Finally it’s a done deal. Hobgoblin Music in Bristol had one Copeland brass high-D left in stock, and it is now paid for and on it’s way across the North Sea towards Norway.
Let’s do some simple math . . . you can get a decent Generation from Hobgoblin for £ 3.90 or in other words 54 Generation whistles for the same price as for one Copeland high-D.
So, what is reasonable to expect from a whistle that has a value of 54 Generations?
-Any comments?
We see this come up every now and again..“is a really X times better than a generation?”
I don’t think this is a good way to look at the value of a whistle.
Picasso’s “Garcon a la Pipe” sold for $104 million dollars in 2004.
My son recently drew a picture of some penguins having a birthday party. He gave it to me for free, but I would have given him a quarter for it if he’d have tried to sell it to me.
Does Picasso’s work really have 416 MILLION times more art in it than my son’s artwork? I don’t think so. I value my son’s work (proudly displayed on the fridge) much more, actually, even if it’s no Picasso.
It’s good if you can get what you want for cheap. But sometimes, what you want is a Picasso. And if that’s what you want, well, that’s the price you have to pay.
I look at whistles the same way. If you can find what you want in a cheap whistle, that’s great.
But if what you’re looking for can’t be had in a cheap whistle, you have to decide if you’re willing to pay the price for the whistle you want. Or, alternately, decide if the whistle you bought is worth what you paid for it. Since this is largely a matter of taste, only you can decide if that Copeland is giving you your money’s worth.
Take the “54 times a Generation” with a pinch of salt,-I was more or less asking what one can excpect from a Copeland whistle.
Hi Erik,
I think they are fine, beautifully made whistles. Fit and finish are first rate. The tone holes are chamfered and feel very nice, and the whistle just plain feels good to hold.
I have only tried the brass and found it to have a very strong warm tone. Mine has a strong bell note and solid low register. The whistle has good intonation and is intune. The second octave sings and has a very musical tone and no shrillness.
I read recently that Mary Bergin plays a Copeland as well as many other brands.
I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine. All the best, Cyril.
Now that sounds like a great whistle. I can tell from images on the web that it’s a beautifully crafted whistle, and from your description it sounds good too.
I’m looking forward to its arrival.
Laurence Nugent’s albums are a good way to hear a Copeland put through its paces. I really enjoy mine (90’s vintage D), it has a voice quite unlike ay other whistle i own.
i have a copeland review on my website. They’re top notch whistles in my opinion, and one of my favorites. I played one in the band for 3-4 years.
I bought a nickel high D Copeland pre owned several months ago. If I had bought one many years ago, I may not have bought any of the rest.
There is another fellow at our sessions that plays one also. And he also plays a Copeland Bb that is mesmerizing.
Thanks for the replies folks. -It is usually difficult to hear how a whistle really sounds by listening to soundclips, but the soundclip on Wanderer’s site makes the typical “conical” warmth in the first register stand out. I do hope it has arrived before the weekend.
From a Copeland high D you can expect a smooth tone, perfect intonation, exquisite craftsmanship, top level materials, and a lifetime of working to get as good at making music as it is in providing it. 
From a Copeland high D played by someone else sitting close to you, you can expect pain in the ears.
Nobody will be sitting next to me desecrating my copeland with alien saliva . . . nobody I tell you. 
I would love to play one just for the way they sound in the lower octave, but the one I had an extended loan of had a high B that could sterilize a hamster at thirty paces. Cheers,
Rob
Is that a problem?
I’ve had several Copeland high D’s. I still own and play one brass and one nickel. The others were very good whistles but not as even as the two I have held on to. These two are pretty sweet in the upper end. They are all loud.
Feadoggie
hehe sterilize a hamster
You can expect it to be a heafty (heavy) whistle made out of thick brass.
There’s really nothing else like it…well compared to those Vargas whistles that don’t weigh much at all!
StevieJ mentioned that it hurts your ears…mostly in the second octave a and b note are a little loud.
It’s a good whistle if you’ve been blowing hard on your flute, it’s easy to switch over. If you are playing a Vargas whistle, you’ll have to back your breath off a little.
I think you will like it!
Nate
How funny …
At the end of the day, what you should look for is an instrument that fulfills your needs as a whistle player.
That may sound very generic, and looking back, it does.
But, if your going to splash out a few bob for a hand made whistle see if you can get your hands on one for a few minutes at least to see if you like them.
You may have a friend who has one or ask some one in a session what they think of theirs and they may let you play theirs for a bit too.
The key is to try these things out before you buy. (if you can) Or at least get as much feed back from as many sources as you can. i.e. people!
Tommy
Vargas whistles . . . Nate
That did ring a bell . . . hello again Nate
The key is to try these things out before you buy.
Obviously the very best thing to do, if one has the chance to do so.
Hello Erik!
My friend Lisa Danforth in Colorado Springs has a bunch of your tweaked whistles that I have been able to try! Nice work.
That’s a real clever way to tweak a whistle!
Some of my Ancestors are from Norway! I would love to go there for a visit some day.
I am also a big fan of those hand forged knife blades they make in Scandanavia!
Cheers,
Nate