i enjoyed the info about the cheap whistles....i started out as most beginners on generations and soodlums. but was never satisfied with the pitch. i have been (cursed) so to speak with hearing off keys.
which have left me very unsatisfied with my whistles.
tried the susato whistle....bought one of those sets that have one mouth piece and three tubes....out of the three (D, C, & Bb) the D was satisfactory.... yet....the sound was not the best.
Question....what is your opinion of the chieftain whistle?
i bought a D chieftains whistle.... i am quite pleased with it. even tho the low notes are softer in volume as compared to the susato.
i discovered that you do need to get them warmed up before playing.
i had a chieftain tuneable A whistle that i ended up sending back. It was too flat. i hope that this is not a common flaw...for i am paitently waiting for a back order of another A whistle.
any comments on the chieftains whistle i would deeply appreciate.
Laura
Hi, Laura--have you gone to the site called "chiff and fipple?" There are about a gazillion discussions there about whistles--brands and styles, keys and intonation, ease of playing and advantages and disadvantages and on and on... I don't even play whistle, and I still find those discussions interesting! People get quite opinionated and passionate, I must say...This is, of course, not to infer anything negative about our beloved The Session...I have learned so very much here! But I also know that it's nice to have several places to check out information. Good luck and happy hunting.
Cassie
I've thought about high-end whistles a lot, and still haven't convinced myself that any whistle deserves a US$100+ price tag. Sure, they are made by famous people, etc, but a whistle is a whistle, right? The problems that you see in the low-end whistles are probably going to show up in the high-end ones too, since the instrument design is the same. Yes, they're made better, but they also cost 50 times more than a cheap whistle. Shouldn't you buy the 50 cheap whistles instead? At least one of those should be good, no? A whistle is not as efficient as a flute or a recorder because the only way you can get to the second octave is to blow harder. I wonder why nobody seems to be trying to add the venting hole like the recorders have; that should help with the sound control.
If i pay $300 for a whistle, it better treat me real nice, bring me breakfast in bed, get me a job in Riverdance, etc.
I also wonder about wooden whistles. It sounds like a good idea, but is there anyone using them out there? Wouldn't they sound very similar to a recorder?
As one who has done the cheap as well as high-end whistles, I'll jump in here.
The instrument design is emphatically NOT the same! Not in the shaft, where you have cylindrical bore, conical bore, 'constricted' bores, etc. The design and manufacturing of the fipples also ranges from pathetically simple (injection molding) to the painfully hand crafted, and a high end whistle may have a glorious pure tune (flutey), an airy "chiff", a hideous buzz. Different players want different sounds, and differing amounts of back pressure.
A really good whistlesmith not only has a basic instrument that is in tune with itself, but for the price these men (I know of no women) will take back an instrument and revoice it to your likes. A good whistle will also be tuneable so that you can play with others and not send the household pets running for the hills.
Wooden instruments tend to have a mellower sound than the bright, metallic ones, and may be thought to sound better for airs, for example. Plastic seems to be louder (great for playing in sessions, lousy for playing around sleeping spouses).
No, a whistle isn't just a whistle, any more than a fiddle is a fiddle.
Thanks for jumping in (pouncing?) Tyghress.
Your post has good reasons for buying a high-end whistle directly from the maker, rather than from a store.
Thanks for turning me onto chiff and fipple. It is a great site to check out others opinions on just about anything refering to our beloved penny whistles.
I found a few comments about the chieftain whistles and Dales over-view of them was encouraging. Kinda-sorta... I still love the chieftain D... I'm still a little concerned about the A whistle that I am waiting for.
