Whistle Library?

[whistle1000]

So I repied to a recent poster's quest for a Low D...Then I had an idea....Tool libraries are the current trend in my town at the moment...I wonder what it would be like to have a "Whistle Library"...a place where one could get a library "card" for a refundable membership and or donate a whistle/whistles to the library...that way we could get to play a wide variety of whistles that we'd otherwise prolly would never play. There could be a "warehouse" of whistles in North America and one in Europe to make it even easier...would prolly ease some WHAOD. Any thoughts? I am certainly not the man to run such a thing but I think it is a decent idea! I would deffo try it. We prolly all have loaned out some whistles at some time. Me, I have a Grinter Low D, Susato Low D, Eb, F, Susato A, Syn set and others I'm prolly forgetting about, all out on long term loans to fellow players, most likely indefinitely...my friends appreciate playing them and I know where they are. I'm not playing them so it's just as well someone enjoys them. If I collected them all and donated them to a whistle library, all the while retaining complete ownership, I certainly would avail of the library and try out the makers that I've not played. Who wouldn't want to play a Grinter Low D sure...sadly,I'm allergic to the GD wood. I prolly would not donate this one though as it is pretty thin walled and fragile.

[whistle1000]

I don't know where my head was when I came up with this ridiculous idea!!( actually, I know exactly where it was) Given that 270 people have viewed and not one suggestion makes me realize even more how ridiculous it is...sure 270 would be a logistical nightmare for all the shipping and what-not...not to mention the thousands that are members here. Next time I have a ridiculous idea, I'll leave it in my head and not waste your collective time reading such a useless post!!

[veloed]

Greetings 'whistle1000' ,
I too had the same idea some years back - when I had around 50 plus nice whistles.
I posted photos of a few the different ones I had, but only had a couple folks interested.
I decided to pick out a handful of my favorites, and then gave a bunch away to friends and family, to get them interested in whistles, and some went to The Irish Flute Store, ( Patrick Jones, and now Blaine & Deborah Chastain )., to get re-homed.
I thought it would have been a great way for someone to try out whistles from some of the great makers.
I had 'em from Paul Busman, Chris Abell, Gene Milligan, David O'Brien, Ronaldo Reyburn, Colin Goldie, Phil Bleazey etc etc . As well as from intermediate whistles from Tyrone Head & Jerry Freeman.

But never worked out for me either - -
- and still enjoy 'taste testing' whistles !

Ed

Ed Gilkison
Lakebay Washington USA

[ytliek]

Well, there may be 270 private libraries, probably more out there. Shipping and life situations would be a detractor.