On Topic Folks.
I’m in thse process of designing a new high D whistle and would welcome any info on likes and dislikes about high D’s.
This is a very fickle market and the whistles that I’ve put out in the past have been to some tastes but not all.
I’ve always been very happy with the sound of the low whistles that I make and play but hgh D’d are a completly different animal.
From all the posts that I’ve read over the years ,people seem to like a soft ,almoust birdlike ,easy blow whistle that takes very little breath and gives loads of characture.
I’m 85% there with this new high D but would really appreciate any views as to what you guys want.
I’m really sorry for all that crap with Loren but…you know,just sometimes you get drawn into stuff thats better left alone.
No hard feeelings loren and maybe when I’ve finished the new D ,you’d like to review it.
It’s amazing what a couple of pint’s of good English ale can do!.
All the best
Phil.
I’d love to see a high D that sounds like a generation but without the inconsistancy of generation manufacturing that many report.
I’d like to see a high D where all the notes in the first two octaves sound great and aren’t hard to reach (especially the last few high ones).
I also like a pure sound and some volume.
I’m sure there are expensive high D’s like this, but I haven’t been able to afford one yet. I have to stick with the cheapies for now 
On 2002-01-23 17:47, Phil Hardy wrote:
I’m in thse process of designing a new high D whistle and would welcome any info on likes and dislikes about high D’s.
-Excellent intonation
-Clean, no chiff
-Good balance of volume between the octaves
-Quick response on ornamentations, octave jumps, etc.
-Loud enough to be heard well in a small session (but not at the expense of it’s balance), yet suitable for solo slow airs without sounding like it’s shouting them, if you get me.
-A nice clean and in tune 2 finger c natural (oxx ooo)with a second octave 4 finger c nat. (oxx xxo)
-Mouthpiece that doesn’t clog easily
It’s amazing what a couple of pint’s of good English ale can do!.
Boy, I envy you guys on the other side of the pond having wide access to such wonderful brew. There’s nothing can compare to a good live ale Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck with the new design.
Cheers,
David de la Barre
P.S. …and tuneable! 
[ This Message was edited by: Feadan on 2002-01-23 18:44 ]
Hi Phil!
I’d like a high D whistle that coes standard with a few good pints of ale please! It’d also be nice if it doubled as a drinking straw to get at the last little bit in the bottom of the glass!
My own opinion of the “best” whistle sound in a high whistle still rests on old recordings of bands the likes of The Chieftains, The Bothy Band and such. There’s just something magical about the tone of those old Generations.
The pop in the tone, the quickness in response, the subtleness in the tone…these are all vauge terms I know. I like a moderate bore, with medium to large finger holes.
An octave break that’s not TOO easy, but one that won’t require a third lung to reach comfortably. A whistle that’s not overly reactive to teperature changes would be a blessing too. It sees that aluinum and brass are the two metals most affected by this in my collection.
Is this a good place to start?
P.S. (sorry for the edit) I LIKE a bit of chiff in my whistles. If they’re too clean, they sometimes are almost painful to listen too. A hint of ‘dirt’ to the tone is a wonderful thing!!
[ This Message was edited by: whistle god on 2002-01-23 18:06 ]
Exactly, that bit a chiff or raspy sound it what makes it sound like a pub instrument and not one for a classical recital.
Everyone else in this thread has covered most of my requisites; the only preference I can add is LARGE TONE HOLES as I do a lot of half-holing and chromatic stuff - Celtic music is actually a small part of what I play.
David: if you ever visit Seattle you’ll find we have some mighty fine local brews of our own; having traveled extensively through (read: DRANK my way through) Great Britain, I can attest to the comparison.
Very shrill whistles sometimes give me headaches and cause people around me to wince. I’d like to see one with a second octave that doesn’t hurt the ears.
I like a low-to-moderate breath requirement, along with what most have said.
I’m pretty forgiving about sound, not too breathy, pure and chiffy sounds both appeal to me, although the reediness of the Chieftain/Kerry Pro lines is a bit much for me, especially in the high whistles (as Phil said, some people love it, some don’t).
The thing that I’m really looking for in a whistle is that tinny sound. I played an antique silver flageolet once (that I was willing to pay handsomely for, but it wasn’t for sale) that had a chiffy yet VERY metallic sound. I’ve been looking for something like that ever since (only three years, still plenty of time).
