Chiff and Fipple Forums

I recently beefed up my collection of slightly lower whistles, by getting three additional companions for my Susato Kildare C polymer whistle, which I am found of. I got Kildare Bb, A, and G. The A and G each have one key on the lowest hole, and I'm loving how much easier it's making it for me to play them with my small hands. The only down side I find is that it seems impossible (at least for now) to make a sharped note with half-holing the bottom hole, because of the key pad. It 'can' be done, but whether consistently or not remains to be seen...I'm merely a beginner player of one year or so.
But I'm real happy with the warm throaty tone of these new whistles (I don't play trad Irish music btw), and I love having a C-to-G set of four of them.
Here's a 'family portrait'...

AuLoS303 wrote:How is that Yamaha fife? I'm curious about it

I have one, too and it's actually quite good -- especially for the price. Wouter Kellerman used it for some songs that can be found on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1WPnnvs00I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz0bv9xz3ic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M6Rqb7QVHs

Well I got myself a second whistle, a Generation in C (nickel)
Basically the only music shop in the town is closing. I went in for clarinet reeds but they had all gone. I spotted a small display of whistles instead, and so...
It's quite a bit bigger than my D Feadóg, has a mellower sound and is much easier to blow, and half hole.
Here they are side by side.



Here's how it sounds:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi1fXMPHaP_/

Sounds nice and has a mellow tone.

Chifmunk wrote:Sounds nice and has a mellow tone.

It's lovely, so different to the Feadóg. Whether thats due to the different size, or material I'm not sure. But the difference is surprising. Not as loud and much easier to play chromatically.

I've just ordered up my first whistles, a Generation Nickel in C & D - I hope they turn out as good a yours.

fatmac wrote:I've just ordered up my first whistles, a Generation Nickel in C & D - I hope they turn out as good a yours.

Fingers crossed

Sindt Bb
Sindt C
Sindt D
Copeland D
Copeland F
Copeland D
Cillian O'Briain D

Nice collection

I'm not sure why anyone would want to see my collection of whistles, but, then again, I'm not sure why I liked looking at the pictures of other peoples collections. So here they are.

Picture 1
Chieftain A
Susato Oriole D
Impempe D
Dixon Aluminium D
Dixon Aluminium C
Shaw C

Picture 2
New style Generations Eb, D, C, 2xBb

Picture 3
Old style Generations G, D, C, D tabor pipe

Picture 4
Waltons/Soodlums 2xC, 2xD
Faedog tube


I've never actually bought a Waltons/Soodlums whistle, and they're rarely played by me. For some reason people give them to me, and many eventually get given away.

Whistles that usually get played at gigs - Chieftain A, Impempe D, Old style Generation C, Generation blue top Bb

Busking whistles - Susato Oriole D (loud and seemingly utterly windproof), Generation blue top Eb, , Generation red top D, Generation red top C, Generation red top Bb (its had it's labium blunted slightly which makes it a bit louder) The Generations aren't bad in the wind, though they are considerably quieter than the Susato, but sometimes that can be an advantage even outdoors.

For a while the Dixon D was the only whistle I played in public (sessions mostly). It's quite an old Dixon, late 1990's as I remember, and I never really fell in love with it. It plays OKish, squeaks more than I like and has a weak bell note, but it is tough so it was alright living in Melodeon cases and played very occasionally.

I realised it was daft not playing the whistle more, so my collection started to grow again with the Chieftain and then others have followed on.

Missing from here are a couple of Clarke Sweetones that I'm sure are lurking somewhere or other (C & D), and a Generation D that vanished off the face of the Earth one day last year. Like Douglas Adam's planet of the Biros, I'm sure that there is an alternative universe where Generation whistles slip off to live when you're not looking. I have no idea what happened to all the Generation whistles I had as a kid.

fatmac wrote:I've just ordered up my first whistles, a Generation Nickel in C & D - I hope they turn out as good a yours.

Since then.........there have been a few more.......

My whistles. Flutes are another story.

Gen Bb (pre-80)
Gen Bb nickel
Feadog C nickel
Feadog D x 3
Gen D nickel
Gen D nickel
Dixon Trad x 2
Walton Mellow D
Oz Vambrace delrin
O'Brien Rover C/D set delrin
Susato Kildare Bb (small bore)
Susato Kildare C (small bore)
Susato Kildare D (small bore)
Susato Kildare D (very small bore)
Parks Walkabout Bb
Parks Every Whistle C/D/Eb set
Parks Walkabout C/D set
top Chieftain ND Low D
2nd from top Alba Low D
bottom Susato Kildare Low D

OK......confession time.......I now have quite a number of whistles......but not as many as some of you!

Why are they so collectable?

Is it because they are nice to hold, or that they are relatively cheap to buy, (compared to other musical instruments)?

I don't know.......but a lot of us have the dreaded W.A.S.

My collection now consists of my starters & a couple of mid range whistles.

Generation Nickel => Bb - C (x2) - D (x3) - Eb - F - G
Generation Brass => Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G
Clarkes => Sweetone C - Meg C - (unknown) D
Feadog Brass => D
Waltons Black => D
Dixon ABS => D

Dixon Trad Brass => Low G - Low A
Dixon Aluminium tunable => Low A

Unless you're a pro you can't possibly play them all. And why have more than one of the same key? Seems odd to me but whatever floats your boat...

One of my nickel D's was a freebie for a delayed/messed up order.

My reasoning behind all the Gens, was to see which keys & materials suited me best, before spending 'big money' on any whistles, (& it has probably saved me some, too); because I prefer lower keys than the 'traditional' tin whistle.

Also, I will soon be adding a Low D to my collection, thanks to another one of your threads.