Whistle with a Sax mouthpiece?

Whistle
1

Hi folks:

I saw this instrument on the internet about a year ago. It looked like a low whistle (diameter) but uses a Sax mouthpiece. Just wondering if anyone here has a link to this instrument.

Cheers,
Boog

2

http://www.xaphoon.com/
http://www.highlandhornpipe.com/

Unless it’s a Gahoon! :laughing:

https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/if-you-can-carry-a-tune-you-can-play-the-gahoon/69929/1

3

“xaphoon” … that’s it! Thanks MTGuru!

4

Be aware that if you’re like I was :slight_smile: and think that it’s similar to the whistle, no - it has different fingerings and, as a closed cylidrical pipe, overblows at the twelfth.

5

Hi Elvellon:
How did you find it. Is it well made.

Cheers,
Boog

6

I found it while being interested in folk reed instuments with whistle fingerings. Found out it’s not as easy as fitting a different mouthpiece.

As for their quality, I really don’t know.

7

They’re decent. I wouldn’t really recommend them for those who don’t play sax or clarinet. The embouchure required is just too finicky. They are capable of some pretty astounding sounds, from ‘good alto sax’ to ‘high bass clarinet’ to ‘duck going through a meatgrinder feet first’.

8

‘duck going through a meatgrinder feet first’.

LOL :smiley:

Thanks Chiffed!

9

I had a xaphoon once. After struggling with it for about a year, I’ve sold it - the embouchure is indeed something I couldn’t master with my typical amount of practice of 1 hour per week… I kept floating significantly around the right tuning all the time, and the amount of air required was too much for me. The fingering is also far from being intuitive. But the tone itself is brilliant, make no mistake.

After that I’ve found the whistle - and it’s sooo much easier to learn and play! :heart:

10

Thanks for the comment WD40. I decided to get one. I’ll put up a video when it arrives :slight_smile:

Boog

11

I actually put a clarinet mouthpiece and barrel on a Susato low F whistle. I cut a thumbhole so that I could get a whole octave.

It actually sounds pretty cool, though of course it’s limited to that one octave.

12

We have one of these “whistle hornpipes” with whistle fingering in Low D for a few years. I find it pretty loud and very similar sounding to a clarinet or such sounding instruments and quite a low, bassy voice.

I am sure you will have fun with it in any case :slight_smile:

Brigitte