I have an oak classic in d, and wondered how the sweetheart pro laminate compares? I am a musician (harp/piano/guitar), and am just entering the whistle world. Are the oaks considered beginning instruments? I have read the review on the sweetheart, and am very interested, but have no access to hearing one before I buy.
Thanks
There are lots of high end whistles in the same price range as the Sweet you mentioned that are more user-friendly. It’s a great idea, and would work nicely for an unmiked outdoor thing, but the Sweet pro laminate is VERY LOUD.
I am still coming to grips with a new laminate sweetheart pro (a cheap buy secondhand, unplayed). I would not otherwise have tried one as they are £135 
in the UK new…daylight robbery!
I am very attached to a blackwood Sweetheart Kilhoury (sp?) which is a wonderful expressive whistle and being made again now.
I love metal and wood, but am leery of plastics - not a Susato fan in any shape or form. There is something about this laminate…it is loud, expressive, competant, tolerable at high pitches, but there is still something synthetic about the tone. I should add I haven’t listened to playback and am still “testing” the beast.
At the current time, I would still recommend Sweetheart wood - a bit of oiling, but well worth it.
As for Oaks, mine don’t play that well and there are other inexpensive whistles I prefer…O’Brian Improved, some Gens, some Sweetones. The music on the Sweetheart is way different, but I’d recommend it 
.
Trisha
Could you recommend ones that are not as loud? I want a sound that’s somewhat mellow, but Not recorderish - bright but not tinnish, and one that can be enjoyed at close range indoors .
Thanks
Trish,
Thanks- I have a laminate Martin guitar, and am not pleased- but I understand that stringed instruments behave much differently than wind.
When you said you’d recommend a sweetheart wood, are you referring to the rosweood? I know they offer their flutes in various woods, but didn’t see that the whistles were made in anything but lamin. or rosewood.
Hi..the Kilhoury isn’t for you at this time then (too loud for soulful out-of-hours..). It’s past midnight here in UK, so I pretty much guarantee that by sun up a dozen different recommendations will be on this thread
Is cost a major factor? If not, I’d go for an Abell in A. Mellow, expressive, beautiful. Whistles are made in many woods each with slightly different characteristics, some more “hardy” than others, and one or two which can provoke allergies in prone individuals. Blackwood and Pink Ivory are favourites with me, but there are some I’ve yet to try.
Trisha
I wold not recommend any Sweet whistle.
I second the Abell suggestion.
Price - I’d like to go $150 u.s. or less. I went to the Abell sight. Very lovely instruments.
What about a Burke? Take a look at James’ recent comparison: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=21849
(By the way, it appears that there are no beginning whistles–just beginning whistlers. )
Burke, Humphrey, Boisvert - those are my suggestions. Humphrey if you want a handmade really cool lightweight, excellent traidtional whistle, Boisvert if you want wood, and Burke if you want the most technologically advanced whistle.
I have a Burke Pro Session D, and it sounds like just the thing you’re looking for. I also have a Sweetheart Professional D, and I love it, but it is definitely a loud instrument…in fact, I bought mine especially for playing for Morris Dancers! A really nice instrument, but not for quiet, soulful indoor play at all!
I got the Burke for my birthday, and the more I play it, the more I love the warm, complex tone.
Redwolf
RedW,
The Burke website doesn’t list a ProSession - I think they’ve renamed them. Is yours aluminum or brass? Does it have a plastic fipple or is it metal? Is it narrow or wide? Thanks-
Burkes certainly represent very good value for money. The wider the bore, the louder they are, and the Session range is listed as intended for sessions and recording.
The colour of the music is different between the brass and the alu. The alu whistles are better balanced…the tuning slide on the brass makes them a bit top heavy. For mellow far removed from recorder, alu. Brass is a little “rougher”.
If you want high D then the delrin-tipped alu session (DASBT) may well be worth a try. If you find it too loud then I’m pretty sure you can exchange for a different model…I’m sure someone will confirm this (I buy mine from Ireland). His C and Bb whistles are worth a try too if you find the upper octaves too high for your ear.
If you want detail on Burkes, try a new thread for those who won’t have looked at this one.
Trisha
Mine is brass, delrin fipple, standard bore. I think it’s the same as the one indicated as “brass session, black-tip” on the Burke ordering form…the price is definitely in the same range.
Redwolf
Ione, IMHO, the Burke black tip brass D is one of the finest whistles and best values out there.
Trisha - Nobody talks much about the Kilhoury, but I really like my C.
Best,
Philo
PhilO, I have the wide-bore brass delrin-tipped C which I use for sessions.
What vintage is your Kilhoury? As they’re almost never mentioned, I don’t know how they’ve changed with time. The new laminate Pro is a completely different beast..a real session blaster, without the style, but has it’s uses .
Trisha
Trisha - I really like the Burke black tip C as well.
My Kilhoury C is #8268; maybe he numbers across all types of whistles in succession, because I thought I got it right after it came out. It has a lovely tone, with a strong bell note and can be played softly or blasted. Nice looking whistle too. In every way a tremendous improvement over the earlier Sweet Walnuts, et. al.
Best,
Philo