I got $50 for Christmas. I want to buy a higher end whistle, and within a month might be able to double (or even a little more) that amount to spend on a whistle. So under $150.
I have 7 inexpensive whistles (Meg, Jerry-Tweaked Sweetone, Clarke Orig, Feadog, Generation, Mellow D, and a Meg in C). I want something a little more pure and less likely to squeak. I usually play the Sweetone and the Clark Orig.
Any suggestions? I could get one great whistle, or a couple not as expensive whistles. Or a nice whistle and Grey’s book. Or a whistle and a Hoover whitecap for said Feadog and Generation.
A great place to look at some of the higher end whistles is at The Whistle Shop. http://www.thewhistleshop.com They give you a pretty detailed description of each one.
What whistle you should buy really depends on what you want from the whistle.
For what it’s worth, I really like my Silkstone’s because they have lower breath requirements, little or no moisture issues, a smooth tone without being too airy, they’re well balanced from octave to octave, and have a nice amount of chiff. But these will fall into the upper end of your price specs.
If you want Grey Larson’s book too, you could look at getting a Dixon tunable or maybe a whistle from Mack Hoover. http://home.bresnan.net/~mackhoover/
I second Redwolf. Can’t go wrong with an Elf in your collection.
Plenty of body colours to choose from, too! Also with the price you could spend the rest on another stuff; a mid-range whistle or a book.
A year ago, my D cost $240US. Michael has recently gone to pricing in euros (wise move economically), so it’s probably around 240 euro. Easily worth it in my book, but a little out of the poster’s range.
Well, you should go with the burke or maybe a Syn, they have a tone similar to that of a sweetone. I would recomend Sindt because that is what i play, but the wait is too long.
-Andrew Cassidy
My wife picks her High D up 90% of the time. Very in tune, breath is not an issue, fairly broad tone control, just enough of an edge to it to keep it on the chiffy side without the windy sound some produce.
and OK…
HOOVER! HOOVER! HOOVER!
Be warned though that most of his whistles are on the quiet side.
edit
and SERPENT’s redesigned Low A seems to be making waves as well.
The laminate-birch Sweetheart remains a totally underrated whistle…
and a great value for the buck.
I totally second that. It’s called the Professional, and it goes for $135.
If you’re interested in a slightly lower whistle, Mack Hoover’s Bb’s are wonderful whistles and not pricey–I think they’re like $60-65. I have an aluminum one with whitecap. Very nice.
Just to add to your dilemma, I agree wholeheartedly with Brian Lee about the Fred Rose blackwood. It’s one of my two favorites! But it’s somewhere around $250.00, and there’s usually about a two month wait.
I agree too. If you’re willing to bide your time, someone may sell one and you can pick it up quicker. I also love my Sindt, they come up for sale here on occasion, too.
My favorite whistle of all time, when I’m really being honest with myself, is my Laughing whistle, it’s very pure and not very loud ~ I really play it much more often than any of my other whistles!
i have no high d that i am in love with. (i tolerate my water weasel and my susato, and to a lesser extent my 8 dollar clarke sweetone. i dislike the feadog. i kind of liked my high d dixon, which i gave to a friend.)
however, i just received a burke B hoping to have it on hand to play along with flat set UPs. i otherwise expected never to touch it.
all i can say is i think mr. burke made a deal with the devil. it is sweet, it has a wonderfully stable higher octave, and it almost plays itself. if his high d is anything like it, i can’t imagine a better whistle. it will run you 130.00 new. i have the all brass pro. there is apparently no wait.
so if you can find someone with a burke high d, check it out.
By now you can tell we all have our favorites. Are there any other criteria you’re contemplating, other than simply “pure-toned”? Are there materials you prefer? Is what the whistle looks like important to you? How about weight? Is this going to be purely for practice at home, or do you plan to take it to sessions? All that might help us help you narrow down your choices a little.
My four favorite whistles (in no particular order) are my Elfsong combo, my Busman, my Hoover Whitecap and my O Briain “improved.” All are wonderful, and each is a little bit different. Which I pick up on any give day depends partially on where I plan on playing it and partially on my mood. What might help the most could be to ask people WHAT it is they especially like about the whistles they have in your general price range (and if there’s anything they dislike)…that might give you a better idea as to whether or not YOU’D favor one of these choices over another.
For example, the characteristics I particularly like in my Elfsong include:
A hauntingly beautiful, pure sound, with no breathiness, and of moderate volume…perfect for slow airs and for solo work.
The feel of the copper. It quickly warms to body temperature, and feels almost alive.
The beauty of it. The paint job is fantastic, and the bits that aren’t painted are warm, clearcoated copper…it’s really pretty!
Some things you may or may not like about it, however, include
Its weight. It is the heaviest of my whistles. Not a bother to me, but some may find it uncomfortable.
Its tendency to clog if not thoroughly warmed before playing
The relatively quiet voice, which makes it less of an ideal choice for sessions.
In my particular case, the advantages of this particular whistle far outweigh the disadvantages…in fact, it’s probably my second-most-played whistle, after the Busman. But knowing both the plusses and any potential minuses, I think, makes making a choice a little easier.
Nobody’s mentioned Gary Humphrey’s Retro-Fit head, which is alot like a Sindt. It’s cost is $50 and you can reach him thru a PM. His online name is Raindog1970. After that there’s also a Tweaked Generation by Jerry Freeman. You can get those at the Whistle Shop or from Jerry direct. Both of those a great whistles. If you can wait the 8 months a Sindt is the way to go. Maybe order a Tweaked Generation and get on the waiting list with Mr. Sindt.
