Okay quick question here. I know that both the Clarke Original and the Shaws have wooden plugs (fipples? Blocks?) and the Shaw site states that theirs are made of “hardwood”. Does anyone know exactly which wood each of these two makers use in their whistles?
It probably varies, or else they would specify. They probably buy whatever suitable wood is available at a reasonable price at the time.
If you’d really like to know, I’m sure you can e-mail them, though.
Clarkes have always looked like maple to me, but I’m not sure. No clue about the Shaws, never having played one.
I agree with the first response, I think they just get what is available at the time. I’ve owned many Clarkes over the years and some of them cracked or moved around a lot and some of them lasted and aged quite well. I’d imagine, though, that they would stick with a certain kind of wood but the quality probably differs