In addition to the other “unsolved whistle mysteries” that plague our community, perhaps someone can get to the bottom of the Goldentone mystery. That is, why on Earth did the makers of Walton’s whistles discontinue this whistle?
I am lucky enough to own one of these aluminum gems, and it truly is a great whistle. Without a doubt, it is the best whistle in the key of C I own (I am only into the cheep whistles…at this point).
However, due to its fragility, I rarely play it for fear of having it destroyed.
The fact that they still make the aluminum LBW (key of D) leaves me wondering why they feel there is no longer a market for a cheap aluminum whistle in the key of C.
Wow are you ever correct! The discontinuation of that whistle was the whistle equivalent of the “New Coke” move a few years ago. Two or three years back, chiff & fipple campaigned to get that whistle back on the market. We suggested doing it in all-black–a kind of C version of the Little Black Whistle. The good news is that we were successful in getting Walton’s to agree to produce it. The bad news is, uh, they never did.
I have a special bag that I use to contain my most valuable and cherished whistles. The Goldentones (I own three) are in that bag.