Hey all… what’s the general consensus on Walton’s Mellow D? Is it pretty decent for a low-end whistle? Would you take a chance on that, or a Generation? 
Thanks,
Andrea
edited because I’m a dork and put the wrong name in. 
~~Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.~~
[ This Message was edited by: aderyn_cyrdd on 2002-09-27 15:28 ]
MAN! The Walton’s Mellow D is the best low end D I have. I sounds in my opinion VERY similar to my Sindt D, which I just got today along with a Sindt A !! (man, Tradgirl and I love the Sindts, thanks Chas!)
I would highly recommend the Waltons mellow D if it is anything like mine. In fact, I will probably order another one soon…
Eric
Thanks Eric… I’m trying to find something for my mother-in-law’s birthday. And I like my MIL. 
Listening to me somehow convinced her to give the whistle a whirl, and I’d like to get her something that will be fairly easy to play, and good too.
Andrea ~*~
Some time ago I got my eldest son a Mellow D for his birthday – he doesn’t actually play whistle but I thought this might encourage him 
Anyway, at that time I played a few tunes on it but I didn’t much care for the sound of it. Just last night I played it again (9 months after the first time) and I couldn’t believe how nice it sounded – a lovely rich and warm sound (“mellow” I suppose). Seriously. Its a very nice, inexpensive whistle.
One of my all-time favorites; I’ve hoarded about four of these and they’re excellent!
I have not tried the Mellow D,
Sometime I think I should.
I’ve tried the Golden Tone in C,
And thought it sounded good.
The first tinwhistle e’er I had
Was Soodlum’s Brass in D,
I like it’s sound, it’s sure not bad,
And it plays easily.
Had to chime in with a dissenting opinion. In my admittedly limited experience (two samples) with the Walton Mellow D, you would find me using a blade of grass between my thumbs before using a WMD.
Squeaky, wheezy, out of tune with itself and doesn’t play well with others.
Ian
I’m sorry to say my experience is close to the above. The tone is great, but it’s not in tune with itself, and doesn’t sound good with other instruments. Sounds like there are some great ones out there, so best to play before you buy.
I don’t have a “mellow” D but a regular Waltons brass D and until last night, I would’ve said it was my worst whistle. Like someone else just said, squeeky, wheezy, shrieky and wasn’t consistent in its notes.
But last night after not playing it for a very long time I pulled it out and it sounds like one of my best whistles now! I can’t explain it.
I have a Walton’s Mello-D. Have had it for a number of years, in fact. Don’t play it, though, because it doesn’t sound good. Out of tune. Squeaky.
So I just took it out after seeing one of the stories above, where the whistle improved somehow over time, despite not having been played. I figured maybe the same Spontaneous Improving may have happened to mine. And guess what?!
Still sucks.
I’m going to use mine to punch holes in fruit. If I can find an excuse to punch holes in fruit, I mean.
If you really like your mother-in-law, get her something nicer. I haven’t played one, but everyone here seems to think the Dixon’s are nice whistles, and if they’re really that good then they are also very inexpensive.
Or impress her with an Overton or something.
–Aaron
Great sound (I’ve owned about 3) but frustratingly out of tune (including a sharp bell note). I believe mike.r. knows how to make these whistles play in tune…mike?
Micah
Correction - I just checked - it’s the Golden Tone C whistles that I have and think are great bang for the buck. Thanks. Philo
I have a Mello D, it’s a nice whistle, but, as noted above, the bell note is sharp.
I used electrical tape to lengthen the whistle by a few millimeters, and now it’s fine.
This is a whistle that can take a reasonably strong blow, and it has a nice rounded sound. Gets a wee bit shrill on the high end, though–not really “mello,” but strong.
It’s a good whistle and I enjoy playing it, but I’m not sure I’d call it a favorite.
Best,
–James
http://www.flutesite.com
The Mellow D was the first cheap whistle that I really liked. It is out of tune with everything, though. I just like the sound and it’s easy to play. I’ve never heard one that squeeks.
Well, everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions here, but I guess that I feel the same way that the lot of you do about the Waltons Mellow D, about the Clarke Sweetone. I have two of them. Two words:
They sound terrible ! I have a D and C, and they both are so airy that I believe listening to the slip-stream of air passing over a loose door seal in an old car sounds more musical.
Alas, we all have our own experiances and tastes. I just got a Sindt D and A for $150 for both, and it was 'cause the owner didnt care for the sound of them, but to me they are awesome. So…it’s all a matter of opinion!
Cheers all!
[ This Message was edited by: Tradman on 2002-09-28 00:56 ]
Spot on Micah and James.I made A short sleeve from a trashed Gen Bb body to add an extension to my mellowD.Its a nice outdoor(its loud!) whistle but its not my `go for´ whistle…a Generation brass D would make a nicer gift I think. Peace,Mike
On 2002-09-27 19:48, Micah wrote:
Great sound (I’ve owned about 3) but frustratingly out of tune (including a sharp bell note). I believe mike.r. knows how to make these whistles play in tune…mike?
Micah
I have both multiple Walton D’s and multiple Walton Mellow Ds. I care very little for my regular Walton D’s so that I’ve given them to my toddlers to use to bang on stuff with. My Walton Mellow Ds I absolutely LOVE! My favorite whistles that I own (comparing with Faedogs, Sweetones, Generations, Little Blacks).
BUT, the Walton Mellow D’s I’ve bought in the past year for family and friends are not the same as the Walton Mellow D I bought over 5 years ago. At some point Walton changed their fipple design for these. All the new whistles have the hairline surface “cracks” where my old one doesn’t. (The cracks don’t appear to deeper than just on the surface, and there appears to be no hint of them cracking in two.) The main difference though is the angle at which the air comes out of the windway and strikes the blade.
On the old Walton Mellow D fipples, the air strikes the blade so that it looks like 90% of the air is deflected out of the whistle. This creates a nice, clear tone though it’s a bit quieter than other “chiffier” whistles. It also means that it doesn’t handle more forceful breath pressure as well and is therefore just a little more likely to squeak until you get used to it.
On the new Walton Mellow D fipples, the air strikes the blade so that it looks like only 50% of the air is deflected out of the whistle. This creates a little more of a chiffy tone that to me sounds like the classic Generation D sounds that you hear Paddy Moloney play. It’s more forgiving than the older Mellow D fipples, handles harder breath pressure better, and is therefore less likely to squeak. It does require more air than older Mellow D fipples which I believe is the trade-off of changing the blade placement.
Finally, I’ve found the whistles to be pretty well in tune with themselves, but a bit sharp when played with other instruments. This can be corrected by sliding the fipple off a little to flatten them. Plus I’ve added a 1" brass sleeve to the outside end of the whistle to add a little more length to flatten the lowest note just slightly. I’d imagine this kind of intonation adjustment is probably required for any low-end priced whistle.
Loving the Walton Mellow D’s,
harriswhistles
WMD = Whistle of Mass Destruction?
I can’t stand Walton mouthpieces, and I 've hated every Walton whistle I’ve had… EXCEPT I put a Feadog C mouth piece on a Mellow D tube and the result is a really great mellow, almost Clarke-sounding D whistle!
My grandmother is learning to play the whistle,and recently went on a whistle buying spree.She got a Generation G,one of those Guiness ones,and a Walton’s Mellow D.We both played the Mellow D,and she doesn’t like it at all.She says it sounds hoarse.However,I kind of liked it.I didn’t really check the tuning,but it did sound a little off.The sound was nice though,I thought.
Just my two cents.