I need help, please, with a tully whistle question

[amandasmile]

Hello All,

I bought this whistle 7 years ago.

I love music with all my heart and used to play saxophone in high school, so when my daughter was born I wanted a simple, (but wonderful) instrument to play for her. Unfortunately, after several years and a divorce, hard times have hit and my daughter's 8th birthday looms. I am to the point where I need to sell this beautiful whistle. I was wondering if I could ask a few questions about selling it. If this is wrong, moderators please delete my post.

• For the life of me I can't remember if this is a High D. I THINK it is a high D, and I know for sure it is a Session, has a resin impregnated fipple, and not a low D. I also think at the time I bought it, whistles in C were not available. Mr. Tullberg has revamped his site, and the whistle section is non-accessible. I have no point of reference. I used to have a tuner SOMEWHERE but I think it was lost in the move. Is there any definite way to tell which key this whistle is in?

• Also, what is a reasonable estimate of what I should ask for this instrument? I have tried to search this forum for a guess, but I'm not sure what I am doing.

If anyone could please help me I would be eternally grateful. I so need to sell this soon as I REALLY need the money.

The serial number is TW 116 and it was bought when Mr. Tullberg lived in Germany.

Thank you SO MUCH in advance,
-Amanda

[Wanderer]

Hello All,

I bought this whistle 7 years ago.

I love music with all my heart and used to play saxophone in high school, so when my daughter was born I wanted a simple, (but wonderful) instrument to play for her. Unfortunately, after several years and a divorce, hard times have hit and my daughter's 8th birthday looms. I am to the point where I need to sell this beautiful whistle. I was wondering if I could ask a few questions about selling it. If this is wrong, moderators please delete my post.

• For the life of me I can't remember if this is a High D. I THINK it is a high D, and I know for sure it is a Session, has a resin impregnated fipple, and not a low D. I also think at the time I bought it, whistles in C were not available. Mr. Tullberg has revamped his site, and the whistle section is non-accessible. I have no point of reference. I used to have a tuner SOMEWHERE but I think it was lost in the move. Is there any definite way to tell which key this whistle is in?

• Also, what is a reasonable estimate of what I should ask for this instrument? I have tried to search this forum for a guess, but I'm not sure what I am doing.

If anyone could please help me I would be eternally grateful. I so need to sell this soon as I REALLY need the money.

The serial number is TW 116 and it was bought when Mr. Tullberg lived in Germany.

Thank you SO MUCH in advance,
-Amanda

If your computer has a microphone, you can try downloading a tuner for your computer. if it doesn't, you can try picking out the key by ear with one of these recordings:
http://www.danmansmusic.com/tuner.htm

[rhulsey]

I have a silver Tully C,and it's total length is about 12 3/4" - that may help on deciding what pitch it is.

reg

[slowair]

Since you have the serial number, simply contact Eric and he can tell you what key it is and when it was made. He keeps good records of his sales.

Mike

[sbhikes]

You could go here
http://www.metronomeonline.com

Click on the A-440 button and then play the A note on the whistle. If it matches it's a D whistle.

[brewerpaul]

If all else fails, you could check the tuning against a known instrument--a known D whistle or even a piano.

[amandasmile]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I will try the metronome online site! I didn't even think to search for something like that. I will have to try it on my notebook because I have no microphone on my desktop.

And also thanks for the suggestion to email Mr. Tullberg himself. Would it sound too horrible to email him and say "Hey, I'm selling my whistle could you give me more info about it?" Hee hee. That might sound bad, but I may do it just to be for sure.

Again thank you all again for the help. It is appreciated!

-Amanda

[MTGuru]

I will try the metronome online site! ... I will have to try it on my notebook because I have no microphone on my desktop.

Amanda, you don't need a microphone for the online metronome, only speakers. Play the online A440 note, then play the A on the whistle and check for a match by ear, ignoring octaves. If it matches, it's a D whistle.

If it doesn't match, you can use Wanderer's link or an online piano like this to find the whistle key:
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/music/piano.html

Play a D fingering on the whistle -- that's six fingers down, like a saxophone. Then find the piano note that matches that pitch (or octave), and that will be the key of the whistle.

As for high or low ... Just measure the length of the whistle and post it here. A high D is around 11-12" long, a low D around 22-24" long, and other keys relatively longer or shorter. Good luck!

[PhilO]

Amanda - I too have a Tully; it is #123, it is definitely a high D, and, with the tuning slide completely IN, it measures 11.75" long. That should enable you to quickly ascertain the key.

Philo

[walrii]

If the white background in the photo is an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper, then the whistle is just over 12" long. Looks like a D to me.

I have no idea about your relationship with your daughter so this may be way off base, but have you considered giving the whistle to her for her birthday?

Edited to add: Looking back, we haven't really answered Amanda's real question - what is the whistle worth? I haven't a clue.

[Tom Dowling]

It is my recollection that one or two of these--Mr. Tully's D Whistles, that is--came up on the message board about a year or two ago. I recall prices in the $160.00 range, plus or minus a five or a ten spot, variable with the needs and/or grand whistle acquisition and divestiture strategies of the sellers.

The seller could put it up on E-Bay with a high reserve, though offering it for sale on C & F at a firm price would be a reasonable way of testing the waters as well.

For what my ever dimming recollections are worth....

Tom D.