hey everybody,
i have recently ordered some d and c whistles of varying kinds. but all i have are the keys of c and d. i am interested interested in the key of B flat but i have no idea what kind to get. if u have any input please tell me. thanx
Brent
Hi,
Bb Generations are usually not too bad.
Bb Water Weasels are very nice.
I assume the Dixon Bb is good, but haven’t tried one in that key.
-brett
Brent, it’s always best to try ANY whistle before you buy it. But I realize that’s often difficult.
A good Generation Bb is not only inexpensive but one of the nicest whistles you’ll find, period. Emphasis on the word good. A bad one, is well, bad, and although with Bb Generations you could be pretty confident of getting a good one in the past, new ones I’ve seen recently have been substandard. Maybe they changed the mould, I don’t know. So it’s best to try them, or have someone try them for you.
Other Bbs I have tried:
A Sindt is very like a good Generation, only with less chiff (which is a minus, not a plus, in my view). The other difference is that a Sindt will last for ever and is easily tunable. On the other hand you’ll have to wait the best part of a year for one and it’ll cost you about $75.
Overton-type Bb whistles can be very nice too, although they’re more demanding to play.
I have tried some Bb Water Weasels and was disappointed. I expected to like them more than a D (which is very good), but maybe because of the thicker grey plastic tubing, I found them a bit dead.
The Silkstone PVC Bb is probably one of my favorite whistles.
I find the Bb (and A) whistles to be comfortable to play all around. The finger positioning feels more comfortable, playing fast isn’t as difficult as the low D, and the higher notes aren’t as piercing as on a high D. The ONLY problem I have with the Bb whistle is that there aren’t many traditional songs for that key… playing solo, it’s a dream.
Speaking of Dreams… I’m waiting on two “dream” whistles: A silkstone allow Sop D and a Thin Weasel Sop D. Both were ordered early last week… The Thin Weasel is waiting on cases being built, and the silkstone is held up in shipping from the UK… Any guesses on which will arrive first??? Either way, I’m suffering from WhOA… my hands are twitching and I’m sweating… Or… Maybe it’s the Mountain Dew (it’s best when you add sugar!) 
I’ve got a Dixon Bb as well as a sop D and an A.
The Bb has extremely low air requirements especially that bottom note and the tone is a bit rough and squeaky compared to my other Dixon’s which are both superb. I’ve queried this with Tony but have yet to receive a reply.
If any one else has a Dixon Bb I would be interested in their comments. I’m not sure if this is normal or not.
Joe
If you like a trad sound and can’t find a good Generation Bb, then the Sindt is hard to beat, yeah you’ll probably have to wait a while to get one, but you can also order the interchangeable “A” tube for about $20 - big plus.
If you like more of a Rock 'n Roll vibe, The Overton is nice (I have an A but I hear the Bb is even better).
Although I agree with Steve on the other stuff, I’m going to disagree on the Water Weasels - I think they are great and you can usually get one quick directly from Glenn. Also you can ask him to make an extra body in “A” if you like. I compared my Water Weasel A and Bb whistles to a couple of sets of Blackwood and Delrin Abells and found they all sounding amazingly similar.
Probably hard to go wrong with a Burke or Silkstone too.
Good luck.
Loren
Joe,
I have a Bflat Dixon and I really like the sound. It’s sweet and balanced across both octaves. None of the negative attributes you described. I’m betting Tony will want to work with you on yours. I got mine here on the board with the whistle head and Bflat and G bodies.
I’ve also had a Bflat Silkstone which had a lovely lovely tone. In order to finance another whistle purchase I advertised and it very soon found a new home. How foolish we can be when WHOA hits.
I’m hoping to find someone near me with a Burke Al Pro Bflat who will allow me to give it a try. I love my Burke Low Al Pro D, my composite A and the newest member of my family the Low G Al Pro.
I know Paul Hayward is working on producing an Alloy Silkstone C. I’m wondering if he will make Bflats if the demand is there?
That’s interesting Jim. My Bb uses the same diameter tube as my sop D whistle 1/2" bore. If yours shares a head with a G tube it must be made with 5/8" tube like my A.
I wonder why there is this variation.
Joe
I have and love a Shaw Bb. Very breathy and lovely. My dad’s Generation Bb is what first got me interested in whistles at all. Wonderful key.
The Shaw, like all Shaw whistles, takes a lot of breath. I rather affectionately refer to Shaw whistles as “windsuckers” because of this.
-Patrick
That is interesting Joe. I have a soprano D and the diameter is significantly less than the Bflat. I haven’t measured either. I’ve been thinking of getting an A barrel just to havethe set and was wondering if the diameter on the low F is the same as my Bflat and low G.
This difference in diameters might be one reason you and I are reporting different results. With the different diameters we really are playing different whistles.
If you hear from Tony pass along, if you will, his comments on the different diameters for the Bflat. Thanks