I’m looking for something that plays with the ease of a whistle but that has a warm, rich, woody flute tone.
Any suggestions?
-Well-Perhaps your first response should be from an authoritative source.
Instead, you’ve got me. You didn’t state a key or octave, so here’s some generalities: The low D Copeland brass whistle sounds flutey to me. The low G Water Weasel has nice resonance and a warm, burbly sound also, but not as flutey as the Copeland low D. I know nought of wooden whistles and their sounds, some of which likely sound flute-like as well.
-Wooden whistlers, pipe up!
Oops, I should have specified a high whistle, B flat and higher. I wish I could play a low but have tiny hands.
The closest I’ve found to that description was a Grinter high-D.
-Brett
Well Boo I think your talking Clark D or C. The original that is. Very inexpensive and flute like sound. The next step up might be Dixon but for the money I would go with the Clark. I did tweek a Gen C into a flute like sound but it wasnt easy. Shaw might be another one that would fill the bill. Those are all Ive played with what I would call a flute like timber. Course you should hear me play the flute-)
Tom
My daughter has a sterling silver Tully session D whistle. That instrument sounds so flute-like it is eerie! Also, gorgeous.
I’ll second the suggestion to try a Dixon - my Dixon D has a very flute-like tone.
Not “woody” but “flutelike” could also describe the Walton’s or Oak C whistles; I like them both, but I’d give the edge to the Oak.
The Oak D is also nice, once you’ve mastered the needed breath control - it takes a lot less breath (and a lot more control) than my other D whistles. The tone isn’t “woody” but is almost heartbreakingly clear and pure. It does take practice - the first couple of days it drove me crazy with unwanted squeaks - but it it’s worth the time and effort.
If by “flutelike” you mean “airy”, I agree with the “Clarke Original” vote - not my cup of tea, usually, but a lovely whistle nonetheless.
If you’re referring to tonecolor like that as a flute rather than a “reedy” sound, look for whistles with round or squarish fipples. Rectangular fipples will sound ‘reedy’ and square fipples usually sound ‘flutey’.
Thanks for the Clarke and Shaw recommendations. My first whistle was a Clarke original C. Although I’ve kept it, I never play it now. It’s not in tune with itself and need a lot of push to get to the high notes in the second octave–some are impossible. Latter problem is true for the Shaw too that I tried, though the Shaw was in better tune.
I’ve never played a Dixon or a Grinter (couldn’t find info on Grinter whistle–only flutes and recorders). Tully clips on their site sound pretty pure to me, but maybe that’s just my bad speakers. Thanks for the leads.
To my surprise, the clips I’ve heard of many wooden whistles don’t sound the way I’d expect, at least not the ones I can afford. 
In fact, the new Sweetheart seems very pure in tone, from their description and clips I’ve heard, not at all airy and warm.
Good tuning, low air, complex warm tone, and relatively inexpensive. Boy, maybe I’m just dreamin’!
copelands have it all but the last.
I’ll second (or third) the Dixon. I have a Dixon D with brass slide and it does have a flutey tone. It’s lots less expensive (~35$) than any wood whistles. When I play it at lessons next to my teacher’s blackwood O’Riordan the difference is obvious but then the Dixon only cost $35.
Mike
have a listen in the reels department, in the link below. there’s a clip of a burke low D EZ composite.
Since I don’t actually play flute yet (unlike others here) I’m not sure that my opinion is worth much. That said, Grinters and Copelands sound flutey to me.
You won’t get information on Grinters I think, except from those of us who play them. Just email Michael and he’ll tell you about prices and waiting times, but expect about 3 or 4 months unless you get lucky. They are beautiful whistles and I think they have the complexity you want. I have a low F which is one of my absolute favourites. A good Copeland is a great whistle but I’ve found them a little variable in quality.
Daniel, I’m trying to visualize what you’re talking about, and I’m not getting it. Would you please elaborate?
Thanks!
Jerry
I would say Burke, because Burkes are the only whistles I know of that sound actually GOOD in the third register, similarly to flutes sounding good when hitting high notes.
Copeland… one day, you will be mine. [Sending out psychic message to all Copeland owners to spontaneous and simultaneously PM me to sell me theirs.]
I’m actually looking for something to compliment the Burke. To me, and maybe it’s just my tired old eardrums, they sound as pure as can be. (I have one on order, it got lost in the mail, and Mike offered to send another while he went all out to track the first down. Very nice man.) Played one for several days while visiting friends. Wow, what a whistle. Can’t wait to get mine.
Copeland, come to me…come to me…come to me…
If you ask me, a whistle that sounds like a flute doesn’t exist. You can get a whistle with maybe one or two qualities of a flute but you won’t get the whole or even half of the qualities. If you want something that sounds like a flute, you’ll have to get a flute IMHO. The clarke sounds has a soft sound that is closer to a flute. Oaks don’t sound like a flute to me at all, they are however one of the best whistles if you get a good one. They have a nice bright sound with a little chiff but nothing flutey. I’ve never tried a grinter. And as for Copelands, Copelands sound like really cheap and/or bad imatations of a flute. Really soft and really quite. They are great as far as low whistles go but not as a flute substitute. Sorry to sound harsh but that’s the way it is. Whistles just don’t have the range, depth, character and the variety of sound that you can get from a flute. Since you’re interested in the flute sound, have you ever thought about trying the flute? They are some good cheap flutes out there if you want to try it out and get you feet wet. You can get a 3 piece polymer dixon for around 200 bucks. If you just want to try one out, I recommend the Almount PVC flute for 50 bucks. I have one and it’s a really good starter flute. Easy reach, nice tone and it’s very favorable to beginners. I also have a Hamilton flute so I know what a top end flute sounds like, but for the price the Almount matches up very nicely.
Have to agree with the Murphmeister on that. I haven’t posted 'til now because I’m not sure what constitutes “flutelike” in the querent’s mind, especially because whistles and flutes are different beasts. A poorly played flute will sound “flutey”, if rather hollow, but have no character. Punch, reediness and a variety of timbre can’t be got from a fippled instrument, at least to the same degree if at all.
I only posted cause I’d hate to see you go out and blow a couple hundred bucks on a Copeland when you’re looking for a flute. One more thing about a copeland… if you were to play one next to me while I was playing my flute you would hardly be able to hear yourself. In addition to the complexities of tone and all the good stuff you get with flutes, you also get more volume. It sucks that that’s the way it is, cause if there was a whistle out there that sounded like a flute nobody would spend all that time and go thru all that frustration to learn how to play the flute.
I’m referring to the shape of the window, the opening into the bore. Square vs Rectangle.