I just got my paycheck from the last gig that I played, and I was possibly considering ordering a Tony Dixon Sop D (non-tuneable), and I was wondering, how is the tuning?
After the last whistle purchase I made (expensive whistle, which turned out to be BADLY out of tune…), I’m loathe to purchase any whistle unless I thoroughly question the people who’ve had them. Precautionary measure, I guess…
Elf, go for Tony Dixon’s tuneable D - very little extra to pay, much more flexibility.
As much as I like Tony Dixon’s whistles, sometimes the tuning is less than perfect. I’ve had a non-tunable low D that was badly out of tune. TD replaced that with a tunable one which is much better, but still slightly sharp on the D. My tunable soprano D is fine though. So in my experience it’s a bit hit and miss.
I second that. I have soprano and low Dixon Ds, both tunable. They sound great, are pretty cheap and the tuning range is quite wide.
Sorry, It loked like I seconded Jens opinion, when actually I was seconding Jimmy’s!
My favourite soprano whistle is a Dixon Tuneable D.
I have a digital tuner, because I also play
a string instument, and play with other
people, so the tuner comes in handy at a ‘session’. It stops arguments as to which
is the ‘right’ D/A/C etc.
The Dixon always comes up ‘spot on’ with the tuner, on every note.
Pay the extra - you won’t regret it.
Hey, which model of tuner to you have? I need one that is good for both whistle and fiddle. I’ve been looking at some of the ones on the Lark site but there must be others, and I dont know which ones are good and which ones arent.
Tanks,
DAZED
I know this is one of my personal gripes, but please listen and take this in.
(I can sound very patronising some times, v. sorry 
)
The whistle is a diatonic instrument and uses “just temperament”.
The piano (and an electronic tuner) uses “even temperament”, which means that every note is the same distance (in frequency) apart.
The whistle plays a scale tuned to the bell note (eg D on a D whistle).
All the notes are tuned relative to this one note (hence relative pitch (or just temperament)).
Because of this, only the bell note (xxx xxx), (oxx xxx) and the 5th (xxo ooo) should be in tune with the tuner.
These notes should be used to tune your whistle.
Gordon
[ This Message was edited by: gordontait on 2002-05-29 09:04 ]
Seiko
Chromatic Tuner ST-747
Cost about £20 from my local music shop.
Runs on 9v PP3 battery
Diatonic tuners are cheaper, but chromatic is much more useful.
HTH 
Thanks everyone! I’m still not totally sure I really want another whistle (I have five- a feadog, 2 clarkes, susato, and a weltmeister…), but I have been considering a Dixon for a long time.
I’m kind of looking for a whistle that’s in a reasonable price range, but has good volume (won’t easily be drowned out by guitars and harps and such), is very responsive, in good tune, and sounds traditional. Basically, the ‘perfect’ whistle- so once I get it, I won’t want any more… 
Thank you though for your opinions on the tuning. I’ll probably decide in a week or so…
Gordon:
Yes, I think I get your point, but there is one exception, isnt there, unless Im missingyoru point somehow…and that is when you want to find whether the whistle is in tune with itself. So if the whistle is in tune with itself, you would tune on low D on a D whistle and leave it at that (after all, what else could you do, right?), but if you want to know if it is intune with itself thats when it would be useful to use the tuner on the other notes?
On 2002-05-29 18:06, DazedinLA wrote:
Gordon:Yes, I think I get your point, but there is one exception, isnt there, unless Im missingyoru point somehow…and that is when you want to find whether the whistle is in tune with itself. So if the whistle is in tune with itself, you would tune on low D on a D whistle and leave it at that (after all, what else could you do, right?), but if you want to know if it is intune with itself thats when it would be useful to use the tuner on the other notes?
Yes, you’re mostly right.
The only problem is, that you can’t tell whether a whistle is in tune with itself with an electronic tuner (unless it’s very fancy and works in different temperaments!).
You just have to tune the bell note and the 5th with the tuner and then do the rest by ear (your ear should naturally select the right temperament).
This excercise works really well to tell whether your whistle is in tune (listen carefully while you play) (in D):
D E D F D G D A D B D C D D2.
D2 C D2 B D2 A D2 G D2 F D2 E D2 D.
Then try the octave above this.