Perhaps I could just go out and buy a case of 50 cheap whistles drool over each one of them until I find the perfect one and send the rest back...Hee, Hee, (kidding)
All of my cheap ones I have given away to my children or friends in hopes of them becoming interested. I know.... I could get the fifty, and then donate the forty-nine to a school or something
Hi Laura. As a whistle player I can only tell you that everyones' ear for music is so different. What sounds good to one may sound better to another. I have many 'cheap' whistles that I bring with me on my kayak and camping trips. I also keep an old Clarke D whistle in my car at all times (a must for any whistle player)! However; my Charles Abell D whistle is by far the best investment that I have made for a whistle. I have been playing this one for 5 years now and never have I been happier with a whistle. At the time of purchase my whistle costs $250.00. Of all my whistles, this is my favored one. At a concert, a festival, session or around the house I just love the tone and playability.
My Abell is blackwood and silver. Built with those materials to last for many, many years of playing and built to produce a sweet sound perfect for the aires but also has great punch for the jigs and reels. Also,with a higher end whistle you will find it allows you more freedom to express yourself musically. Each note is clean, pure and strong. Half holing to achieve sharps and flats is a heck of alot easier too.
Cheap whistles can be great fun and will serve you well for a time. Higher end whistles take you to a much higher plane allowing you to become more emotional with the music. The difference is like night and day. I hope you have the opportunity to try one out someday!
whistledon
I used to think the same as glauber once ... until I decided to buy an 'expensive' whistle just because I was so tired and frustrated of playing cheap whistles.
So I checked the 'Chiff and Fipple' site, I logged in to the forum and after some rehersal I ordered a Michael Burke's brass wide bore whistle, and believe me, it's the best 'musical' decision I ever made.
I considered some other whistles and one of the alternatives was the Chris Abell's one, as well.
So the answer is yes. It's worth to spend your money in a good instrument, instead of buying 50 cheap ones. Sorry about that Glauber.
Most of us whistle players have experienced at some stage or another WhOA (whistle obsessive adquisition disorder) as Dale Wisely wisely puts it, but this has to come to an end by buying a good instrument.
Although maybe not. Even tough I'm very happy with my Burke's, some months later I put myself in a two years long waiting list and ordered a Pat O'Riordan's wooden whistle.
But I promised that would be the last time.
Toni, WhOA is incurable, even if you ARE satified with your Burke D (as a matter of fact, so am I!). You then move on to finding the perfect A, C, low D. . .etc ad nauseum.
For others out there researching a good high end whistle, I'd put the Sindt right up there with my Burke, and for a bit less money.
I have heard lovely wooden whistles, but the possiblity of them cracking has made me very nervous. I've had flutes crack and become pretty worthless. This has no bearing on the quality of the workmanship of whistlesmiths, just the attention that must be paid to keep a wooden whistle in good condition.
I agree, it's incurable. FlOA (Flute Obssessive Acquisition disorder) is a more expensive mutation of the same virus. The only way to cope is to pick up one instrument and practice, practice, practice...
I've been "playing" (more like bleating, squawking, gasping) whistle for only a few weeks now, and I've already succumbed to WhOA. This Tony Dixon high D started it (my third whistle, after a deuce of unplayable Feadogs and Oaks). Once I realized that a decent whistle is actually relatively easy--and FUN--to play, I was off. So I have a Dixon Low D duo (interchangeable whistle and flute head) on order, a Sindt high D, and my Seery flute (symptoms of FlOA) should be arriving any day now. Please stop me before I charge again!
A friend brought his Dixon Low D to our session last week and let me try it. I'd never blown a low whistle before and was expecting no sound. Everyone says they take so much air, and the fingering is awkward. Well, this Dixon gave a great rich tone on the first puff and took less air than my Dixon high D. I don't know how to explain it. And the fingering is not a problem, even for someone accustomed to always landing flat with the fourth finger on fiddle. I played the Aran Boat Song at midnight, and ordered my own low D by 9 am the next morning. You can't beat it for $85 USA (including the optional flute head too!).
