My wife picked me up a cheap bamboo Bb whistle in Maui and I really it - its not as shrill as a D whistle and its way easy to play. Surprisingly, my bamboo Bb is fairly well-tuned but the upper octave (especially) B-A-G) is very weak so I want to get another Bb. I don’t play in sessions (because I’m too crappy and I’m too gutless to do it anyway) but I would like a nice Bb for playing Scottish music so I would prefer a whistle that leans towards the quiet side. Any suggestions on a decent, reasonably-priced Bb would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I have a Generation and am very impressed. Got the nickel one and it sounds lovely and soft.
Only cost me £5, which I suppose would be about $8 for you.
Hope this helps some
A
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I agree that Generation Bflat is an excellent cheap choice. I have one in brass and one in nickle. Philo
I’ve got a Generation Bb as well that’s not too bad (nickle). -brett
I have a brass Generation B flat(infact I have four). I added the sticky tac to the fipple cavity and they all sound great.
Joe
I’ve only played two makes of Bflat whistle, but I consider my Generation Bflat an excellent whistle. I also performed the sticky tack tweak.
Thank-you all for your suggestion of the Generation Bb!
Well, I guess I’m gonna be the guy to suggest something different.
I love my Shaw Bb. Yeah, it is breathy (lovely) and takes a huge amount of air (gasp, wheeze!), but I believe it is well worth the price and drawbacks. It also looks great!
My dad plays a nickel Generation (the whistle that got me interested in playing in the first place) and I prefer the Shaw. Still, I am also learning bagpipes, so I don’t mind really puffing into it. I actually don’t like whistles with low breath requirements. I always squeak them.
Still, my dad’s Gen Bb is a fine and lovely instrument, too. Can’t knock it a bit.
-Patrick
Finally,
A fellow Shaw lover 
I don’t have the Bb, but I love my D and C.
Erik
I also have a D. I love it for slow airs. I prefer a Clarke original for my primary whistle, since it seems more responsive when playing faster. But I often think about adding a Shaw low D to my collection. That breathy, slightly fuzzy sound is just so great, it would have to be almost sensual in a low whistle.
Anyway, I’m rambling. Yep, there’s another Shaw puffer on the board! And I’d even suggest the Bb for a “reach-for” Bb whistle. I haven’t wanted another one in that key, while I have several on the “I want” list for other keys.
-Patrick
I also have a Generation Bb and am really impressed with it. I only own three Generations, the other two being the high F and G, that I’ve only seen by Generation.
A question about Shaw whistles: I have played a low-D, and the sound is remarkable – that breathy, far-away sound that’s perfect in a low whistle. However, the C-natural needed four holes covered, and I couldn’t get any vibrato out of it by covering unused holes. Is that universal in Shaws, or is it a moderate problem in higher whistles that increases with larger ones?
Charlie
what is the sticky tac tweak?..dg
How about the Hoover CPVC Bb - anyone have an opinion on that?
The Hoover?
If you don’t GOT one…
GET one!
It’s very quiet, and no need to tweek. I own a Generation as well, and it’s a fine whistle, but compared to Mack’s work, I’d go with the CPVC myself.
I now have a great little collection of Mack’s whis in D, A and G, and I love them all. His Bb’s I played at the Celtic Festival in Sept. were spot on in tune, and had a well balanced tone from one octave to the next. My Generation isn’t that well balanced.
Give Macka call…he can answer any specifics you might have…
B~
Definitely the Hoover PVC. Sweet tone. Changes octaves smoothly. Great response for a PVC whistle.
A negative, I don’t have a good Bb, my only Bb is a Susato from a series package of the Eb (which I got by accident as Thom Larsen sent me the wrong package and let me keep the Eb tube), the D, C and Bb. Suprisingly, the Eb is great, as is the C, but the D and Bb are retired. Perhaps it is their attempt to use similar tubes for a sequence of whistles (and my Susato A PVC is mediocre). I’ll look at the suggestions for a Bb later, but for the low end I enjoy my Burke low F and anxiously await my Burke EZ low D.
Glad to hear that Mack has a good Bb, I love his thin and thinner D’s.
Re: Hoover cpvc Bb:
Ditto what they said!! I love mine!
Vinny
I’m looking for a B flat to give me an alternative to my Susato narrow bore model. B flat has become my favorite key, so I would like a quieter alternative to the Susato with just as little chiff. I emailed Susato as to why it seems that the narrow bore B flat has been replaced by the middle bore on their website, but I haven’t got a reply since a couple weeks ago. Besides, my case of WhOA has compelled me to venture beyond Susato to acquire lots of different makes. I just emailed Dave Parkhurst to ask if he might ever add a B flat to his copper two piece collection–I told him I would wait a couple years to get one! In the meantime I will probably acquire a Shaw to see if I can learn to like chiff, and I value this particular string of messages very much.
How useful is a Bb, and would it be more or less useful than an A (mezzo-soprano)?