New Here With a Question

[Ségnat]

Nice to meet you all. My name is Stephany, I live in Iowa. Husband, kids, grandkids, dog, cats and all of that. I am also a volunteer transcriptionist for the National Folklore Commission UCD Dublin, so that's my other hobby at this point. I grew up listening to the Chieftains and The Clancy Bros with my grandad. I started playing the whistle when my daughter started dancing about ten years ago, and one of the highlights of my life was getting to hang out backstage with Paddy Moloney and the others when my daughter danced with them. (Okay the only words I actually got up the nerve to say to him were "I play the whistle too." He patted me on the arm and said. "Of course you do, dear." LOL

Anyway I started on a little brass Feadog, which honestly I still love and play. I have the Freeman Tweaked Mellow Dog, and a Dixon Trad D in Nickel. I also have a low whistle made by Greg Russell who I believe is on the forum. I bought it used from a friend for myself, but it didn't work for my very small short-fingered hands very well. I am happy to say my 16 year-old has finally grown into because I freaking love the sound.

This is where the story gets sad. Until recently I HAD a Freeman tweaked Generation D, but I also have a three-year-old grandson who is to put it kindly naughty. I still have the mouthpiece but the body is lost, so I am looking to replace it. I suppose I should buy a G whistle. But I also want to move up in quality just a little and wondering what you would replace it with? If anyone has ideas about a low whistle for people with small hands (not kidding here my 9 year old granddaughter and I wear the same gloves), I might be into that.

[Polara Pat]

Welcome!! That's a very thorough intro. I feel like I've known you for years.haha. Jerry Freeman may sell you another tone body if you can actually get ahold of him but if you think it's time for an upgrade then this may be the time. Killarney is a great choice if you ask me, also Chris Wall but he has a long waiting list. Lots to choose from and plenty of good advice on this forum. Have fun

[TxWhistler]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't know if Freeman altered the body of his tweaked Generation D's but if not then you might be able to buy an "off the shelf" so to speak Generation D and use that body in the tweaked Freeman head.

As for G whistles, I'll let others with more experience with them give you their suggestions. Since you have small hands and fingers you may want to get the measurement of the hole stretch on those bottom 3 holes from the maker and then see on a cardboard paper towel roll if you can reach them.

My only other suggestion is that you might want to look into a Generation Bb first and see how well you can reach the holes with your fingers. They are relatively cheap and a lot of them really do have good sound without having to do any tweaks (based on my experience with about 4 of them and what stories I read of others experience with them).

Again, welcome to the forum!

[Narzog]

Hello Setphany, welcome to the forum!

I dont have one but the chieftain V5 Custom says it works better for people with small hands. Could be worth looking into.

You could also get a less low Low whistle, like a low F. Will be smaller than a low D, but still gives the low whistle sound and feel.

Another option is to get an Alto A. You can play a lot of songs that are in D by using the 0xx 000 fingering usually. So you can use this as a hybrid low/high D, thats in between a high and low D range wise. And is much smaller than a low D. It depends on what you are trying to play if this works though. If you needed the lowest 3 notes on your low d it wont work, but anything higher it should work.

edit- I missed that you wanted to replace your body and keep your freemand tweaked head. So the below prob isnt useful. But you can still read if u want haha

On a replacement high d it just depends on ur price range. Theres tons of options for all ranges. I know 'the irish flute store' (USA located seller) sells Galeon tweaked feadogs for $35 + shipping (probobly around $5) if you want to go tweaked without waiting for a maker to tweak one by order. (I dont know much about these tho so you will want to look them up first before buyting). If you want to spend a bit more look up whistles by Chuck Tilbury, I have one in C by him and its craftsmanship is amazing (I have the old model which he still has stock on. Idk how the new are). Killarney are also super popular. And then theres always the assorted lower cost ones that you already know of that a lot of people love playing. And many other makers. So you cant really go wrong on this one.

Heres some links so you dont need to dig
https://www.irishflutestore.com/collect ... g-whistles
https://whistlemaker.com/product/tilbur ... whistle-d/ (this is his older ones he doesnt make anymore. Really low air requirement, but the low note is a little weak. High notes are super crisp. At least on my one in C)

Best of luck, hope some of this is useful.