Glauber, my Dixon duo won't arrive till the end of the week, but my friend plays his with the whistle and flute heads and says both work great. He is far more accustomed to the whistle head, so is on the learning curve with embouchure (aren't we all), and he says the low notes (E and D) are the hardest to blow well. I've heard his Dixon both ways and was knocked over by how good it sounded for such an inexpensive instrument. I'm sure that an Olwell or Wilkes or McGee would sound better if you played the two together, but the Dixon has decent volume (even in a session setting), accurate intonation through at least two octaves, and a surprising range of expressiveness.
I almost hesitate to talk about the Dixons here (isn't this the "high-end" thread?), but I'm thrilled to find credible, indestructable (they're plastic) instruments at affordable prices and no waiting lists. The Dixons tend toward the breathy or reedy flute tone, rather than the bell clear tone of some metal whistles, and I suspect a great player would get more pop and volume out of a Copeland. But as an Irish fiddler I don't need (or want) a Strad or Guarneri, and as a budding whistle player, I'm more than satisfied with the traditional sound of the Dixons. Plus the plastic doesn't seem to clog as quickly with condensation, it's maintenance free, and it feels good on the fingers. The low D absolutely floored me with how easily it responded to my novice attempts--I could play a tune right away, and make it sound good. My more accomplished friend held the whole session spellbound with a beautiful rendition of John McCusker's "Sailing Through the Narrows." I don't know what more you'd want in a low whistle. So I'm curious--any hot whistlers out there who can comment on the Dixons? How do you rate them?
P.S. Glauber, I order my low D duo through the Whistle Shop in your adopted state of Illinois.
Burke Al Pro D: I only got to play this whistle but was immediately impressed by it. It is around $90 I think.
Sindt D: I have this whistle and it is a very good whistle. They are $80 new. I think John should get more for his whistles than he does.
Silkstone: An incredibly awesome whistle. Its $130 new.
Out of all of these, I think I like the Silkstone the best. It;s wait is probably the same as the Burke (Probably about a month or two if they don't have them in stock). John Sindt's waiting list is close to a year I think. Just some comments, and you can choose to disregard any or all of the them. Or if they are wrong, you can correct them. My $.02 worth....
I have been considering a Burke whistle also.
Last year at the Dublin Irish Festival in (Ohio) I had the opportunity to sample a few of Mike's whistles. Unfortunatly I did not have the $$$ at the time.
I hope Mr. Burke will be at the Festival this year. After seeing all of the great reviews on his whistles I will most definately have the $$$ saved back by August of 2002.
I am surprised that in the course of this thread no one has mentioned the renown Copeland whistles. These whistles will definitely take a chunk out of the bank-0-count, but for my money, I think they are the best. I have a D, C and low D. I know some people who don't like the copeland whistle, however, and I can understand this. The tone of the copeland can be a little bit edgy and aggressive, but I personally like the timbre it provides. Also, the copeland whislte unfortunately can't help but be a little bit sharp on the upper register, which often creates a harmonic disaster at sessions when played with other whistle players. The C is by far and away my absolute favorite. But after about a year of working with the low D, I am finally comfortable playing at full speed with it at sessions, and it is a delight. (The low D is also essential for anyone who likes to play tunes at three in the morning and not get murdered later in the morning by the upstairs neighbors...)
So there's my plug.
P.S. I put a link to Copeland Woodwinds in the links section under instruments.
P.P.S. I'm looking forward to receiving a complementary E flat and B flat whistle from Mr. Copeland for shamelessly promoting his instruments in thesesssion. ;-} (Uhem, Mr. Copeland, are you listening?)
Re: high end whistles with added subliminal message
My apologies [BUY], Will, I missed your comparative reference [A COPELAND] to the copeland whistle in your earlier message [NOW]. However, I'm glad to hear that you have taken the plunge [YOU ARE] into the wonderful world of tin whistling. Indeed, you will find yourself overcome at [IRREVOCABLY] times with strange impulses, but I assure you they will pass [ADDICTED]. Trust me on this...
