Chiff and Fipple Forums

Looking for two whistle recommendations, if possible. I have a very nice Freeman Mellow Dog but I'd like to try something in D with a conical bore. I'm just recently back into whistles and rather out of the loop. Is there anything above a Clarke with wood block in quality with a warm mellow tone that's under a hundred dollars?

Second whistle in my search is something lower and a different key. I think the key of F appeals to me, based on highly scientific youtubing. I seem to recall conical bores being easier to play with tighter hole spacing, but that may be rubbish on my part. Can such a beast be had for under $200?

To my knowledge the only makers of conical whistles are Clarke, Shaw and Carbony. And I do not recommend Shaw, I don't think I've ever heard anything good about them. More traditional players who grew up playing a Generation or Feadog whistles seem to not like Carbony. But a lot of newer players seem to love them.

The only conical low F I know of us Cabony, which isnt anywhere near $200 sadly. Shearwater are highly recommended for the lower price, and Nightingale are super cheap. Susato can be hard to play and have a weird tone but when played well are decent. Once you start going up in price to the $150+ range I'd rather just full commit and go MK, Reyburn or Goldie, or Carbony if you like them. But just my 2 cents.

Depending on how much you want to pay, for a low 'D' - https://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/produc ... -key-of-d/
(I have the non tunable, it's an easy player.)

I don't know any conical low 'F' - but as above, Shearwater do a nice one at a reasonable price, whilst the MK is a great whistle, at a higher price.
(I have both, started with the Shearwater, easy player, mellow tone.)

The swayne F is conical, but out of your price range and quite a learning curve to master

Ah I forgot about the Dixon conical low D. Yes the TB003 and TB0012 are both conical, and are definitely on the more affordable side. The TB003 is the cheaper not tunable one.

Looks like straight bore is it then! I'm not fixed on a low F whistle, but I'm looking for something lower and warmer and less piercing than the high D.

thx712517 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:18 am Looks like straight bore is it then! I'm not fixed on a low F whistle, but I'm looking for something lower and warmer and less piercing than the high D.

I can fully relate. when I started playing whistle, the first thing I did was realize I didn't like high D, and bought a high C. And then still thought it was too high and got a Bb. So the easiest way to get a lower whistle is a Gen Bb.

If you are worried about finger spacing your probobly want to get a Bb-G. But if you dont have really tiny hands, theres no reason you cant learn the pipers grip. A lot of players seem to shy away from it. But I love pipers grip, I do it on everything A and lower. I just think it feels right. And my hands are huge and I could probobly get away with tip grip on down to low F. And good pipers grip means you can get a low D, which are the best at not being high and shrill.

Also consider looking out for a used one. Is a great way to get a better deal if you are worried about cost. There was a guy in the WTS section selling a Chieftain V5 one piece for $100 that may not be sold if you were interested and in the USA. But for less common keys and makers its harder to find used. And if your like me when you decide what you want you now want it, waiting for a used one stops being a good option haha.

If you haven't tried a Clarke Original D, don't discount it... you may wish to try it. I think it is a highly under-rated whistle and unfortunately many consider it a starter whistle based solely on the price point. It can be very mellow, and the wood fipple and conical bore give it a pastoral, almost pan-pipe sound. I strongly suggest flattening / squashing down the arched windway. It's an easy tweak, and the resulting smaller windway eliminates the breathiness and creates some much-needed back pressure without changing the Clarke's unique sound. I have often wondered why Clarke doesn't change the design themselves...

Anyway, for $20 and 10 minutes of squashing you may find you have exactly what you are looking for... and if not it's only $20

i have a low F low G , A, B C and D.
The C is my favourite .

Narzog wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:04 pm More traditional players who grew up playing a Generation or Feadog whistles seem to not like Carbony.

I wonder why though. The Carbony "quiet" model comes pretty close to a "traditional" whistle in playing characteristics and sound. Just with better materials, consistency and tuning.

I've got a Clarke Meg, and an Original. Did the squish on the Original too. A squished Original sounds close to what I wanted in a high D whistle, a bit softer and breathy like a flute, not as piercing. I've got a Freeman Mellow Dog that's my main high D and it's good. I just wonder sometimes if there's another high D that's more flute-like. I really admire the tone of a Native American Flute, but feel a little weird as a white American. My ancestors took their land, who am I to take their musical instrument. Might sound silly to you though.

I saw Jerry Freeman has a Generation tweaked Low F whistle video, so I sent him an email a few days ago. I hope to hear back at some point. He's a nice fellow.

The Tony Dixon ABS high 'D' is somewhat like the sound of a Clarkes, but not so airy, it has a quite mellow tone, (& you can get it as a flute/piccolo too).

Re the NAF, if you buy it from a Native American maker, you both keep the tradition alive & keep them in work, go for it.

A TWZ might be worth a look. The "pure brass model sounds a little like a Clarke but takes much less air and is rather well made. Tunable too. Not conical though.
https://www.tinwhistle.de/tin-whistles/ ... histle.php
I made a video with it 3 years ago.
https://youtu.be/Fd-bhNIRAmg