Well, I’ve received some great whistle purchase advice here over the past 10 years (mellow dog, dixon trad, etc.) and am happy with my standard session whistles, but I’m still looking for the perfect travel whistle.
What I’m looking for - a whistle that collapses or comes apart into a size I can easily carry in my pocket (yes, I know some guys have pants with pockets big enough to easily carry a normal sized whistle…but I want something that is about 6" max when apart).
I had a clare 2 piece, hoover white capped it…nice, but the tuning on the clare 2 piece is just a tad too wonky to play with others.
I had a Tommy Dion (whistles of wood) polymer three piece that I managed to break. Nice whistle, and is still an option if Tommy is still making these.
I’ve considered the O’Brien stowaway, but it’s really higher than I want to go.
Thought of the Parks walkabout 3 piece whistle…but have never had the chance to play one.
I consider the Mellow Dog (newer version) and Sindt just about the two most perfect sounding whistles.
Any idea if any of the two/three piece or collabsible whistles under $100 might meet my needs and play in the style I love?
I’ll throw in a plug for the Parks Walkabout. It plays very well, has an adjustable volume ring (Carey calls it a “muffler”, I think), and fits in a shirt pocket. I’ve owned 2 O’Briens as well and they were both superb, but the cost is quite significantly higher, as well as maintenance (mine were both blackwood). The O’Briens sound better, IMHO, but the Parks fills the bill (in all ways) quite nicely.
I use mine all the time and find it in good tune and not squeaky.
I don’t play it on stage, but usually in front of my computer for figuring out tunes.
I had a Tommy Dion (whistles of wood) polymer three piece that I managed to break. Nice whistle, and is still an option if Tommy is still making these.
Yes I am still making them. And also a three part low D.
Do you still have the broken one? perhaps I can repair it.
Just curious regarding the blackwood maintenance comment, because I’ve found that blackwood has been so dense and so stable a wood that in my experience it’s required very little maintenance; and I’m a guy that loves delrin because of no maintenance required and I think it looks/sounds just fine. For example, I’ve had a Sweet Khiloury C in blackwood for many years and HAVE NEVER TOUCHED IT as far as maintenance (my bad), and it plays and looks just fine; same for a Bflat/A blackwood Abell set.
Wood whistle maintenance is really not a big deal. Avoid crushing forces, keep them away from drastic and sudden temperature changes and lots of water, and you’ll probably be OK. I know a lot of people want to do a lot of work on their whistles, but it’s simply not necessary. I oil my own whistles maybe once per year and that’s about it.
Maintenance isn’t a big deal with blackwood whistles - it just exists… With the Parks, there is NO maintenance (well, I do blow out the water sometimes). I was always just a little worried that if I didn’t take proper care (oiling periodically) or being un-gentle with it, I might cause a problem. With proper care, the O’Briens are no problem at all.
Just get the Parks Walkabout and never look back. I’ve told stories on this board before about how well it’s worked out for me. You can’t play it if you don’t have it with you. They are practically indestructible and play well in tune.
I showed a two piece whistle to a harp player once, bragging about how much easier it was to transport than the normal whistle, and she just looked at me in disgust…
