I have two favorite wooden whistles, one I like to play and the other I like to play for Renee.
My favorite whistle to play right now is my Blackwood Thin Weasel. It just feels the most comfortable in my hands and so I play it faster and more accurately than some of my other whistles.
My favorite whistle to play for Renee is my Mopani Bleazy Low D. She REALLY likes me to play that one for her. Makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 'Nuff said 'bout that.
I also really enjoy my Syn Lancewoods (C and D) and my Weston High D. The Syn’s are very classical looking and that suits us and our playing style. The Weston is quite pure and sweet sounding, much like my O’Riordan Traveler High D, amazingly like it. These are played frequently as well.
Forgot to add that I like to play my Bleazey High D when I want to play LOUD!!!
First off, thank you all for your input and opinions.
I had originally assumed that one or two particular wooden whistles would stand out head and shoulders above the rest; making it fairly easy to choose which whistle to purchase next.
However, it’s obvious from reading your responses that there are a lot of really fine wooden whistles out there and that makes me smile. Cause all I have to decide now is which one to get first, and then second and then third…
Oh what a wonderful quandry to be in. Now if I just had an unlimited budget.
Thanks again everyone!! I think I’ll order a Rose first; or maybe a Schultz; although I really like the looks of that Abell; of course the Syn…
My favorite whistle to play for Renee is my Mopani Bleazy Low D. She REALLY likes me to play that one for her. Makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 'Nuff said 'bout that.
Actually, the more I think about it, this may be the best recommendation in the whole thread! I may have to get a Bleazy.
The Rose whistle is a great one as well - Fred doesn’t spend hours promoting himself here, so he often isn’t mentioned the same way as you’ll hear some of the other more ‘active’ posters or makers here. But his whistles are as finely crafted as they come. I’m not too sure what folks have against a pure tone in a whistle either, but some don’t care for it. I’ve found that you can also get some of the ‘grit and growl’ in the tone of a whistle by how it’s played - not just by how it’s made.
But the Rose would be an excellent choice as well.
i’ve owned a thin weaseal, busman, and David Boisvert. my favorite - the Boisvert. all excellent whistles. but the boisvert has the sweetness i was looking for. i have a d/c set and they are both wonderful.
Thanks very much for your offer. My words are probably a little more harsh than I had intended. Fact of the matter is, if I played your whistle more than I have, I might very well have a different opinion. It just entered my collection about the same time as I started getting serious on the flute, and I haven’t bonded with it.
I’m having a pretty good time learning to enjoy a Lon Dubh that I got last week. Wasn’t crazy about at first, but once you learn the little idiosyncrocies of the instrument, you start that phase where you really start to like it.
Can you explain in a bit greater detail what you mean by “sweetness?” I’ve looked at the Boisvert whistles and they look very nice but I haven’t heard much about the tone. I lean towards whistles that are pure, (less chiff?). I’m a beginner here, but I like a pure clear tone. Is that what you mean by “sweet?”
For us sweet is towards the pure side, but not neccesarily totally pure and a little breathiness is acceptable. The main aspect of pure for us is to NOT be shrill in the upper octive and to not get too loud either.
Our Weston, which is Sapele, is sweet but has a touch of breath to it. Our O’Ririordan is sweet and quite pure. I have not heard a Rose, but would like to as they are supposed to be quite pure sounding, I do not know about sweet.
Rod
I may have to get a Bleazy.