Firstly to say that the quotation marks are because I believe that price doesn’t automatically equal better quality with regard to whistles, so don’t get me wrong: I have my favourites amongst the more affordable ones, too.
Anyways, I’ve been a keen whistler for quite some time, both with high whistles and low whistles. I have a bunch of “cheaper” high D’s, but recently I’ve been thinking about getting a little more “expensive” high D to play in multiple projects as well as sessions.
So would you have any suggestions for decent high D options in price range of 100-200 euros (or somewhere close to that)? I like a decent backpressure and have taken a liking to whistles that reuqire less air. I’m after something with a rather mellow and soft tone, but still the power to be heard and cut through to give those chills.
I have been juggling options such as Chris Backhouse’s whistles, Alba whistles and Colin Goldie whistles. I’m open to any first hand experience stories regarding the mentioned whistles. You can also send me PM.
So that’s that and if nothing else, this thread can be dedicated to discussing very affordable versus very pricey whistles, their benefits and hinderances.
I compared the Goldie and Bracker low and soprano D whistles (and a Clarke Woodstock, which is still my favorite Soprano whistle for the high range, although it lacks “oomph” in the lower octave). I owned the Goldie and couldn’t take the upper end of the upper octave. I actually wore ear protection to play the video I recorded to sell it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reEcLvYf7CA
The Goldie certainly has the power to cut through sessions, but if you like a softer whistle, it might not be for you. Seems like the Bracker was a bit better. You can kind of hear it in the first video. I gave up my search for a better soprano D whistle a long time ago, although I’ve recently become intrigued by the Carbony whistles, as they look an awful lot like my Clarke Woodstock. I don’t know if they’d have the cutting power you’re looking for. The Low E I have certainly has a different tone and is not as robust as a Goldie in the lower octave. Very similar to the Woodstock.
As you wrote you’re looking for a rather mellow and softer tone, I personally can’t recommend the
current Alba Soprano D. I owned one for a couple of weeks and I finally sold it.
The Alba is rather loud and shrill and needs a lot of push in the socond octave.
Additionally there was always a metalic noise (oscillation?) I didn’t like. Apart from that the
Alba has an interesting tone, some chiff not to pure.
Now I own a Killarney brass, a McManus plum wood and a OZ whistle in delrin.
The Killarney is a traditional narrow bore and therefore sweet and very easy to play.
There isn’t the one and only McManus whistle. He offers many with quite different sounds
(check Phil Hardy’s review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ACX71Kn7bQ).
The one I have is made from plum wood, has a medium bore and has a rather pure tone and
reminds my tutor to a recoder-like sound. But it’s lovely.
The OZ is just fantastic but not only “a bit more expensive”.
I have an Alba Low Bb whistle and I absolutely love it, but it’s true that it consumes very much air in comparison with other whistles of my preference. That transfered to a high D is probably not what I’m after, despite the sound being presumably very pleasant.
Also Goldie and Bracker would be nice and safe options to end up to. We’ll see.
I took an interest in those Killarney whistles - thanks for the tip - they would seem like a decent option, although I would be able and willing to spend even a bit more coin for my next whistle. This could be a nice ‘mediator’ to keep me busy while searching for my next-next whistle.
However, somehow I can’t get my mind off thos Backhouse’s whistles, which now got McManus’s whistles as their rival in my personal competition of preference.