Well, I'm on the waiting list [YEARNING] for a Sindt D [AND TWENTY OTHER WHISTLES] because I've heard it from good sources [LITTLE MEN IN POINTY SHOES WHO SING WHENEVER I PUT FIPPLE TO LIPS] that they are essentially as good [YES, STILL YEARNING (JUST CHECKING)] as the Copelands, [AND ABELLS AND SILKSTONES AND OVERTONS AND O'RIORDAN'S] but for $80 [POCKET CHANGE] instead of $300 [DEEPER POCKET CHANGE].
Last time I looked [15.3 SECONDS AGO], David Migoya had a Copeland or two for sale [GULP] on his web site for fyfer restorations...sorry I don't have the url handy [HANDS ARE FULL OF WHISTLES] right now.
i'm beginning to Suspect that this thrEad has beeN contaminateD by subliminal messages. What's $300 if you can have a second-octave e that doesn't squeak? david MigOya has pleNty of bEautiful expensive whistles for sale! You should check iT Out. GLAUBER
Just to balance out this feeding frenzy... I've been fooling around with whistles for over 20 years and playing seriously for about 8. I have bought a few of the expensive kind, including a Burke and a Sindt, and quite honestly I prefer to play a $7 Generation.
I'm fussy about my Generations, mind, and I always try before I by one, and then I sometimes give them a little attention with a scalpel. But they sound sweeter and nicer to my ear, with a more complex and airier sound, than the Burke and Sindt. I've confirmed this by conducting blindfold tests of quite a few people.
About the only time I play an expensive whistle is when I absolutely need something loud, such as in a very noisy session, or if I have to lead a dance band without foldback monitors (no fun on a whistle) -- but these are not the conditions I really enjoy playing in. I have a couple of high-end big guns that do the trick in these circumstances, although in truth a $20 Susato would do it too.
if you live in the USA and you can try cheap whistles before buying them, you either are doing it quickly when the shopkeeper is looking elsewhere, or you're taking that scalpel of yours to the shop!
This has turned out to be a very interesting thread.
I noticed not many commented on the Chieftain question.
As I mentioned in the first post I made that I was waiting for a back order of a Chieftain A whistle.
Well come to find out the dealer tried all of the A whistles out that he had in stock and all of them are flat. The mouth piece is shoved down as far as it will go. So what is supposed to be a tunable whistle really is not.
I replaced it with a Chieftain C whistle. I am pleased with it.
So....perhaps come August.... I will get a burke A whistle
high end whistles
high end whistles
i enjoyed the info about the cheap whistles....i started out as most beginners on generations and soodlums. but was never satisfied with the pitch. i have been (cursed) so to speak with hearing off keys.
which have left me very unsatisfied with my whistles.
tried the susato whistle....bought one of those sets that have one mouth piece and three tubes....out of the three (D, C, & Bb) the D was satisfactory.... yet....the sound was not the best.
Question....what is your opinion of the chieftain whistle?
i bought a D chieftains whistle.... i am quite pleased with it. even tho the low notes are softer in volume as compared to the susato.
i discovered that you do need to get them warmed up before playing.
i had a chieftain tuneable A whistle that i ended up sending back. It was too flat. i hope that this is not a common flaw...for i am paitently waiting for a back order of another A whistle.
any comments on the chieftains whistle i would deeply appreciate.
Laura
# Posted on January 2nd 2002 by hillfolk
Re: high end whistles
Hi, Laura--have you gone to the site called "chiff and fipple?" There are about a gazillion discussions there about whistles--brands and styles, keys and intonation, ease of playing and advantages and disadvantages and on and on... I don't even play whistle, and I still find those discussions interesting! People get quite opinionated and passionate, I must say...This is, of course, not to infer anything negative about our beloved The Session...I have learned so very much here! But I also know that it's nice to have several places to check out information. Good luck and happy hunting.
