recommendation for beginner

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:47 am

I've never met a Sweetone I liked.

My suggestion is an Oak (what I started on) or a Generation. If you want to spend a little more cash, I'd talk to Mack Hoover.

greg · Post by **greg** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:45 pm

hey kitty did he happen to mention wich songs?

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:04 pm

My recommendation is to stop now while you can. Cheap whistles lead to intermediate priced whistles which lead to high end priced whistles. Then you find the need to buy a flute and yet a better flute. Next you will be looking at pipes. It is a slippery slope. Some people even decide to take up the Bodhran.

However, if you must the Sweetone is a good beginners whistle. I prefer a Feadog, Generation or Clare for an inexpensive whistle. For a high intermediate I like the Alba Q1. For a little more the Humphrey narrow bore D. I have never played a Burke but I would consider a Brass standard bore black tip. Remember it will take a while to learn to play so that it doesn't squeak and squawk. It will also take a while to play in the second octave. Enjoy.

Ron

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:48 pm

Clare is an excellent suggestion.

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:07 pm

Get ALL the cheapies as you will get them all one day anyway!

In reality many cheapies need tweaking to play nicely. Buy a Mellow Dog from Jerry and you'll be happy for years.

Good luck

jonharl · Post by **jonharl** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:14 am

I agree with Jerry Freeman's MellowDog. Just a great whistle.

shadeclan · Post by **shadeclan** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:50 am

jonharl wrote:I agree with Jerry Freeman's MellowDog. Just a great whistle.

I highly agree - I recently purchased a MellowDog from Jerry

and gave my poorly self-tweaked Generation nickel "D" to one of my sons - The sound is marvelous, it is easy to play and it will only set you back a little over $40.

I am a beginner also, so take my recommendations with a grain of salt, but I think that most people will agree that you can't go wrong with a "Freeman Tweaked"!

j3rry@tc3n3t.n3t to contact Jerry Freeman (replace the threes with e's).

bearbro · Post by **bearbro** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:03 pm

Being a newbie myself can some one explane the differance between a Clark Sweetone and the Meg? I'll be darned but they look like the same thing to me! Just different prices.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:34 pm

bearbro wrote:Being a newbie myself can some one explane the differance between a Clark Sweetone and the Meg? I'll be darned but they look like the same thing to me! Just different prices.

They are the exact same design. The difference is in manufacturing:
Megs are made in China out of cheaper materials, and is therefore
a less expensive whistle. They seem to play the same, but somehow
my Megs feel ... cheaper in my hands (I don't know how else to
describe it).

paulsdad · Post by **paulsdad** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:51 pm

I also vote for the Sweetone in D. I've been playing the same one for the past 6 years. Most of the plating is gone from the exterior and the inside is a little rusty, but it still sounds great. I've played it in church and in a couple of competitions.

You can get them from Elderly Instruments for about $4. I do have a Susato D whistle which I play sometimes. It has no chiff, and is a lot louder than the Sweetone. Its upper octave higher notes tend to be a little shrill.

When I play in public I usually choose the Sweetone.

Paulsdad

mango · Post by **mango** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:05 pm

Hello again,

Thanks very much for all of your input and recommendations.
I decided to go with the 'tweaked by Jerry Freeman' Generation whistle.
I'll let you know how it goes!

~m

Wormdiet · Post by **Wormdiet** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:21 pm

RonKiley wrote:My recommendation is to stop now while you can. Cheap whistles lead to intermediate priced whistles which lead to high end priced whistles. Then you find the need to buy a flute and yet a better flute. Next you will be looking at pipes. It is a slippery slope. Some people even decide to take up the Bodhran.

Ron

Bingo. Save yerself some time and buy a flute immediately.

CountryKitty · Post by **CountryKitty** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:31 am

Hey Greg,

Sorry, he didn't say. But I would imagie that the key would be soft and sweet, like 'The Rose' for example.

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:50 am

If you're thinking "between $10 and $150," then get yourself about 3-4. My absolutely favorite inexpensive D whistle is the Clare -- I've never had one that didn't play well out of the box, with just the sticky-tack tweak. As with Congrats, I've never met a Sweetone I've liked, but that's just me, get one of those, too. Oaks are a little more difficult to play, but are very different from either of the above. Ditto classic Clarkes. Get one of those or a Susato or a Generation. Or if you're open to new keys, get a C Walton's. Absolutely the best cheap whistle there is.

Total for 3-4 of the above is $30-50 from the Whistle Shop.

CHCBrown · Post by **CHCBrown** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:18 am

Although I've seen some controversy them both elsewhere on the board, I have been very happy with my Walton LBW D and Susato C whistles. I have Clarke C and D whistles, as well as a Generation D (I've been trolling the bargain basement!). I wasn't DISpleased with any of them, but I really like the tone on the Walton and the Susato. I find I don't play airs on anything but the latter, and hardly ever play them on the former.

I would like to second the recommendation above for Bill Och's instructional book and recording.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

recommendation for beginner

magnetism

Your New Whistle