First - before you say anything - I may get a Mellow Dog later. But for now, I’m looking at the Mellow-D. I’m new to whistling and I’m just having fun trying out different cheapies at the moment.
I know there are many posts saying that the Mellow-D has a noticeably sharp D note. Is this still the case? It seems I’ve read somewhere that they’ve fixed this problem. Does anyone have a new Mellow-D that can comment?
Also - to determine if the Mellow-D will fit the bill - I’m looking for a whistle suitable for airs, less breathy than the Sweetone, and less harsh than the Feadog. Does this sound like the Mellow-D?
Lastly, does Walton’s have a decent reputation for consistency? Specifically, I’m looking at the Mellow-D and their Irish Whistle in C.
Tony Dixon’s plastic whistles have a nice tone for airs. Actually, talking of plastic, I’ve heard a very soulful rendition of ‘Roisin Dubh’ played on a Susato while on holiday in Co. Kerry, and it sounded great. Took me by surprise, as I never considered them to be ideal for slow, emotional tunes. Probably down to the skill of the young lady who played it.
Personally, apart from the splendid Jerry-tweaked hybrid, I don’t like Mellow D’s at all. I’ve never played a stock one which didn’t have the sharp bell note, and every Walton I’ve owned has been horrid and unstable. They seem to have a big problem with plastic ‘swarf’ in the windway and mouthpiece void.
But some people love 'em, so go figure, as they say.
Have you tried a nickel Feadog with a precision-packed putty tweak (totally filling the void and making it completely flush and smooth). These can sound clear, sweet and much smoother than the stock ones.
I have some fine Walton whistles - the Golden Tone C is one of the best cheaper whistles ever made but is no longer available, and the Walton Mellow D and regular C whistles that I have are quite nice as well. I have two Faedogs (in addition to the Pro model)- one is terrific and one is horrible. Go figure. Good thing about cheap whistles - you can experiment a bit without losing the rent money. I also like my Gens and my Clarke originals, but my tastes are generally pretty much out of synch with most on the Board, I think.
I have a Mellow D that is right on in the 1st and 2nd octave. I loosened the head and use a little teflon tape to keep it tight. I adjusted it until it was in tune in the first octave and the second octave was right on. Of course that only makes all the other notes flat.