Cassie
# Posted on January 3rd 2002 by woman of the house
Re: high end whistles and wooden whistles
The chiff and fipple site is very good.
I've thought about high-end whistles a lot, and still haven't convinced myself that any whistle deserves a US$100+ price tag. Sure, they are made by famous people, etc, but a whistle is a whistle, right? The problems that you see in the low-end whistles are probably going to show up in the high-end ones too, since the instrument design is the same. Yes, they're made better, but they also cost 50 times more than a cheap whistle. Shouldn't you buy the 50 cheap whistles instead? At least one of those should be good, no? A whistle is not as efficient as a flute or a recorder because the only way you can get to the second octave is to blow harder. I wonder why nobody seems to be trying to add the venting hole like the recorders have; that should help with the sound control.
If i pay $300 for a whistle, it better treat me real nice, bring me breakfast in bed, get me a job in Riverdance, etc.
I also wonder about wooden whistles. It sounds like a good idea, but is there anyone using them out there? Wouldn't they sound very similar to a recorder?
# Posted on January 4th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
As one who has done the cheap as well as high-end whistles, I'll jump in here.
The instrument design is emphatically NOT the same! Not in the shaft, where you have cylindrical bore, conical bore, 'constricted' bores, etc. The design and manufacturing of the fipples also ranges from pathetically simple (injection molding) to the painfully hand crafted, and a high end whistle may have a glorious pure tune (flutey), an airy "chiff", a hideous buzz. Different players want different sounds, and differing amounts of back pressure.
A really good whistlesmith not only has a basic instrument that is in tune with itself, but for the price these men (I know of no women) will take back an instrument and revoice it to your likes. A good whistle will also be tuneable so that you can play with others and not send the household pets running for the hills.
Wooden instruments tend to have a mellower sound than the bright, metallic ones, and may be thought to sound better for airs, for example. Plastic seems to be louder (great for playing in sessions, lousy for playing around sleeping spouses).
No, a whistle isn't just a whistle, any more than a fiddle is a fiddle.
# Posted on January 4th 2002 by Tyghress
Re: high end whistles
Thanks for jumping in (pouncing?) Tyghress.
Your post has good reasons for buying a high-end whistle directly from the maker, rather than from a store.
# Posted on January 5th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
Hey Cassie,
Thanks for turning me onto chiff and fipple. It is a great site to check out others opinions on just about anything refering to our beloved penny whistles.
I found a few comments about the chieftain whistles and Dales over-view of them was encouraging. Kinda-sorta... I still love the chieftain D... I'm still a little concerned about the A whistle that I am waiting for.
Perhaps I could just go out and buy a case of 50 cheap whistles drool over each one of them until I find the perfect one and send the rest back...Hee, Hee, (kidding)
All of my cheap ones I have given away to my children or friends in hopes of them becoming interested. I know.... I could get the fifty, and then donate the forty-nine to a school or something
Laura
# Posted on January 5th 2002 by hillfolk
Re: high end whistles
Don't overlook the John Sindt whistle. It's worth a look-see. John's whistles got a nice write up in "Chiff and Fipple" some months back.
Linda
# Posted on January 6th 2002 by linda
Re: high end whistles
Hi Laura. As a whistle player I can only tell you that everyones' ear for music is so different. What sounds good to one may sound better to another. I have many 'cheap' whistles that I bring with me on my kayak and camping trips. I also keep an old Clarke D whistle in my car at all times (a must for any whistle player)! However; my Charles Abell D whistle is by far the best investment that I have made for a whistle. I have been playing this one for 5 years now and never have I been happier with a whistle. At the time of purchase my whistle costs $250.00. Of all my whistles, this is my favored one. At a concert, a festival, session or around the house I just love the tone and playability.
My Abell is blackwood and silver. Built with those materials to last for many, many years of playing and built to produce a sweet sound perfect for the aires but also has great punch for the jigs and reels. Also,with a higher end whistle you will find it allows you more freedom to express yourself musically. Each note is clean, pure and strong. Half holing to achieve sharps and flats is a heck of alot easier too.
