Hey all it’s been a while since i last posted, but I’m feelin the WHoA once again. I’m interested in getting a soft/quieter whistle than what i have now (so i don’t drive my roommates crazy-or next door neighbors). So i saw that the alba Q1 soprano whistle is supposed to be a quiet whistle and i figured i’d ask to see if anyone has one, or played one, and can tell me about its tonality. Also how is the volume in comparison to a burke soprano D (the session bore). Does the whistle have any interesting characteristics that would make me want to purchase it even more 
. Thanks for anything you guys can come up with. Also i’m planning on selling my Glen Schultz water weasel (PVC) to pay for this purchase; anyone wanting it let me know (or trade) i’m going to ask for about $100 or best offer.
You might contact Stacey at Alba. Last time we talked I belive she had a Q1. Tel 011 44 1862.821202
Phil at big whistle stocks the alba Q1, I think he is the only one that does other than alba whistles, I had one a while back it is quiet and to my recollection was quite trad sounding, another whistle to consider that Phil at big whistle stocks is the Silkstone narrow bore which is incredibly thin, alloy body with delrin headpiece i’ve not played one but phil says they are well constructed and great sounding, the only other is the Lon Dubh which I was selling, but am now going to keep, its the most even whistle I have played across octaves and is great on volume its not as quiet as a Q1, but the high A/B notes are a dream, I gave it a good playing today and I dont know what I was thinking of selling it, I am after moving back to low whistles so I will get rid of all my other High D’s and keep the LD as its great for quiet pratice.
cheers sponge
Q1 is a moderately quiet whistle. It has some backpressure and has a very traditional, complex sound.
It is very responsive and I’ve always really enjoyed playing mine.
It was one of the first of the whistle models I’m aware of, maybe the first, where the blade isn’t a blade but rather just a squared-off hunk of metal.
Looking at the blade, you wouldn’t think it would play well at all, but it does.
Here is an (older) recording of my Q1:
http://flutesite.com/samples/paddy_raffertys_fav.mp3
And here’s a pic:
–James
Edited to add: the Q1 is about the same volume as an Oak or a Generation. Not loud, but plenty enough for a small session.
hey thanks for all the responses-especially the sound clip. It seems to sound almost just like a feadog that’s been tweaked; so other than the backpressure is there really anything different between the two (sound wise) other than the 10:1 price difference?
I have a Feadog, which I don’t like at all. I have a Q1 which I love. The two sound nothing alike to my ears. But that’s the fun thing about whistles – everyone wants (and maybe hears) something different. To me the Q1 has just a bit of the traditional ‘rasp’ (my description only), sweet, quiet, and easily slides over 2 octaves. Well worth the price for me. YMMV
The Q1 sounds better than the Feadog, even when played by an incompetent whistle player like me, the octave change is easier and the tuning much better. Plus if you sit on it it doesn’t bend like a Feadog does. 
David
I also like the Feadog whistle, but there are major differences between the Feadog and the Alba Q1.
The Feadog is louder, and less forgiving on breath control, especially on the second-octave G, which is a fragile note on Feadogs; dealing with that high G is an art form in its own right.
The Q1 is much more forgiving, and because of the backpressure, is reasonably tone- and pitch-stable across a wider variety of blowing pressures.
There are no fragile notes on the Q1; the high G and all the other notes in the scale are sweet and clear and speak just fine.
Here’s a Feadog:
http://www.flutesite.com/samples/whattune.mp3
–James
hey nice recording. Yeah I love my feadog, and breath control isn’t really an issue anymore since i’ve been practicing with it for the last year ( i figured if i could make a feadog sound sweet then i’d have breath control down pact). I guess what i was looking for was something quieter than the feadog so that i could practice in my house while my roommates are sleeping so that i don’t wake them up, but i guess the feadog is pretty quiet (or atleast you can make it so) when playing. I like the sound of the Q1, but for the price I think i’d rather save up for something else. I was thinking that it would sound a little less trad, and for trad stuff i’d rather just play with the feadog. Thanks again for all the responses.