Here we go again, time for another whistle. I have 2 low D’s and 2 soprano D’s and it’s time for something in between. I’d like something in the key of A, I want it to be quiet and sweet sounding. At present I’m trying to decide between the Burke and the Hoover. If that’s not enough, I also need to decide between brass and composite. Arghhh!!! Too many choices. Could I get some input from y’all please?
The Burke and Hoover are two good choices.
I haven’t played a Hoover A.
Between the two Burke A’s I’d definitely go for the composite. Burke Composite A’s are are sublime. 
I just sold one and have been kicking myself.
Doc
I have a Shaw A that I tweeked.
I love it… and its LOUD. It like a giant Clarke but out of better material.
It shines up real nice.
I’d get the Burke Aluminum.
Sorry… that was the lack of oxygen from playing my Shaw when I read this posting.
My head is clear now… the Burke looks pretty good to me.
THe Burke aluminum has the advantage of better durability (and therefore potentially better re-sale value) than the composite. But to my ear the composites have a richer more interesting tone.
Doc
My Burke A composite is my favorite whistle of all time. I wouldn’t trade it for any other whistle.
Interesting - no one has piped in about a Hoover yet. Right now I’m leaning towards getting the 2 Burkes in A and sending one back. I already have 2 Burkes (Low D and Hi D), may as well add to the collection.
Can’t comment on other makes, but I have an excellent “A” whistle made by John Sindt, which I’d recommend.
May I suggest that I make one for you out of PVC? It’ll cost just 20 Euro. Please feel free to PM me if interested.
nodak…
You’re on a splendid WHoa run! Hope you’re still working on those Low Ds. Haunting and all.
I play one Burke aluminum, the Viper. I’ve complexed the sound with a blu-tac pea-shaped tweak under the window. Nice voice.
I also play and love two of Mike’s composites. Low D and Low E. And if I were looking for sweet and quiet, I’d go with the composite material. To sweet and quiet, one could easily add warm and mellow to describe these whistles. And IN TUNE!!! Light and easy to handle. User friendly.
Just my two cents…
Good luck
Love my aluminium A, but I have’t tried the composite. Thinking to recent gigs, it’s the whistle that has seen the most stage-time. It mic’s beautifully, and does well outdoors with a hammer dulcimer and twelve-string guitar.
nodak…
You’re on a splendid WHoa run! Hope you’re still working on those Low Ds.
Yeah, I seemed to have gotten rather hooked on these whistles. I first bought a Waltons Mellow D 6 weeks ago, then a Burke brass D, an Overton Low D and a Burke Viper. Next I found a Generation C that had been in the kids toybox for 20 years; I never knew what is was until I started this whistle stuff. I have two Burke composites on order, a Low A and B Flat. That will make 7 whistles in 6 weeks. Two months ago I didn’t really know what a whistle was. Favorite tune to play so far: Morrison’s Jig.
The Burke A’s are excellent, haven’t played the hoover, so that’s the best i can offer!
Slainte mhath
nodak…
7 whistles in 6 weeks? And many of them high-enders?
Oooo, friend. You’ve got it BAD.
(Why do I hear so much chuckling around here…?)
I’d love an A whistle with a Cnatural thumbhole and maybe a low G pinky hole for kicks;) All the notes you get on a D whistle. . .
I never intended to have two high-end A whistles (really, I didn’t), but I ended up with a Burke composite A and a brass Sindt A. I meant to keep only one, but they’re so different and I love them both, so I couldn’t part with either. The Burke composite is my favorite for airs – it has a lovely, mellow, flutey tone. The Sindt, however, is my favorite for faster tunes, with a more classic whistley tone. The Sindt is also easier for me to play and takes less air.
It sounds to me like you’d like the Burke composite A. I’ve never played a Hoover* so I can’t comment on the difference between the Burke and the Hoover A.
*However, my puppy is named Hoover, so I DO play WITH a Hoover every day! 
The puppy is actually named after the vacuum cleaner – he’s a Labrador and, like nearly all Labs, eats like a vacuum. He’s also shaping up to have a nose like a vacuum, which is what I wanted because I’m in the beginning stages of training him to be a search and rescue dog.
i have a hoover a that is one of my favorite whistles. it has a voice unlike any other. it has “soul.” i recommend a pvc a by mack…
I have a Copeland brass A that I like. Nice mellow sound, nice heft to it too, J.