My attention has been drawn to this:
Neither I nor The Chiffboard Management Trust LLC have any connection to this eBay listing.
A whistle of that price range , never played, apparently needed a complete re-tuning and re-voicing?
It probably didn’t need much at all. Voicing is somewhat subjective and what sounds terrific on the day you do the voicing might not please the maker on another day. 9 years had gone by. Michael might have changed his methods in the interim and just brought this older whistle up to his new standards. I’m just speculating, 'cause that’s what I do with any whistle that comes back to my shop.
I’d be inclined to think Paul is right. Michael’s tuning has been in a perpetual state of evolution. He said a couple of years ago that he thought he had finally “nailed it” (his words).
Yeah I agree with Paul too. I also do the same if a whistle comes back to me (which is very seldom). Evolution continues always!!
Unf. DO WANT.
I think this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAFTIzH3Ds0 sums up my opinion on the subject.
If anyone knows, are the newer Copelands any easier to blow in the upper registry? My D and C sound beautiful until I hit xxxooo in the second octave, at which point the notes become difficult to hold.
Do you leave any fingers on the lower holes? If so, try without. My low D Copeland is sensitive to such things.
I don’t know that newer or older gets you a specific set of traits in a Copeland. Some folks will swear by the older Philadelphia models. I don’t hold to that myself.
Each Copeland whistle is a bit different in my experience. I’ve owned a handful of them. I’ve had five high D’s from varying time periods. They ran from being very good players to spectacular players. The two I’ve held on to (one brass, one nickel) are pretty smooth getting to the top notes and are not far away from each other in serial number. I’ve never played any Copeland whistle that was difficult at the top end in the manner you describe. Which is not to say that there aren’t any out there like that. But the man is a master whistle maker and could surely set things to right if there is such a beast out there.
Keep in mind that the Copeland is a rather free blowing whistle and it does need a fair amount of air to keep it going. It’s more of an tactical assualt whistle in that regard.
Feadoggie
1425 for a penny whistle,
Has the world gone mad?
At that price, it’s difficult not to wonder if this is going to become another one of those Copelands we will see being sold at a loss at some point in the future.
I doubt it will be anytime soon. Anyone buying it isn’t buying it just because they hope it’s a good blower. That whistle is an investment and a few factors add to the value… it’s a Copeland so that alone brings a premium price; Copeland makes few whistles these days and none of silver; the price of silver may go up again; it’s a better investment than Facebook stock.
OMG - the super rare combo blue/red plastic top Gen!!!
Philo
Blue/Red/Brass/VINTAGE Generation. It’s truly one of a kind (and I wish I could get my hands on it to properly repair the socket).
Best wishes,
Jerry
I knew that 
Ah, out of the mouths of fools and Philos…
Philo
Handmade musical instrument by a renowned maker who doesn’t make that particular kind anymore - seems like a fair price to me.
Calling it a penny whistle is like calling a Von Huene Terton soprano or a Wenner Bressan alto “just a recorder”.
killthemessenger
It was certainly a fair price to the buyer and the seller, and what’s wrong with a win/win?
Free markets rock.
About the revoicing. One of the reasons Michael C retired from full-time production was that he felt he was making whistles too fast, and that sometimes in retrospect, playing a particular whistle he had made years ago, he felt he hadn’t
given it the attention it deserved. He is very glad to revoice these whistles.
Sold for $1425., eh? If someone here was trying to win the Copeland and was near the high bidder, but didn’t get it, I too have a Sterling Silver Copeland D, in like new condition. Serial number is actually pretty close to the one listed in the auction as well. I am not planning to put mine up for auction, but I do have a Nickel Copeland D that I like just fine, so if someone here on the message board wants to pay crazy money, I’d let my Sterling Copeland go for $1350. shipped. I’m serious, not joking. Really wasn’t planning to sell it, but I have a ton of dental and medical expenses a head of me, so what the heck, if someone really wants it that bad, give me a shout. Email is best.
Loren