Interesting low whistle on eBay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302393296062?euid=fa0a7d84df204d05b46e82dcbed7ef18&bu=43183002194&cp=1&sojTags=bu=bu. My first thought was a Howard. But it has no identification stamp. My second thought was one of Davy Spillane’s Low Ds. But I’m not sure. Are there any other whistles that look like this . . . or is it one of the makes I’ve mentioned?
Here’s a photo from the C&F archives with the first being a Howard, the third a Davy Spillane.
The seller bought it in 1997 which is before Spillane started making his own whistles I think. Were Howard’s ever made without the name stamp?
It could be a Kerry low D.
David
Really? I didn’t know the head was roughly the same shape as on a Howard.
According to Castle on Session:
It’s a Howard head but that isn’t a Howard body, I don’t think Brian ever used a cork tuning slide
But according to the seller he bought it new from a shop in Ireland so one would imagine it came like that from the maker.
A Howard head can be bought alone. Perhaps the tone tube is DIY?
Not if it was bought new from a shop, I don’t think.
This gets my vote!
I think I vaguely remember (or perhaps it’s just the power of suggestion) someone around that time making and selling these low D whistles. They would purchase the heads alone then make an aluminum body from a different (smaller O.D.) aluminum tube drilled for more manageable fingering - smaller hole sizes and closer spacing. Can’t remember who it was though…
Thanks for that, Loren. Interesting!
But not terribly helpful without a name, lol. Wish I could be of more help but it’s been so long…
No problem. I was just trying to help the seller.