Cheap whistles can be great fun and will serve you well for a time. Higher end whistles take you to a much higher plane allowing you to become more emotional with the music. The difference is like night and day. I hope you have the opportunity to try one out someday!
whistledon
# Posted on January 6th 2002 by westcoastfluter
Re: high end whistles
Whistledon,
Are you sure you didn't mean Chris Abell?
# Posted on January 6th 2002 by kardshark87
Re: high end whistles
Laura,
I used to think the same as glauber once ... until I decided to buy an 'expensive' whistle just because I was so tired and frustrated of playing cheap whistles.
So I checked the 'Chiff and Fipple' site, I logged in to the forum and after some rehersal I ordered a Michael Burke's brass wide bore whistle, and believe me, it's the best 'musical' decision I ever made.
I considered some other whistles and one of the alternatives was the Chris Abell's one, as well.
So the answer is yes. It's worth to spend your money in a good instrument, instead of buying 50 cheap ones. Sorry about that Glauber.
Most of us whistle players have experienced at some stage or another WhOA (whistle obsessive adquisition disorder) as Dale Wisely wisely puts it, but this has to come to an end by buying a good instrument.
Although maybe not. Even tough I'm very happy with my Burke's, some months later I put myself in a two years long waiting list and ordered a Pat O'Riordan's wooden whistle.
But I promised that would be the last time.
Toni
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by Toni Ribas
Re: high end whistles
Toni, WhOA is incurable, even if you ARE satified with your Burke D (as a matter of fact, so am I!). You then move on to finding the perfect A, C, low D. . .etc ad nauseum.
For others out there researching a good high end whistle, I'd put the Sindt right up there with my Burke, and for a bit less money.
I have heard lovely wooden whistles, but the possiblity of them cracking has made me very nervous. I've had flutes crack and become pretty worthless. This has no bearing on the quality of the workmanship of whistlesmiths, just the attention that must be paid to keep a wooden whistle in good condition.
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by Tyghress
WhOA
I agree, it's incurable. FlOA (Flute Obssessive Acquisition disorder) is a more expensive mutation of the same virus. The only way to cope is to pick up one instrument and practice, practice, practice...
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
Hi, my name is Will, and I'm a WhOAcoholic...
I've been "playing" (more like bleating, squawking, gasping) whistle for only a few weeks now, and I've already succumbed to WhOA. This Tony Dixon high D started it (my third whistle, after a deuce of unplayable Feadogs and Oaks). Once I realized that a decent whistle is actually relatively easy--and FUN--to play, I was off. So I have a Dixon Low D duo (interchangeable whistle and flute head) on order, a Sindt high D, and my Seery flute (symptoms of FlOA) should be arriving any day now. Please stop me before I charge again!
A friend brought his Dixon Low D to our session last week and let me try it. I'd never blown a low whistle before and was expecting no sound. Everyone says they take so much air, and the fingering is awkward. Well, this Dixon gave a great rich tone on the first puff and took less air than my Dixon high D. I don't know how to explain it. And the fingering is not a problem, even for someone accustomed to always landing flat with the fourth finger on fiddle. I played the Aran Boat Song at midnight, and ordered my own low D by 9 am the next morning. You can't beat it for $85 USA (including the optional flute head too!).
If this is a disease, I don't want the cure....
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by Will CPT
Dixon
Will, do you have the flute head too? How did it sound?
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
Glauber, my Dixon duo won't arrive till the end of the week, but my friend plays his with the whistle and flute heads and says both work great. He is far more accustomed to the whistle head, so is on the learning curve with embouchure (aren't we all), and he says the low notes (E and D) are the hardest to blow well. I've heard his Dixon both ways and was knocked over by how good it sounded for such an inexpensive instrument. I'm sure that an Olwell or Wilkes or McGee would sound better if you played the two together, but the Dixon has decent volume (even in a session setting), accurate intonation through at least two octaves, and a surprising range of expressiveness.
