largely dependent on the given supply relative to the actual demand. There is no changing it. John Sindt is surely a talented craftsman, he is also a business person and is subject to increasing prices for materials and other business related operational costs. None of us can fault him for the forces of economic law, non can we regulate who in the free market system can purchase his products regardless of their motives.
Cayden
I report … You decide. 