i'm a flute player, and i'm looking for a decent pennywhistle. i found the tony dixon whistle with interchangeable flute head. has any one ever tried this? if so, what do you think?
even if you haven't tried this specifically, do you think it would be a good investment? (it's $40)
and also. how are the flute heads on a whistle body, in general? i would imagine i'd have more control over the sound and the pitch using the flute head, rather than the whistle head. is this true?
Just get the Penny Whistle the cheaper Flutes he makes are not very good, the more expensive ones are pretty good. The Whsitles are very good, some people swear by them.
Yeah the whistles are really, especially the tunable ones. I have a couple of students playing the flutes. They are not great but grand for starting off if you cannot afford a wooden one.
I own the Dixon Duo head. It's a Low D whistle and a flute. But it's a cylindrical bore, lightweight plastic jobbie--not near as decent as Dixon's conical bore polymer flute. As a low whistle, it's okay--not much volume, but playable. As a flute, you have to really have a good embouchure to get much tone out of it.
Dixon's high D whistles are great value for the money.
But if you already have a decent flute, don't bother with the Dixon duo head.
I own a Dixon 3-piece polymer flute enhanced by a local flutemaker, and it is a very good value for money. It actually has a really nice sound, in this case I just needed to move the cork a bit.
I think Doug Tipple makes the best (budget) PVC flutes and Brian Howard the best Low D whistle. I had a Dixon combo and didn't like it. I could never get consistent results out of it, although I know others like them. I think the whistle head was slightly more predictable than the flute but only just - maybe it's just me. Try before you buy would be my advice.
Mostly, the Dixon whistles are great, and good value for money. Mostly. Like all whistles, each has its pros and cons of course.
Aluminium body - nicest sound, might not be loud enough.
Plastic body - slighty plastic sounding, although few will notice.
Brass body - too heavy. Usefull as a weapon. (Very thick brass)
Flute head (fife) on the high D - very loud, maybe a little shrill, I didn't really like it, but maybe in the right hands...
Low D whistle - too soft, especially lower notes.
Flute head on the low D whistle - waste of money.
Polymer flute - Great value for money.
Someone at our session had bought a Dixon A whistle (Hi Matt!), and I thought it played beautifully, so I ordered myself one too, but I was very dissapointed. The head had obviously been reworked and reworked and reworked to try and fix some problem. One can use it, but it's nothing like the one I based my purchase decision on. Don't like it much.
At the moment I mostly play the plastic and aluminum Dixons at home and in small groups of 6 or less. At larger sessions I haul out the cheaper whistles: Generation, Waltons, Acorn and a couple of home made ones.
tony dixon flute/whistle combos
tony dixon flute/whistle combos
i'm a flute player, and i'm looking for a decent pennywhistle. i found the tony dixon whistle with interchangeable flute head. has any one ever tried this? if so, what do you think?
even if you haven't tried this specifically, do you think it would be a good investment? (it's $40)
and also. how are the flute heads on a whistle body, in general? i would imagine i'd have more control over the sound and the pitch using the flute head, rather than the whistle head. is this true?
thanks,
jaime
# Posted on February 4th 2006 by jaime!
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
Just get the Penny Whistle the cheaper Flutes he makes are not very good, the more expensive ones are pretty good. The Whsitles are very good, some people swear by them.
# Posted on February 4th 2006 by Why Bother?
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
Yeah the whistles are really, especially the tunable ones. I have a couple of students playing the flutes. They are not great but grand for starting off if you cannot afford a wooden one.
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by trudyod
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
I own the Dixon Duo head. It's a Low D whistle and a flute. But it's a cylindrical bore, lightweight plastic jobbie--not near as decent as Dixon's conical bore polymer flute. As a low whistle, it's okay--not much volume, but playable. As a flute, you have to really have a good embouchure to get much tone out of it.
Dixon's high D whistles are great value for the money.
But if you already have a decent flute, don't bother with the Dixon duo head.
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
I'll second Will in that.
I own a Dixon 3-piece polymer flute enhanced by a local flutemaker, and it is a very good value for money. It actually has a really nice sound, in this case I just needed to move the cork a bit.
The whistles are good in my opinion too.
The flute/whistle combo isn't that great though.
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by EastPole
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
i got a dixon high d whistle and I hate it!
Sounds way too much like a recorder and recorders are well um..............horrible!
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by flamin fiddler
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
True, there are chiffier whistle makes out there. Try a Sindt if you like a little chiff and complex overtones.
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
Or if you don't want to wait a year for a Sindt try a Black Diamond, which I like more than my Sindt D but not my Sindt C.
# Posted on February 5th 2006 by Why Bother?
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
I think Doug Tipple makes the best (budget) PVC flutes and Brian Howard the best Low D whistle. I had a Dixon combo and didn't like it. I could never get consistent results out of it, although I know others like them. I think the whistle head was slightly more predictable than the flute but only just - maybe it's just me. Try before you buy would be my advice.
# Posted on February 6th 2006 by Jay-eye
Re: tony dixon flute/whistle combos
Mostly, the Dixon whistles are great, and good value for money. Mostly. Like all whistles, each has its pros and cons of course.
Aluminium body - nicest sound, might not be loud enough.
Plastic body - slighty plastic sounding, although few will notice.
Brass body - too heavy. Usefull as a weapon. (Very thick brass)
Flute head (fife) on the high D - very loud, maybe a little shrill, I didn't really like it, but maybe in the right hands...
Low D whistle - too soft, especially lower notes.
Flute head on the low D whistle - waste of money.
Polymer flute - Great value for money.
Someone at our session had bought a Dixon A whistle (Hi Matt!), and I thought it played beautifully, so I ordered myself one too, but I was very dissapointed. The head had obviously been reworked and reworked and reworked to try and fix some problem. One can use it, but it's nothing like the one I based my purchase decision on. Don't like it much.
At the moment I mostly play the plastic and aluminum Dixons at home and in small groups of 6 or less. At larger sessions I haul out the cheaper whistles: Generation, Waltons, Acorn and a couple of home made ones.
# Posted on February 6th 2006 by Shrog