I almost hesitate to talk about the Dixons here (isn't this the "high-end" thread?), but I'm thrilled to find credible, indestructable (they're plastic) instruments at affordable prices and no waiting lists. The Dixons tend toward the breathy or reedy flute tone, rather than the bell clear tone of some metal whistles, and I suspect a great player would get more pop and volume out of a Copeland. But as an Irish fiddler I don't need (or want) a Strad or Guarneri, and as a budding whistle player, I'm more than satisfied with the traditional sound of the Dixons. Plus the plastic doesn't seem to clog as quickly with condensation, it's maintenance free, and it feels good on the fingers. The low D absolutely floored me with how easily it responded to my novice attempts--I could play a tune right away, and make it sound good. My more accomplished friend held the whole session spellbound with a beautiful rendition of John McCusker's "Sailing Through the Narrows." I don't know what more you'd want in a low whistle. So I'm curious--any hot whistlers out there who can comment on the Dixons? How do you rate them?
P.S. Glauber, I order my low D duo through the Whistle Shop in your adopted state of Illinois.
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by Will CPT
Re: high end whistles
Burke Al Pro D: I only got to play this whistle but was immediately impressed by it. It is around $90 I think.
Sindt D: I have this whistle and it is a very good whistle. They are $80 new. I think John should get more for his whistles than he does.
Silkstone: An incredibly awesome whistle. Its $130 new.
Out of all of these, I think I like the Silkstone the best. It;s wait is probably the same as the Burke (Probably about a month or two if they don't have them in stock). John Sindt's waiting list is close to a year I think. Just some comments, and you can choose to disregard any or all of the them. Or if they are wrong, you can correct them. My $.02 worth....
Brent
# Posted on January 7th 2002 by kardshark87
Re: high end whistles
Toni,
I have been considering a Burke whistle also.
Last year at the Dublin Irish Festival in (Ohio) I had the opportunity to sample a few of Mike's whistles. Unfortunatly I did not have the $$$ at the time.
I hope Mr. Burke will be at the Festival this year. After seeing all of the great reviews on his whistles I will most definately have the $$$ saved back by August of 2002.
Laura
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by hillfolk
Re: high end whistles
Laura,
He has very reasonable prices. Mine costed me just 100$.
You can order directly on his website: http://www.burkewhistles.com
Gosh. I'd better post this link.
All the best.
Toni
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Toni Ribas
Re: high end whistles
I am surprised that in the course of this thread no one has mentioned the renown Copeland whistles. These whistles will definitely take a chunk out of the bank-0-count, but for my money, I think they are the best. I have a D, C and low D. I know some people who don't like the copeland whistle, however, and I can understand this. The tone of the copeland can be a little bit edgy and aggressive, but I personally like the timbre it provides. Also, the copeland whislte unfortunately can't help but be a little bit sharp on the upper register, which often creates a harmonic disaster at sessions when played with other whistle players. The C is by far and away my absolute favorite. But after about a year of working with the low D, I am finally comfortable playing at full speed with it at sessions, and it is a delight. (The low D is also essential for anyone who likes to play tunes at three in the morning and not get murdered later in the morning by the upstairs neighbors...)
So there's my plug.
P.S. I put a link to Copeland Woodwinds in the links section under instruments.
P.P.S. I'm looking forward to receiving a complementary E flat and B flat whistle from Mr. Copeland for shamelessly promoting his instruments in thesesssion. ;-} (Uhem, Mr. Copeland, are you listening?)
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Brendan
Re: high end whistles
But I DID mention Copelands up there a ways, admittedly only as a comparison.
