Oh joy! Let the bidding frenzy begin!!!
$430 for a whistle? You must be stoned.
Well…
First. Thats a bit harsh.
Second.
From what I’ve been able to glean about Pat’s whistles ( Im new to all of this so all of you please forgive me) they are held in the highest regard and are very hard to come by.
I don’t believe that he is taking any more orders.
Considering the reality…so for all intents and purposes there may not be any more new instruments offered to the public.
I, of course, pray that is not the case.
Considering what some makers are asking for their high end whistles the price is somewhat understandable.
Its a heluva lot of money for a whistle to be sure, but that is the nature of supply and demand.
Any of you… am I completely off base?
Howdy,
Pat O’riordan is still making whistles, but he is currently not taking new orders, reportedly until he clears out his current back-log.
By all accounts he makes very high quality whistles. Obviously there are buyers out there to support a $400+ price level, which is a roughly $200 dollar premium over new. There has been some recent testing of how high the resale price will go under the rubric of limited supply, but Dale has put the kibbosh on certain attempts here that he saw as excessive.
Ebay, as usual, is the final arbiter of resale value and is thus worth watching.
Best,
Dave
Thanks Dave.
Its certainly interesting to watch…
I think people are feeling the the presure of his age.
Were money no object… I’d buy and try them all.
I’m at the very most end of a long line in that regard to be sure.
The same dealer has a Glenn Schultz flute for sale. I have one and it’s a fabulous instrument. For his “buy it now” price of $800, it’s well worth it
It’s a whistle. You’re right though - if someone wants to pay that for a whistle, they are entitled. I’m sure many here would agree that it is absurd price to pay for a whistle. This is one time where WHOA has become a little obssessive.
$430 for a whistle. Crikeys!
Let’s not forget that, to someone in the UK, that’s just 235 Pounds Sterling!
It’s too bad the interest on whistle loans isn’t tax-deductible, like mortgages. Of course the lender would probably want termite inspections on the wooden whistles, and all that nonsense… 
I want that whistle.
Trouble is, I learned the difference between want and need. Though the difference becomes fluid about year end bonus time.
But we’re far from year end sigh
The buyer from New Zealand has undoubtedly purchased a treasure. I wonder what else $698.83 NZD can buy?
Some people spend their disposable income on far less moral objects or endeavors than whistles. What’s it to you what someone can afford to spend on something he or she likes?
Hey, who am I to judge? Means nothing to me other than it seems excessive, not sure what it means to you. I happen to completely agree with your point.
I remember seeing things that Mandolin Bros. in Staten Island was trying to get $60,000 U.S. for. They’re all just wood and strings, but money’s just paper and it’s all made from dust in the end anyway. It’s no worse than paying millions for a Renoir.
Wow… that is a gorgeous guitar. That’s some odd bracing seen
through the sound hole.
[/quote]…but money’s just paper and it’s all made from dust in the end anyway. It’s no worse than paying millions for a Renoir.[/quote]
So at what point does an instrument change from an instrument to an investment? Don’t read me wrong, if I had $150,000 spare around I’d be buying a Bösendorfer yesterday, and I fully understand the value of quality.
I’d also give 10% of that to charity
I would say it’s an investment (or collection item) when it’s not played, and add that if it’s an investment, the buyer expects it to increase in value. If one buys an instrument, be it an O’Riordan or a Generation, to play it, I would say it’s simply an instrument.
Obviously, you have to use common sense, but instruments tend to hold or increase in value unless abused. I have bought any number of used instruments, played them for months or years, and sold them at break-even or even a profit. Spending a few hundred dollars for an instrument may seem frivilous to some, but I’ll wager it’s a lot cheaper than bowling, skiing, golf, attending sports events, or any of a hundred other hobbies I could name. I feel NO GUILT about my WHOA. (…of course I did pass on the particular whistle under discussion…)