Charlie
PS – David, ever thought of taking up homebrewing? You can make bitter, pale, ESB, any style you want. You won’t turn into Fuller or Sam Smith overnight, but it’s fun and rewarding. Kinda like whistling that way, I guess.
[ This Message was edited by: chas on 2002-01-23 18:34 ]
This is the stuff and more of it.
Tuneable or non-tuneable this is the question,at the moment we are set up for an alloy whistle,but I may anodise in colors,maybe dark blue or black,anodising does soften the sound a touch so I’ll have to try a few and see.
It’s amazing to get all these ideas,and really helpful,something for me to think about.
Thanks again and keep your ideas coming.
Phil.
Well, to be fully IN TUNE both with itself and for the key it supposedly is supposed to be is a really good thing. And no ugly colors. And no buzzy sounds. Good volume without a horrible breath requirement.
And, um, shiny is good. I like shiny. I’m a frikkin crow, I go for the shiny! (yes, I’m also a moron)
tuneable. Notes above the second octave g should not be much harder to hit or louder than the notes below (main problem of the susatos).
CERTAINLY tuneable! I usually won’t buy a whistle anyore unless it’s either tuneable already, or I can make it so myself.
Have you given thought to a wooden whistle at all Phil? Maybe even a polymer line, out of delrin, or some other such material?
David: if you ever visit Seattle you’ll find we have some mighty fine local brews of our own; having traveled extensively through (read: DRANK my way through) Great Britain, I can attest to the comparison.
There are more and more nice brew pubs slowly appearing over here in the US. My point is that in England live ale is by far more readily available. Bet I could find some if I drove to Boston or back to the Pioneer Valley.
PS – David, ever thought of taking up homebrewing? You can make bitter, pale, ESB, any style you want. You won’t turn into Fuller or Sam Smith overnight, but it’s fun and rewarding. Kinda like whistling that way, I guess.
Been there, done that (from brewing kits). You’re absolutely right, and it is cheaper as well. Last batch was many years ago when my son was a baby. I was home with him alone for a few days and it got time to siphon the contents of the carboy into bottles. There I was with a rubber hose in one hand filling bottles and dandling the baby on my knee with the other. 
Perhaps when I am more permanently situated I’ll get back into it. Still have all the gear.
Cheers,
David
P.S. Sorry for the OT digression
On 2002-01-23 18:04, whistle god wrote:
. . .A whistle that’s not overly reactive to teperature changes would be a blessing too. It sees that aluinum and brass are the two metals most affected by this in my collection. . .
I only have the one little metal Walton D, but it sure sounds awful if it is cold. I have to hold it in my hands to warm it up for awhile before I can even get the first note out of it. Also the other posts about the whistle being tuneable I wholeheartedly agree with. I’ll have to go the cup of hot water route to flatten out my Walton. A good whistle should be in tune, but be able to tune up or down a little.
Yep, tuneable. I also like small holes which I find better for sliding and rolls. And - made from hardwood if possible (if you can make a quality hardwood low D Phil you’re on to a winner). If it’s metal, then shiny shiny shiny!
Here’s my wish list:
- Metal (preferrably heavy aluminum) or wood
- Enough volume for sessions
- In tune in both octaves
- Tunable
- Mouthpiece that doesn’t clog
- Sound like an Overton or an O’Riordan
- Same price range as Dixon
While you’re working on new designs, think about a chromatic whistle. That would be great.
~ Thornton
On 2002-01-24 17:02, ThorntonRose wrote:
While you’re working on new designs, think about a chromatic whistle. That would be great.~ Thornton
It has already been done. People call them “recorders”.
-David
How about one that cost 5 dollars. It is easy to make a good expensive whistle-a great whistle maker is one that could make a good cheap whistle that everyone could afford.
Joe
Pretty much what I’d want in any whistle, and can probably cite what I don’t want just as well. Anyway:
- Tuneable
- Clog-free
- Ample Volume
- Strong Low end and not-shrill high end
- Low air requirements
- Easy transitions between octaves
- Enough spacing between top two fingerholes
- Voicing/material combination that allows for a timbre that is expressive and can be bent or shaped without squeak, squawk or loss of tone. This last is important to me and is somewhat difficult to articulate.
- Well-balanced in the hands
- Durable
- Professional fit and finish