Even though a good wood whistle sounds fantastic, there are many people who decide they don't want one because they are concerned about caring for it. That's why it took me a long time to get a wood whistle.
I have a composite whistle and a laminate whistle, they have a tone similar to wood. So why real wood? Well, I liked my Water Weasel so much I was considering a Thin Weasel for some time.
Eventually I broke down and bought a Soprano D Thin Weasel in African Blackwood. I've had it for some time now and this whistle has become my favorite. I play at least one tune on it every day. I often use it to learn new tunes because it plays so nice. I swab it when I finish playing it, I wipe it with a lightly oiled cloth and put it away. I oil the bore about every two weeks.
Sure it's extra effort, but it just seems to get more beautiful with time.
So - other than the great sound - why get a real wood whistle? You will develop a relationship with a real wood whistle that makes the extra expense and effort quite worth it. You feed it, you care for it, you play it - it changes and responds - it's like a puppy without the poop thing going on.
Enough praise, let me show you how beautiful African Blackwood gets when you give it a little time and attention.
Soprano D Thin Weasel next to it's little brother High G:
![Image](http://members.cox.net/tofutaco/Whistle/01-DSCF1479_m.jpg)
Tuning Slide and woodgrain detail:
![Image](http://members.cox.net/tofutaco/Whistle/02-DSCF1533_m.jpg)
Finger Holes and Bore detail:
![Image](http://members.cox.net/tofutaco/Whistle/03-DSCF1525_m.jpg)
Oh! Let me assure you that it's ok to take photos of whistles. I like taking pics, and I have no girlfriend - so I need to take pics of something beautiful.