In the five years I’ve been playing the whistle, my main whistle every day has been a Goldie Low D, first a soft blower and later, as I progressed, a medium blower for the greater air efficiency, always with a view to playing the likes of Davy Spillane’s “slow airs.” If I played the Goldie 99% of the time, I’ve also bought and sold (because my finances don’t run to WOAD) a great many whistles just for the sake of trying them out and understanding whistle dynamics and what works best for me. There has never been any question that the feel and tone of a Goldie/Overton is what I like - that has never changed - but I’ve always been intrigued by the possibility of different dynamics. Recently, Colin very kindly sent me a one-off Low D that possibly reflects the perfect whistle for me, though, because of recent chest injuries, I haven’t been able to play it much . . . and really shouldn’t be doing for now anyway.
Head as compared with a standard
It is a medium blower (with a 0.9mm windway) but it varies in two ways. First, the window or vent is significantly shorter lengthways than normal and this favours the upper octave. Though a medium blower, it feels more like an air-efficient soft blower. The bell note is strong and loud but it can’t be pushed without breaking. But the whistle will glide fairly effortlessly up to third octave E where Davy’s music goes on numerous occasions - I can reach third octave E with my standard medium blower but not easily and the note is piercing - and second octave A & B play easily without the step in pressure that many whistles have. The other difference is a shorter, stubbier beak like on early Overtons. I really like the look of it. That was my choice, partly (I have to admit) because that’s how Davy’s whistle is and I wanted to emulate that as far as was practical and possible. But also because, according to Guido Gonzato, “a short mouthpiece makes for a highly responsive whistle, but consumes slightly more air.” Certainly, it does feel more responsive with ornaments crisper than I’m used to. Perhaps it does use slightly more air than a standard medium - that is to determine - but I also expect it adds to the ease in which the third octave can be reached.
The whistle came with a standard body but also a big hole body as I requested. I won’t attempt to use the latter until my problems are sorted but I’m so looking forward to playing it too.
Right now, I don’t see how this Low D can be improved upon, at least my purposes. It is tantamount to the perfect low D whistle for me. The head would seem to provide the best possible balance between what I consider a decent bell note, easy third octave D & E and good air efficiency. Obviously not many players need or want to play into the third octave but the whistle might appeal to those who like Reviol and Ian Lambe whistles. My thanks to Colin & Brigitte for their generosity and patience and for going the extra mile to produce such a fine whistle that would appear to fit me like a glove.
Congratulations on your new whistle(s)! I know you’ve been on a quest for “the holy grail” for years, and I wasn’t sure you were going to find what you were dreaming about, but it sounds like you found it! I’m very happy for you. And congratulations to the Goldies for coming up with a new design, it’s amazing to have a world class maker listening to common players and experimenting for us. That’s very cool.
The whistles are beautiful, I love the brushed aluminum look. It’s interesting to see the difference in the mouthpiece length and the windway. I’d love to hear how they sound when your health is back in order, which i’m confident it will be. 
I’m anxious to hear further reviews when you’re able to play more.
I know nothing about whistle design, so all of this talk is over my head.
I don’t play into the 3rd octave at all. Normally high B is the highest the tunes I play go. But I do want a whistle with the sweetest possible high notes especially that B. The trick is to get that AND a powerful low range especially the bellnote AND great air-efficiency.
So I’m interested to see how these three factors compare between those two whistles pictured.
I’m currently playing a Goldie too, as the Low D that best combines the three factors mentioned (not the best at either of the first two, but the best compromise).
I’ve played the whistle more, enough to make some conclusions, though since both the vent and beak were shortened, I’m wondering what the latter change contributed to the final whistle apart from increased responsiveness and perhaps slight increase in air requirements, hence the reason for my new thread.
In comparing the two whistle in the photo, the old medium probably has a slight edge when it comes to air requirements although it has a 0.87mm windway and the new whistle, a 0.90mm windway, Colin’s new standard medium size. The old whistle also has a stronger first octave with a bell note that can be leaned into. The new whistle may lose the edge in air efficiency and while the bell note is full and loud it can’t be pushed. But there’s no great sense of resistance moving into the second octave like there is with the old medium whistle. And because third octave E is easy to reach, second octave A & B are lovely easy notes. In fact third E possibly feels easier to play than B does on the old whistle. I might have to try third F & G to see how they feel, not that I have any intention of playing up there.
Normally high B is the highest the tunes I play go. But I do want a whistle with the sweetest possible high notes especially that B. The trick is to get that AND a powerful low range especially the bellnote AND great air-efficiency.
The trick, as you call it, is as far as I can tell, almost impossible to pull off within current parameters of design. Nick Metcalf’s new whistle design will be worth trying with its parallel bore but tapering of the thickness of tubing towards the top end of the whistle. This, apparently, makes the second octave easier to play without any lose of the strength of the first. This was also the idea behind the later Lochlan design.
But within current design parameters there’s always a compromise and a choice has to be made over which two of the three are most important. For me, it was easy. Strength in the first octave didn’t matter to me so much. I wanted strong notes but liked the idea that I could easily overblow into the second octave, a trick Spillane does a lot of.
If I’d chosen a hard blower (0.85mm) as the basis of the new whistle, I would have had a stronger first octave (though because of the shortened window maybe not as strong as you would like) with greater air efficiency but the second octave would not be quite as easy . . . but for you maybe easy enough that B would be easy and sweet. Colin is the master at balancing these conflicting parameters and, for me, I don’t think he could have balanced them any better. Talk to him!
Good to hear.
That’s the one thing I wish I could change with my Goldie: the 2nd octave esp high B is a tad stiff.
I treasure a sweet easy nimble 2nd octave.
The Lofgren I had had the best combination of easy responsive upper-2nd-octave notes and big booming bellnote- it was quite amazing- but it just wasn’t efficient enough for me.
Like I say, almost impossible to get the three lined up. You gave up the inefficiency of the Lofgren suggesting that efficiency comes highest on your list of priorities. The question remains which do you value more, a strong first octave that can be leaned into or an easier second octave? I’m inclined to believe it’s the first, which means the Goldie you have will be about as good as you can get . . . unless you went for a hard blower (0.85mm) which will give greater air efficiency and an even stronger first octave but the second octave will be even stiffer to get. I should point out that I don’t feel, in my new whistle, that I’ve given up a strong first octave, depending on what you mean by strong. All the notes sound full and strong. It’s just that you can’t lean into them. If you got Colin to make you a big hole body for your current Goldie (holes being 10mm except 2 & 5 being 12mm), you would have an even fuller bell note plus an easier second octave . . . though it would use a little more air!!! There’s no getting around the physics.
I must say, though, I’m keen to try Nick Metcalf’s Low D though I think he’s set the windway height at 1mm, at least for now, which would make it a very easy blower in Colin’s book.