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Will CPT
Re: high end whistles with added subliminal message
My apologies [BUY], Will, I missed your comparative reference [A COPELAND] to the copeland whistle in your earlier message [NOW]. However, I'm glad to hear that you have taken the plunge [YOU ARE] into the wonderful world of tin whistling. Indeed, you will find yourself overcome at [IRREVOCABLY] times with strange impulses, but I assure you they will pass [ADDICTED]. Trust me on this...
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Brendan
Re: high end whistles
Well, I'm on the waiting list [YEARNING] for a Sindt D [AND TWENTY OTHER WHISTLES] because I've heard it from good sources [LITTLE MEN IN POINTY SHOES WHO SING WHENEVER I PUT FIPPLE TO LIPS] that they are essentially as good [YES, STILL YEARNING (JUST CHECKING)] as the Copelands, [AND ABELLS AND SILKSTONES AND OVERTONS AND O'RIORDAN'S] but for $80 [POCKET CHANGE] instead of $300 [DEEPER POCKET CHANGE].
Last time I looked [15.3 SECONDS AGO], David Migoya had a Copeland or two for sale [GULP] on his web site for fyfer restorations...sorry I don't have the url handy [HANDS ARE FULL OF WHISTLES] right now.
W[H] i[STLE] ll
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Will CPT
Re: high end whistles
i'm beginning to Suspect that this thrEad has beeN contaminateD by subliminal messages. What's $300 if you can have a second-octave e that doesn't squeak? david MigOya has pleNty of bEautiful expensive whistles for sale! You should check iT Out. GLAUBER
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
I'm not sending you money, fruitcake!
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Mad Baloney
Re: high end whistles
Just to balance out this feeding frenzy... I've been fooling around with whistles for over 20 years and playing seriously for about 8. I have bought a few of the expensive kind, including a Burke and a Sindt, and quite honestly I prefer to play a $7 Generation.
I'm fussy about my Generations, mind, and I always try before I by one, and then I sometimes give them a little attention with a scalpel. But they sound sweeter and nicer to my ear, with a more complex and airier sound, than the Burke and Sindt. I've confirmed this by conducting blindfold tests of quite a few people.
About the only time I play an expensive whistle is when I absolutely need something loud, such as in a very noisy session, or if I have to lead a dance band without foldback monitors (no fun on a whistle) -- but these are not the conditions I really enjoy playing in. I have a couple of high-end big guns that do the trick in these circumstances, although in truth a $20 Susato would do it too.
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Jeeves Tones
Re: high end whistles
Besides being addicted, I think that you all are just enjoying yourselves a leeeetle too much. *snort*
Zina
# Posted on January 8th 2002 by Zina Lee
Scalpel man
Brother Steve,
if you live in the USA and you can try cheap whistles before buying them, you either are doing it quickly when the shopkeeper is looking elsewhere, or you're taking that scalpel of yours to the shop!
# Posted on January 9th 2002 by glauber
Addictions
Zina, i blew, but i didn't *snort*.
# Posted on January 9th 2002 by glauber
Re: high end whistles
Hi folks,
This has turned out to be a very interesting thread.
I noticed not many commented on the Chieftain question.
As I mentioned in the first post I made that I was waiting for a back order of a Chieftain A whistle.
Well come to find out the dealer tried all of the A whistles out that he had in stock and all of them are flat. The mouth piece is shoved down as far as it will go. So what is supposed to be a tunable whistle really is not.
I replaced it with a Chieftain C whistle. I am pleased with it.
So....perhaps come August.... I will get a burke A whistle
Laura
# Posted on January 9th 2002 by hillfolk
Re: high end whistles
Laura, my Kerry is also out of tune until it's warmed up. and I mean WARM. I tend to sit on it during session to keep it in tune.
# Posted on January 11th 2002 by Tyghress
Re: high end whistles
Or you wear a big wool sweater and slip the whistles up your sleaves.
Hmmm........Looks like this might be an interesting thread to start.
How do you keep your whistles warmed- up
Laura
# Posted on January 11th 2002 by hillfolk