Well I don’t know if it’s the instrument I want. I seem to want too many instruments 
It is the whistle I enjoyed. I sold mine, and got another flute instead. I imagine I would like to have it still, but maybe that is more fancy than reality.
What other brands do you use then?
Yes you’re right - that amount wont’ buy a great (new) flute or whistle, but I’m hesitant on buying anything that’s 17 years old, and expecting it to play like a new one…
I play Michael Burke’s low D’s. I have three of them. I like them. They do what I require in a low D whistle. They do not sound at all like a Copeland, IMO. I never bought a low D from Michael Copeland because I play one of his flutes. It’s a great flute and it suites me very well. So a Copeland low D seemed redundant (back when I could afford one). Silly me.
If I stop to consider what Copelands, Burkes, Thin Weasels cost when they were first offered I probably wouldn’t be buying any whistles these days. New high D Copelands, direct from the maker, run roughly three times what they once did. Burkes are three times what they were ten years ago too. Weasels, well there won’t be any more of those so… Heck, Susatos are even three time more expensive than ten years back.
Well, instrument age hasn’t stopped the market in Rudalls from appreciating recently. I accompanied a friend to the Martin Guitar factory (I’m in the neighborhood) a month or so back to have his D-28 refurbished. The cost of the work was roughly three times what he paid for the instrument in 1967. Hard swallow. But the finished instrument played and sounded like new when the work was done and Martin appraised the instrument for about 12 times the original purchase price. Some quality instruments do appreciate well. Copeland’s whistles are made to last, they are about the sturdiest whistle out there. Michael is still making and repairing instruments. So if you bought one that is 17 years old, you could always have him bring it back to its original condition. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a “vintage” Copeland.
Sorry if I sound like a zealot here.
Feadoggie
Thanks for your thoughts - that kind of puts things in perspective.
When I come to think of it … most things have risen in price 2x - 3x over the past 17 years.
And yes - a Copeland Whistle, is less likely going to have the problems that keyed flutes and pad repairs and spring mechanisms have.
Interesting to hear what you say about the Burke flute. I’ve never tried one of these. I have a lot of wooden flutes, and I’m starting to think, maybe this isn’t such a clever thing, especially since I play outdoors. I’ve already fractured 2 of them by playing ‘streamlessly’ for hours. Streams of moisture and condensation that is 
Mark Hoza doesn’t make whistles, just flutes, quenas and wooden heads for modern orchestral flutes.
I have acquired two whistles crafted by Michael Copeland over the past year. I just paid him to ship a brass Low F to go along with an nickel high D I bought on this forum and a nickel Low D I bought from Michael last summer. Just contact him. The wait was three months, nothing like you will experience from many other custom makers. It was a little longer for the low D.
Some craftsmen, like Paul Busman, are very responsive. Others seem to take up to a year. Michael is a really nice guy to work with and his whistles are…well…magical if you like their uniqueness. I can’t wait to play this brass Low F.
ecohawk
Thanks for the glimmer of hope.
What made you go for a low F? I’ve never heard one of those!
How is the finger spacing of it?
I’m lucky to own a Copeland Low D and a Low F (both in brass).
You can find some pics of a MC Low F (not mine) here:
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/copeland-low-f-for-sale/20908/1
Fantastic second octave, but the first is too easy for my style of playing: I’m affraid I’m a hard blower, I play funk and blues which needs backpressure. So the bottom F and G break too easily for me on this Low F. 
I contacted Michael to see if it was possible to have more backpressure on this low F, but I didn’t receive reply for now. So I think to sell it, but I resist, coz’ I’m sure I’ll regret it… I think I’m going to play it again, to see.
My problem is I’ve got also a Kerry Pro Low F (and soon an MK low F), and the Kerry Pro has a lot of backpressure, which I like and I want in a low whistle.
So when I play the Copeland Low F, I find it too easy to play: the 2nd octave is wonderful as I said, it’s a real pleasure, but the first octave breaks to easily, and I don’t like that. The Copeland Low F has not enough backpressure for me. A different beast, but I think I have to play it again and again.
Actually, I’ve got too much Low F! Life is a nightmare. 
I try to own at least one really good* whistle in every key and several good* whistles in the most popular keys D, G, etc. I have three low F’s (the Copeland will make 4) so that’s overkill. I like the low g or low F for solo playing because I can play them fast or slow equally well at my current stage of learning the whistle. I like low D or C too but I am more comfortable with the low F. It is also the case that the Bb note on two of my low F’s, a Burke and a Domnahl na Gruen, are just magical notes and inspire me to play tunes that incorporate them often.
I think for me it is a personal choice since I don’t often attend sessions (where a low F might be a little out of place) but often play tunes and with other musicians for whom this key works nicely.
And Michael Copeland told me that he thinks this is one of his best whistles so I thought I’d give it a try. Copeland whistles don’t require much breath pressure to play, as Chino indicated, and their sound is different, many describe it as flutelike. And they are among the most beautiful of any instruments crafted by anyone. However, as I’ve said before, horses for courses as it were. Different whistles suit different players and definitely offer different characteristics.
Mainly, I just like whistles.
ecohawk
ecohawk