LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

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rich.uk
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LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by rich.uk »

Hi everyone. I'm Rich from the UK, started playing about 5 years ago. This place seems pretty cool so I'm looking forward to joining in, even though I'm doing the obnoxious thing of asking a question as my first post, for which I apologise.

I need a loud high D whistle - very loud. I've started going to my university ceileidh band, and they practice in these huge sessions of between 50-70 people at once. Sounds great, but I prefer to play by ear and I can't hear my (fairly quiet)Dixon whistle AT ALL when I try to play along. Does anyone have any suggestions for a seriously loud session high D? Also I'm a student so I can't go that expensive, maybe $100 top limit.

Thanks in advance. Rich.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by MTGuru »

Yes, Dixons are definitely on the quiet side.

The Susato D is seriously and notoriously loud, and not expensive. £25 from Big Whistle. Or £46 for the D/C/Bb set.

http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_result ... rod_id=165
http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_result ... rod_id=355
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by Rowney »

Wow Rich, what university are you at that has such an active folk scene?!
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by Denny »

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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by s1m0n »

MTGuru wrote: The Susato D is seriously and notoriously loud, and not expensive.
Susato was my first thought, too.

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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by MTGuru »

A brimmed hat or baseball cap can also help. Ask Paddy Keenan. :-)
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by swizzlestick »

MTGuru wrote:A brimmed hat or baseball cap can also help. Ask Paddy Keenan. :-)
A hat brim really does help. I find one with a side brim really reflects the sound back to your ears.

Alternative -- but more expensive -- whistles that are in the same volume range are Reyburn and Sweetheart whistles. (I have not played the newer polymer Sweeheart Pro whistles, but I believe they are still on the loud side.)

But I would try the hat trick first.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by pancelticpiper »

The loudest D whistle I've ever heard is an old-model Susato I got back around 1980. When it arrived I was dismayed to find that it was pitched at A=415 (Baroque pitch). So I chopped the bottom and carved out all the holes til everything was in tune to A=440. Those holes were HUGE and the whistle was incredibly loud.

I also have a new-model Susato D and it's loud too, though not quite as loud as that old one.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by Olivier »

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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by tin-titan »

Susato = Loud and clear.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by ahogrelius »

If you include the more expensive whistles the Chieftain high-D's are quite loud.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by Tim2723 »

The Susato and Sweetheart instruments are very loud indeed. The two whistles also have distinctly different voices.
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by dfernandez77 »

rich.uk wrote:I need a loud high D whistle - very loud.
Call Ronaldo at Reyburn Whistles and ask him to voice you a loud one. I've heard he can make a whistle that will stun a cat at 20 paces - and it will sound great while doing so. Or buy a Copeland. :)
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by bramble »

George Ormiston has some lovely loud wooden whistles...
http://www.ormistonflutes.co.uk/whistles.html
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Re: LOUD whistle needed. Recommendations?

Post by jemtheflute »

Given the OP's budget constraints, Susato has to be the first choice. I don't think any of the big name expensive metal whistles are really all that loud (even as loud as a Susato), though they will certainly give a lot more than an average Gen etc. For really loud you have to look (significantly) above that budget and at wood. Swayne, Rose, Simmonds in my experience and probably Abell will stand orchestral exposure. I haven't heard in the flesh, much less tried Ormiston, Weasels, Seery or current Sweetheart. Bleazeys don't tend to take pushing quite so well. Most of the other wooden whistles I've tried such as O'Brien, Oz etc are only middle volume - won't take pushing.

If you need it fast and don't want to spend at least £150, go Susato.
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