Loud, low cost, decent sounding whistle.

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 7:55 am

Up to this point I've used a tweaked Walton's Mellow D for loud play. The other night I found myself the only melody player in our session. Both of our fiddlers, plus the other whistler failed to show up. It was a challenge emotionally, but I also had a volume problem against two strumming guitars and a bodhran. I had to borrow a Susato. Does anyone have either:
A: A recommended low cost whistle that is loud and reasonable sounding
B: A recommended way of tweaking a Susato to take away that recordery sound, but keep it's other fine qualities?

Thanks ahead of time.

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 8:18 am

Just get a Susato and get used to it. Like many whistles, it sounds better to listeners than it does to the player. (If you do a Bloomfield tweak, it will drastically cut down on the volume.)

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 8:19 am

I'm very happy whith the Erle Bartlett Synwhistle I have.

I believe it fits your description. He sells them for US$30, which is amazing, since they're very well crafted whistles, in my opinion, much more like a high end whistle.

Best wishes,
Jerry

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 8:27 am

Thanks guys.
Actually Ridseard, I kinda disagree with you. Though I have to admit that it sounds a lot better when blended into a band, than it does solo. I actually bought one a few weeks ago and returned it because it was BADLY flat on high b and a. Fifty cents off. I'm sure that's not normal.

jluckett · Post by **jluckett** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:11 am

No offense to all of the Susato fans out there, but I just got a couple of them (Kildare's) after hearing so many people talk about how great they are, and I don't like them at all. They have a much higher wind requirement, and I'm not all that happy with the tone.

Admittedly, I've never been able to get a tone I like out of a "plastic" whistle so it's quite possible there's a trick to playing these that I don't know.

For the record, I play brass whistles for the most part, along with a couple of nickle and a blackwood.

But I will give the Susato's credit for one thing: They're definitely loud! Not only did my cat run to the basement, but the dog whined and ran to the back door!

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:51 am

I agree with Jerry on the Syn. Realy a great whistle and a real steal at the price. Of course the Water Weasel would be on the list as well as the Hoover cpvc. There are others of course but it would help to know what you consider cheap.

Tom

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:54 am

Water Weasel. Sounds woody and rich, has a nice volume....but I agree that a Susato against three guitars is a fair match. Another option is to ask the guitar players, as nicely as possible, to trade off on tunes so you're not blanketed in their sound.

Quite honestly, the plethora of guitar and bodhran players at my normal session is making it damned near unbearable. There are times I really want to smack 'em upside the head and tell them to get a melody instrument or stuff their guitars/drums with cotton. Know a mandolin and a few box players who could use the same advice....slamming away on chords doesn't 'fill in' the music, it drowns it out.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 11:08 am

"Quite honestly, the plethora of guitar and bodhran players at my normal session is making it damned near unbearable. There are times I really want to smack 'em upside the head and tell them to get a melody instrument or stuff their guitars/drums with cotton. Know a mandolin and a few box players who could use the same advice....slamming away on chords doesn't 'fill in' the music, it drowns it out"

Move to another city - ours is nice
and the Guitarists are very nice.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 12:47 pm

Just another vote for the Syn: it's a really exceptional whistle at a really great price.

Also I think Bill Whedon is working on a lower-priced entry to his line of Serpent whistles, but I don't know details yet. I have a brass Serpent that is a lovely, albeit quiet whistle, but I know he now makes whistles that range from very quiet to very loud.

Best wishes,

--James

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 1:17 pm

[quote="toasty
Move to another city - ours is nice
and the Guitarists are very nice.[/quote]

And just where is that gem of a metropolis? I'm not the moving sort of Cat (except, as stated in my profile, as a target), but I am a vistor.

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 2:06 pm

jluckett wrote:No offense to all of the Susato fans out there, but I just got a couple of them (Kildare's) after hearing so many people talk about how great they are, and I don't like them at all. They have a much higher wind requirement, and I'm not all that happy with the tone.

The Susato does require more breath support than a Sweetone or Generation-type instrument but no more than many high-end whistles and less than the Clarke Original or Shaw. If you don't like the tone, you're not alone.

cj · Post by cj » Sun Aug 17, 2003 6:52 pm

Where are Syn whistles available?

hellbound skunk · Post by **hellbound skunk** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 7:55 pm

jluckett wrote:No offense to all of the Susato fans out there, but I just got a couple of them (Kildare's) after hearing so many people talk about how great they are, and I don't like them at all. They have a much higher wind requirement, and I'm not all that happy with the tone.

right on, brother! Now we must gather up all susato hating whistle players and rally, and loot, and pillage, and plunder, and... and other stuff! Whistle players who play susatos are closet recorder players!!!

Easily_Deluded_Fool · Post by **Easily_Deluded_Fool** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 1:10 am

hellbound skunk wrote:Whistle players who play susatos are closet recorder players!!!

Ooo!
Best insult I've seen for ages

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 2:37 am

if so many people love the susato, how come when the susato-bashing begins they don't seem to try to defend it? i bought one last week and im still tryin to decide if it's my favorite or least favorite whistle.