Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

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MichaelRS
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Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by MichaelRS »

If you were going to get an inexpensive high C, who would you go with and why?
I was kind of thinking of a Waltons or Feadog.
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jiminos
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by jiminos »

the phrase "Horses for courses" comes to mind.

the reasons and preferences that I have that would lead me to one whistle over another... the things I seek in a whistle... are highly likely to be different than the reasons and preferences you have. and even within my preferences, I may seek one whistle for certain tunes and another for others.

In other threads you have started, I have indicated what whistles I have and why. but, as I think about it.... the relatively small stable that I have now is the result of playing a lot of whistles... keeping the ones I enjoyed playing and liked the sound of... the rest went on to new homes. For me, at least, that is what it comes down to. I can't speak for others, but I imagine that many others have accumulated their collections and favorites in the same way.

I mean, just because player A says such-and-such a whistle is great doesn't mean I will enjoy it. If 20 people say whistle such-and-such is great, the same applies. I've purchased a few that many others raved about.... only to find I didn't particularly enjoy playing it or I didn't like the sound... off it went.

that said... my go to in C is a Parks Walkabout purchased many years ago. I enjoy playing it, and I like the sound.
Jim

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ecadre
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by ecadre »

Of the three cheap plastic headed, metal tubed brands of C whistle (Generation, Waltons, Feadog), I would personally buy a Generation. In fact, that is what I've done over the years, but I'm not sure how that helps you?

Why am I not sure that it helps you? Because all three are perfectly playable whistles, more similar than they are different to be honest. I find that the Waltons C is noticeably quieter than the Generation, not as bright and not as much character. I like the Generation, but that doesn't mean that you'll dislike the Walton. I can't remember much about the Feadog C because it is a very long time since I played one. My memory is of a bright traditional sounding whistle.

Really, no opinion on here matters much, just buy one and play it. If you have the urge, buy a different one and see how it compares. They're all pretty cheap after all.
MichaelRS
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by MichaelRS »

Well, what kind of set me wondering, if I could come across an "Okay" cheapy C out of the blue, is the video with the guy link below.

In it he compares a Freeman Blackbird and Mellow Dog with an apparently regular Waltons D. And since my primary focus is on the high D and since I'm just getting a C to mess around with and don't want to spend any money for it really, I was just wondering what might be the better odds of getting a decent one or one that is okay.

For example I've heard some bad things recently about Generations High D and I don't have the opportunity to play a bevy of them to find a decent one. Therefore, if I was looking for a cheapy high D whistle, I would look somewhere else.
Conversely most people say that there B-flat is still generaly "okay", so I would, and am, take a chance on one of those.

Now of course we don't know how many off-the-shelf Walton's he went through to find one he liked, but if the consensus is that by and large it's easier to find a better one of those than it is a Generations, I would go with the waltons, or whomever, and I'm guessing it would be the same for the high C

https://youtu.be/9A7bDfDBTLc
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ecadre
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by ecadre »

MichaelRS wrote:Well, what kind of set me wondering, if I could come across an "Okay" cheapy C out of the blue, is the video with the guy link below.

In it he compares a Freeman Blackbird and Mellow Dog with an apparently regular Waltons D. And since my primary focus is on the high D and since I'm just getting a C to mess around with and don't want to spend any money for it really, I was just wondering what might be the better odds of getting a decent one or one that is okay.

For example I've heard some bad things recently about Generations High D and I don't have the opportunity to play a bevy of them to find a decent one. Therefore, if I was looking for a cheapy high D whistle, I would look somewhere else.
Conversely most people say that there B-flat is still generaly "okay", so I would, and am, take a chance on one of those.

Now of course we don't know how many off-the-shelf Walton's he went through to find one he liked, but if the consensus is that by and large it's easier to find a better one of those than it is a Generations, I would go with the waltons, or whomever, and I'm guessing it would be the same for the high C

https://youtu.be/9A7bDfDBTLc
I wouldn't believe everything you read on the internet about Generation whistles. Sometime in the next few days I hope to be in central Birmingham, and intend to buy a Generation D from Hobgoblin music. I have no fears. I'll pick one from the basket (I'm after a nickel plated one just because I already have a plain brass one at the moment), give it a quick tootle in front of the counter before handing over the money (why not), and I am quite confident that there will be no issues with it.

btw. In my opinion, the Generation Bb is far more than "generally 'okay'", it's a cracking whistle, one of the best on the market, full stop.
MichaelRS
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by MichaelRS »

ecadre wrote:
MichaelRS wrote:Well, what kind of set me wondering, if I could come across an "Okay" cheapy C out of the blue, is the video with the guy link below.

In it he compares a Freeman Blackbird and Mellow Dog with an apparently regular Waltons D. And since my primary focus is on the high D and since I'm just getting a C to mess around with and don't want to spend any money for it really, I was just wondering what might be the better odds of getting a decent one or one that is okay.

For example I've heard some bad things recently about Generations High D and I don't have the opportunity to play a bevy of them to find a decent one. Therefore, if I was looking for a cheapy high D whistle, I would look somewhere else.
Conversely most people say that there B-flat is still generaly "okay", so I would, and am, take a chance on one of those.

Now of course we don't know how many off-the-shelf Walton's he went through to find one he liked, but if the consensus is that by and large it's easier to find a better one of those than it is a Generations, I would go with the waltons, or whomever, and I'm guessing it would be the same for the high C

https://youtu.be/9A7bDfDBTLc
I wouldn't believe everything you read on the internet about Generation whistles. Sometime in the next few days I hope to be in central Birmingham, and intend to buy a Generation D from Hobgoblin music. I have no fears. I'll pick one from the basket (I'm after a nickel plated one just because I already have a plain brass one at the moment), give it a quick tootle in front of the counter before handing over the money (why not), and I am quite confident that there will be no issues with it.

btw. In my opinion, the Generation Bb is far more than "generally 'okay'", it's a cracking whistle, one of the best on the market, full stop.
Yes indeed. Thanks for your input. I think part of the problem is that people like to complain more than they like the praise. So they will more readily go online and bitching about why something is bad more than they do get on there and say something is good or normal, because that's just how it should be , so to speak. So then you end up getting a lopsided view of what something really is.

But you are correct. As Oliver Cromwell said, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet"

Edit: By the way I found Hobgoblin Music USA. online about a month ago. Prices are competitive and they did not kill you on the mailing cost within the US.
I would recommend to anybody to check out their site.
Tor
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by Tor »

I recently picked up my Clarke Meg C again. I remember that I didn't particularly like it back when I bought it. But now I do. Strange that. But I'm warming to it. The sound is different, probably because I'm not the same player as I used to be back then - the Clarke Meg C was one of the first whistles I bought.
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by fatmac »

I have 'C's from Generation (brass & nickel), & Clarkes (Meg & Sweetone).

For sound, I prefer the Clarkes Meg, for playability, the Gens - why? because half holeing the tapered Meg is awkward, for me, whilst it's a lot easier on the Gens.
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Re: Suggestions for inexpensive high C?

Post by pancelticpiper »

As I've often said here, the best whistle in any key by any maker at any price is the Generation C that I bought back around 1980.

It cost around $6.

Yes I've played $200 Sindt C's and $600 wood and silver C's etc but they're not quite as good as what I have. (What I haven't played is a thousand-dollar vintage Copeland C or O Riordan C. They're too pricey for me.)

I recently picked up an old Walton's C and it's quite good. It has the thing that that Generation has, very sweet high notes yet a full low range. It's tone is darker than my Generation C. I think I paid $2 or $3 for it.

Nice old whistles sell on Ebay all the time for a few dollars.
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