[pancelticpiper]

Yes you can get a Generation D pretty cheaply and switch heads.

I actually have a couple Generation D bodies/tubes sitting around, I can send you one for free if you want. Just PM me.

It's not 100% guaranteed to fit, because Generations do vary slightly sometimes.

[BKWeid]

Welcome! My wife has tolerated my practice cheerfully for years. So, I was surprised when she gifted Generation whistles to several grandchildren this Christmas.

I recently played a Chieftain V5 and would agree it is a good option.

[Ségnat]

edit- I missed that you wanted to replace your body and keep your freemand tweaked head. So the below prob isnt useful. But you can still read if u want haha
...
Best of luck, hope some of this is useful.

Definitely. I looked at the Killarney website and those look nice and are in my price range. Thank you.

[fatmac]

For a high 'D' replacement take a look at Tony Dixon Trad brass, if you can get one.

Low 'D' that may suit smaller hands, Howard, the holes are a bit closer than normal, upper holes 3 1/8th inch, lower holes 3 5/16 inch.
Tony Dixon ABS one piece low 'D', upper holes 3 1/4 inch, lower holes 3 3/16 inch, easy to hold, as it is light, but has good tone.

A low 'F' might be possible, Shearwater aluminium upper holes 2 15/16 inch, lower holes 3 inch, MK Kelpie upper holes 3 1/16 inch, lower holes 2 7/8 inch.

Low 'G' Tony Dixon Trad brass, upper holes 2 1/2 inch, lower holes 2 1/2 inch, Tony Dixon ABS 2 piece, (if you can find one), has the same hole spacing.

Hope this is helpful.

[Ségnat]

For a high 'D' replacement take a look at Tony Dixon Trad brass, if you can get one.

L)

Like I said, I have the Dixon Trad in Nickel. Do you really think the brass is that much better that it would be worth buying two?

[busterbill]

I am going to sound like a broken record to anyone who's been reading my posts for a year, but for slightly more than the price of the Killarey John Sindt was still making whistles as of last winter, with a very short wait time. I have no idea if the line has grown, but I'd drop him an email and see. sindtwhistle@aol.com. He is in his 80s but age has not affected his skills. I had a repair done last winter and asked about how long it would take to get a D for a family member and ended up inspiring 2 of my friends to contact him. The whistles he sent me and my friends are every bit as great as you would expect.

A whistles are nice. I have one of his in A and also Bb, but I don't know if he's making those.

The Generation Bb is said to be a good off the shelf whistle.

The other makers suggested are most likely fine. I just have no experience with them and therefore no opinion.

If your hands are super small playing a G whistle might be like an average hand sized woman playing a low D, which is possible, but will require the piper's grip.

Have fun!

[ytliek]

Welcome to the Whistle Forum. Keep it fun!

[fatmac]

For a high 'D' replacement take a look at Tony Dixon Trad brass, if you can get one.

Like I said, I have the Dixon Trad in Nickel. Do you really think the brass is that much better that it would be worth buying two?

Well, I've read on here that the nickel aren't as good as the brass, but have no personal experience of the nickel, but I do think the brass is a good whistle.

(Judging by the people who were looking for one a short while ago, they must have thought so too.)

Plus, I have 2x TD aluminium high 'D', (one with a flute head), that I like the sound of too, but they are more expensive.

[Katharine]

Are the plastic whistles all that Dixon are making these days? Seems the metal ones are becoming harder and harder to find?

(Also, Stephany-- if you decide to replace your entire whistle rather than just the body for the existing head, please PM me if you're interested in selling the head. I have the opposite problem you do-- broke a small piece of plastic in the head of my favorite whistle so have just a body and have been thinking about finding a new head for it.)

[Sedi]

Well, I've read on here that the nickel aren't as good as the brass, but have no personal experience of the nickel, but I do think the brass is a good whistle.

Never tried them side by side but I have the nickel one and it's a perfectly fine whistle. I like the material because it's not the "normal" nickel coated brass but a kind of nickel alloy with an interesting surface texture.