The perfect "carrying around" whistle.

Whistle
1

Well for me, at least.

I like to take a whistle with me wherever I go, mostly for my own sanity. Finding a quiet moment to play the whistle is how I cope with stress. However, my previous carrying around whistle, a Clarke Original D, although not big is still not exactly compact. Add in the padded case I kept it in and carrying it around could at times become bothersome.

Which is unfortunate because sometimes I’d be visiting my dad or my brother and they’d whip out a guitar and ask if I felt like playing something, and I’d have to say “sorry I don’t have a whistle with me” :frowning: I hate missing opportunities like that.

To that end I wanted something I could have with me at all times.

The Clare 2 piece seemed like a perfect solution, but from researching here I heard they were quite poor in terms of their build quality. Easy solution - get a Jerry Freeman tweaked one!

I have no idea how ropey the donor whistle he used was to begin with, but I can wholeheartedly attest that the finished product is easily one of my best whistles.

My wife sewed me a wee two compartment case for it, now it lives in my inside pocket. It can come to work with me, go up mountains, come out on the bike.

I’m delighted. I may be persuaded to upload a video of me playing it, although I’m fearful of the pros laying into me :wink:

2

http://www.obrienwhistles.com/OBPWwoodrover.html

or smaller still

3

I don’t think I’d carry a whistle that cost me over £130 on a hike or a cycle.

The Jerry Freeman Clare 2 piece wasn’t “cheap”, but it was nowhere near that price range.

4

Here’s what I carry around. My wife made me a great little case for it, too!

Pat

5

Parks Walkabout Whistles are very nice indeed, I love mine.
I don’t need, but really want that Freeman Tweaked Clare.

6

Another option is Mack Hoover’s telescoping whistle. See https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/c-p/80823/1 for a discussion of these. I have one and find it very handy.

Reportedly there is also a Noah Herbison (sp?)/Laughing Whistle telescoping version but I’ve never seen one nor a review of one.

Best wishes.

Steve

7

I like those. I wish I could justify getting one of those too.

So many whistles, so little time…

I had been considering buying something in African Blackwood with silver fittings as my next whistle. I’ve been playing 3 years and my most expensive whistle is a Dixon low D, so I think I’m about due a pretty wallet emptying whistle…

8

I haven’t owned the two-piece, but have owned a few Clare brass D’s and tried quite a few more, and I’ve never found one that I didn’t consider really good. My car whistle is a Clare brass, and even with a cracked mouthpiece (operator error), it’s still the nicest inexpensive whistle I’ve owned (along with a Walton’s nickel C ).

9

AbrasiveScotsman,

Didn’t anyone ever tell you that WWC (Whistling While Cycling) can be hazardous to your health? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Now on a serious note, I do have a David O’Brien set of 3 piece Rovers turned in Delrin that are quite compact, very nicely made, and have super tonal qualities. The set I own is in D/C/Eb. On the flipside, they are not inexpensive whistles and so I too am quite judicious about where I carry them.

David does also make a telescopic whistle and offers it in the keys of D/C/Bb. Again, this
whistle sells for about $140 USD, so it might be more pricey than some would choose for a
“carry all” whistle.


I would think that for an inexpensive “carry all” whistle, one might find it hard to beat a
Jerry Freeman Tweaked Clare 2 piece. Compact, won’t break the bank, and Jerry stands by
every one of his whistles. I do not own one of his 2 piece Clare whistles yet, but most likely I will. Like all of my other Freeman Tweaks, it will most certainly play very nicely at a fraction of the cost of the more high end whistles. Much less stressful to carry about in situations that might present a higher potential for loss or damage. :thumbsup:

Cayden

10

I have a Clare 2 piece green head that a friend gave me years ago - my every day whistle - and a Clare 2 piece red head that I bought in Kerry this year for 4 Euro. Tweaked them both myself with bluetack and 600 grit paper and they both play like a dream.
I don’t play them on stage, however. I need more power and full bodied tone, so I play Chieftains and Oz - but all of my music writing and transcriptions are done with the Claire two piece green head.

11

My out-of-the-box non-tweaked 2-piece brass Clare whistle is good, nothing wrong with the build quality. It goes with me everywhere. IIRC I paid 3.75 pounds or thereabouts (a bit less than $6 I think), so it didn’t brake the bank.

-Tor

12

Keep a Dixon Trad in the car

13

I don’t think the temperature gradients found in a car would be good for any whistle.

14

I usually take my Walton brass C with me in my truck. Or which ever C orD whistle is on the table by the door.. nice looking two piece and bag, great idea… Bob

15

I agree with the OP, especially if you like that old 70’s/80’s generation sound.

Love mine.

The Parks 3 piece is excellent as well. I parted with mine recently. I can see why many folks love them, but I simply preferred the Freeman tweaked Clare 2 piece and can’t abide whistles sitting around not being played.

Eric

16

That photo tells a lot.

Keep playing what you have.

17

Someone gave me a brass two-piece body without a head; I took the head off a Gen D, minimally tweaked it (not of course to JF standards), and put in on the 2-piece; it seemed to make a good enough whistle for those odd occasions when out walking one might want to play something; and really cheap!