Hi guys.
I’ve been very busy with flute playing and the need of buying expensive stuff that comes with it (keys, headjoints and stuff) so my whistle budget has suffered pretty bad from it lately. I’ve played the whistles but nothing fancier than the old home-tweaked Generations.
Now, I got away pretty cheap on my latest flute upgrade so I have some money that I thought I’d spend on a better whistle. My range is the sort of middle range up to $120 or so.
I’m looking for a good quality whistle with GOOD volume and backpressure. The sound carracteristics I’m looking for are on the purer side, sort of the really good tweaked Generation sound but slightly more refined. Sort of like Joanie Madden on the latest CTL recordings or Paddy Malloney on Down the Old Plank Road. I want it to sound good for both haunting airs and dance tunes. I also need it to be quite loud and tunable (for band work).
Sounds kind of like a Sweetheart Pro. Pure tone, nice sound, plenty loud and tuneable. Possibly a Busman too, though my Busman has more of a complex than a pure tone.
The Water Weasel by Glenn A Schultz sounds like it would be a good match for you, and it’s been reviewed on Chiff by many as excellent, but I haven’t played one. Better wait for others to confirm this, or search the posts.
Note: I had forgotten about the back pressure-I’m not sure about that-but I think it’s said that you can lean into them, someone correct me if I’m wrong!
Well, I don’t know about it sounding like a tweaked Generation (wouldn’t that depend on how you tweaked it, anyway?), but Water Weasels definitely have the backpressure, volume, tunability, and relatively pure sound. Plus they should be readily available.
They are great little whistles. Good to see that Glenn’s website is back up.
I’ve been “test driving” a fellow chiffer’s Water Weasel (thank you Judy!! I’ll be emailing you soon about sending it back), and I agree with what was said here. I’ve enjoyed playing it immensely, and would absolutely consider buying one myself. I like the volume…loud but not TOO loud (I can play in the office w/o bothering the other members of the household TOO much ), and I agree that the sound is pure. Hope that helps!
NorCal suggested a wood Syn as one possibility. Even Erle’s aluminum ones (and at quite a bit less than your budget) might do what you want, if you’re looking for a high D or keys a little ways either side of that.
Heck, you could get a complete set of keys (one head, a bunch of bodies) from E to A for less than your budget, but the Bb and A are not loud…
Just over a week from e-mailed order to delivery from Australia to the northwest US.
I don’t work for Erle, I just like mine - no more than that. One thing they do have is more back pressure than my other whistles (Susatos, a stock Generation, a Peri C and an O’Brien D). I like it, myself…
I haven´t told you yet but I recieved a Humphrey nb d+eflat body last week, just temperement. If you ever come in to Stockholm you´d be welcome to try them! They seem to be great whistles, and very beautifull. I think I still prefer the sound of my Jerry Gen d but the Humphrey has a more focused, less roaming tone which it seems you would like. Let me know if you´re passing by.
I’d say Gary Humphrey’s wide bore whistles fit that description exactly. The wide bore is loud and his whistles feel (and sound) more like a quality, handmade Generation than any other whistle I’ve tried.
Thanks everyone. I’ve more or less decided on aluminium Syn, one head and all seven bodies based on some comments I’ve read through in other threads and some reviews I saw. It looks like such a good deal to be able to get seven whistles so cheap. Now I just need to get a roll case or something that will carry all the bodies in the same bag safely. I recon he does not include a case since it’s so incredably cheap. Any suggestions? I’ve seen some good stuff on Big Whistle.
I suggest getting some fleece and making one yourself. Fleece is nice because it is so soft and very easy to sew, good for the whistles and good for you…
As NorCal said, a roll bag is INCLUDED. I was really surprised to open the mailing tube my 5-body set came in to find the roll with five pockets, each containing a body (and the head was on the D body). That, in the mailing tube, got the whistles safely from Australia to the US in the mail with no additonal packaging required.
When I got the C/D pair I keep in my briefcase it came in a little drawstring pouch. Not as nice as separate pockets, but certainly adequate.
I’ll jump in and first ask why hasn’t anyone mentioned Burkes? I have seen a few lately in good used condition for under budget, or you can get one for $130 The Whistle Shop. IMHO the Burke has the purest smoothest sound of any whistle I have played, and the transition through octaves makes it a joy to play.
However you can get a wood Syn for under your budget and the tone and volume are real nice, and you can get quite expressive with it.
If you want loud, and have some air, which I assume you do if you’ve been fluten’ about . . . I’d go for a Chieftain mezzo D. You’ll get volume, and expressiveness once you get used to it. You can still find a few gold Chieftains around.
Because they’re not very loud, and he did mention loud. My Burke is another one I’d describe as “complex” rather than “pure.” FWIW, I don’t consider my Syn particularly loud either…not at all compared to my Sweet.
Well, I acctually considered a new Burke widebore. I’m sure that whistle is a real beauty. Isn’t that exactly what Paddy Maloney plays in Down the Old Plank Road? I know many people didn’t like that project very much but his whistles sure sound beautiful. But when I saw the price of those Syns and the fact that I could get so many different tunings in one whistle (which is also very useful for bandwork) it was too tempting. I realise that these may not be in the same level as Burkes but from what I have read they come pretty darn close, considering the price. Soon I’ll see for myself. It’s worth the bet since I’ll basically get eight handmade, quality whistles for the price of eight Generations. I also liked the sound of the Syn aluminium D very much in the clips on James’ website.
I’ll get back to you all in the beginning of next month or so and tell you what I think then.
I’ll be emailing you soon about sending it back), and I agree with what was said here. I’ve enjoyed playing it immensely, and would absolutely consider buying one myself. I like the volume…loud but not TOO loud (I can play in the office w/o bothering the other members of the household TOO much 
They are a fairly thin type of courderoy, but do a very nice job.