Whistles to start with..

prokart · Post by **prokart** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:29 pm

Hi people, I am new to this forum and I think this website is absolutly wicked.
Anyway, I am getting my first whistle real soon, and I narrowed down to these four models: Clarke Sweetone, Clarke Classic, Susato V series one piece model, and Feadog Original. Could you guys give me some suggestions so I can choose from these four??

Anything will be greatly appreciated.

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:06 pm

The Clark original is a very nice whistle although it does take a lot of air to keep it going. You can tweek this out though if you're careful.

I also have a Feadog that i tweaked and that's a good whistle as well. I use it as my slumming whistle to take to places i wouldn't take an expensive one.

I tried some susatos in Hobgoblin just after i started playing and i really didn't like their tone.

Never tried a Sweetone.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:29 pm

Of the four, the Feadog seems to get the best press, followed by the tweaked Clark.

Jerry Freeman sells a tweaked Sweetone on eBay for about $15 if you can go that high. He is well regarded for his tweaking, on wistles that is!

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:41 pm

I sarted with a Sweetone and it was one of my favorite cheapies so that is what I recommend.

ShadowBG625 · Post by **ShadowBG625** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:03 pm

IDAwHOa wrote:Of the four, the Feadog seems to get the best press...

No arguments here...

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:46 pm

If I was you I would stay away from a Clarke Meg like it was the black death! Hah hah hah hah! I'm not that far behind you mate. A Meg was my first and as soon as my Feadog arrives in a couple of days I'm going to flatten the end of my Meg and make a crook on it and use it as a back scratcher--to prevent it from be a total waste of my money! Alternatively, I've considered using my Meg as paint stirring stick or flattening out the wide end and using it as a camp spoon. I didn't want to try a Sweet Tone because it is so similar to a Meg.

ShadowBG625 · Post by **ShadowBG625** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:56 pm

S.B.O'Gill wrote:Clarke Meg...black death!...a back scratcher...a paint stirring stick...a camp spoon.

Robert Clarke is probably rolling over in his grave!

Crevan · Post by **Crevan** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:46 pm

My first whistle was a Clarke original tweaked by The Whistle Shop. It is still one of my favourites. Also, out of the four, I would choose the Susato but would change it to an S bore. As you can see, everyone has a different opinion. The best option, and I'm not kidding, would be to get all four of the ones you mentioned. They're very cheap, you will quickly pick a favourite and you will better understand what you want in a whistle.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:14 pm

Actually Crevan has a great idea. If you want I would be happy to buy one of those Whistles and tweak it for you.

Butterfly · Post by **Butterfly** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:41 am

I would go for the Clarke Sweetone. Personally I think that the Susato is not a beginners' whistle. At least I didn't care for it that much, so I changed it for a Burke narrow bore brass, which it just great.

Slayer · Post by **Slayer** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:45 am

Try Sweetone.
The most simple player, and good not irritable sound.

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 1:45 am

Crevan wrote:My first whistle was a Clarke original tweaked by The Whistle Shop. It is still one of my favourites. .

My first whistle was one of these, too, and it's still one of my favorites. Nice, nice whistle. Very pleasant.

Jason Paul · Post by **Jason Paul** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:43 am

I'm brand new to whistles myself (no wind experience at all). Just last week I got a Sweetone and a Feadog from the The Whistle Shop - both in D.

I like them both, but I think I like the Sweetone a little more. It's a little softer in tone, as well as a little easier in the second octave for me.

The Feadog has a little more metallic sound with noticeably more bite, so I like that about it. It also seems like it squeaks easier than the Sweetone for me as a new player.

I like playing them both, but I like the Sweetone a little better. Experience may change that though. I'm glad I got both of them as they are noticeably different, but both enjoyable.

I played a friend's Generation C in nickel for a week and it was much more squeaky-squawky for me - again being new.

Jason

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:59 am

I had access to a nice music store when I started out, and of the many cheapies I bought, the Sweetone was the easiest to play, so it was my favorite.
I think experience will change a lot of things for you.
The Feadog is a whistle I really didn't like at first, but it is now one of my favorites, along with the Oak. I think it takes a lot of finesse to play it well. Perhaps it would be worth getting one, and sticking with it.

I have a new favorite in my O'Briain Improved.
It takes the finesse I was talking about, but I can't imagine it getting much better than that, for the trad sound I'm looking for. I believe it is a tweaked Feadog, actually.

M