I just got back from the Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival in Palestine, Texas and want to tell you about the whistle I picked up there. I had not met Tommy Dion before this weekend although we did correspond once via PM to try to figure out where to meet. We needn’t have worried. He heard me playing my whistle in an empty workshop room and tracked me down.
After Tommy set up his table, I was hanging out visiting with him and picked up one of his three piece PVC whistles. When taken apart they just fit in a shirt pocked. I thought it was cute so played one. It sounded really, really good. I played another one and then another one. They were all consistently reallly, really good. And the cross fingered C natural was spot on too. I can half hole a whistle but don’t enjoy it, so that’s generally one of the first things I check on a whistle. I asked how much he was getting for them and he said $35 and I’m guessing my mouth dropped open. There are some good PVC whistles and there are some that leave a lot to be desire but for a whistle of this quality I think $35 is a steal. I have some O’Riordans, Abells, a Busman, Silkstone and others, so I really hadn’t been planning on spending more money for a whistle. But I had to have one and now I do.
Between concerts and workshops, people were gathered around Tommy’s table trying his whistles. He sold out of the PVC whistles and sold some of his wooden whistles. I do know some people were disappointed to not be able to buy a PVC whistle at the festival because they were sold out. They would play my whistle and then go looking for Tommy to buy one.
Tommy also tweaks brass whistles with plastic fipples and makes beautiful wooden whistles. The brass ones are $15 and the wooden ones $150 at least as of last weekend. There were some pretty decent whistlers hanging out and one lady with an O’Riordan seemed pretty impressed, as was I, with Tommy’s wooden whistles. I think she may have purchased a wooden as well as a PVC whistle.To be clear, they don’t sound like an O’Riordan, they have their own sound and it’s nice. I’m glad I’m so happy with all my other whistles or I would have had to have one of Tommy’s. Not a good idea since I upgraded my concertina last week and I’m hoping my car doesn’t break until after I’ve replenished my savings account.
Hopefully Tommy will speak up here about his whistles and correct any mistakes I’ve made in describing and pricing his whistles.
I don’t think Tommy has a website. Tommy correct me if I’m wrong.
His email is Tommyviking1(at)aol.com substitute @ for (at)
I have no financial interest in Tommy or his whistles. All I know is that I’ve got a really, really good PVC whistle that’s easy to carry and sounds great.
Tommy is a class act and I greatly enjoyed visiting with he and his very nice wife. See the two of you next year at Palestine.
jim durdin
It’s a beauty both visually and musically and Tommy is always a class act - he offered to readjust mine awhile back free of charge. You will not find a better wooden whistle than his for the price he asks.