Sweetone a classic.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:12 am

The more I listen to whistle music, and the longer I play my C Sweetone, the more I come to believe that it really has a very classic and appealing whistle sound. It's chiffy, but not too chiffy-- it's traditional sounding. It's not leaky, nor does it require great amounts of wind. It's loud enough, without being shrill. It's chief drawback, as I see it, is just the harlequin on the front. I was not formerly a very big fan of Sweetones, but I've come to appreciate them.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:08 am

I like them a lot too. An unpainted one looks even more trad. My only beef is that chunky looking head, although I can't figure out any way they could make it differently

mdutr0 · Post by **mdutr0** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:18 am

Yeah, get an unpainted one. My roommate has one in D (that I gave him!) and I play it a good bit... Maybe I should get one myself!

Micah

Marko · Post by **Marko** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:29 am

hmmmm, maybe i sweat too much or something, but when i got an unpainted one the area around the holes got tarnished after about a week of playing it. then i stood on it and had to get a new one anyway, an all black one. Loved the sound of both of them though, really sweet in the 2nd octave

cj · Post by cj » Tue Sep 23, 2003 8:12 am

I like Sweetones also. Jerry Freeman has a tweaked version that's pretty cool too.

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 8:26 am

Well now, I`m going to just have to wipe the dust off mine and give it another toot. Both my C and D got laid aside when I got the hang of tweeking Generations. I never realy disliked them, they were just not very interesting. But for some reason I never gave them away.

Tom

cj · Post by cj » Tue Sep 23, 2003 8:40 am

I like their consistency (at least the several I have are good). They're forgiving, easy to play, and as others pointed out, don't scream in the 2nd octave. The tuning is good, and that rates high with me, this is one reason I like Susatos (even though they take some maneuvering when you get in the higher notes). Tweaking and coaxing music out of a not-so-playable whistle are cool, I suppose, but there's something I like (being basically lazy) about getting a cheap whistle that plays well right out of the box--no worries about did-I-get-a-good-one-this-time. And, having recorded myself experimenting with different whistles, this one and the Meg were pleasant surprises.

Now if they'd just make a Bb . . . I e-mailed them recently and suggested this, but unfortunately they have no plans to do so anytime soon.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:04 am

About a year ago, I started a similar topic:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... sc&start=0

Good points were made by all

I still play my Sweetones from time to time, and I still think they are fine whistles.

They require good breath control to play them in tune, especially on the lowest notes; however, many of my whistles, including some of the very best, require good breath control, such as the Oak, the good Gens, and the Burke Al-Pro.

These are also excellent whistles to buy several to give to folks who are "whistle curious"...I also like using Acorns for this. I gave one away recently to a girl who works in the lab...only to find she hasn't blown a note on it, but keeps it on her coffee table as "home interior." Sheesh. :roll:

On a different note, one of my best Gen D whistles has developed the dreaded fipple-crack-of-death. Right now it's wound about with tape and it still plays, but I fear its days are numbered. At least I've never had a Sweetone crack a fipple yet.

--James

cj · Post by cj » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:06 am

Didn't Michael Copeland design the Sweetone fipples? Or is this just whistle urban myth stuff?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:13 am

cj wrote:Didn't Michael Copeland design the Sweetone fipples? Or is this just whistle urban myth stuff?

What I've read is that Michael Copeland reworked the original Clark prototype design to make it more playable.

--James

cj · Post by cj » Tue Sep 23, 2003 9:20 am

I went back and read your previous thread, peeplj, thanks for the link.

As always, this is a matter of taste, perception, and personal preferences. It's wonderful that we have so many choices, and I enjoy reading everyone's take on them.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 10:14 am

cj wrote:Didn't Michael Copeland design the Sweetone fipples? Or is this just whistle urban myth stuff?

It must be true, because It's in the Internet!

cj · Post by cj » Tue Sep 23, 2003 12:00 pm

YES! It must be true!! And my best friend's cousin's roommate accidentally microwaved her poodle. And . . . and the ball pit at the McDonald's is full of needles which give people strange diseases. And if you put AAAA in your address book, you won't get any computer viruses!

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 12:34 pm

Actually, I just think it's neat there are any whistle-related urban legends.

Probably my favorite of all time...as far as whistle legends and myths go...regards what whistle Davy Spillane does (or does not) play, and who did (or did not) build it.

Then again, at least one whistle-maker that was deemed "mythological" turned out to be quite real, quite good at what he does, and is now a respected member of the board...so there ya go. Truth is stranger than fiction.

--James

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:20 pm

I agree, the Sweetone D is a winner in my book. (The C is not so hot I think) Although I have several other cheap whistles the Sweetone just hands down, out and out, beats em by a country mile. I thought a Dixon D would be nice, but mine turned out to be a horrible piece of junk! I asked Mr. D about it and he said he would replace it, HA! that was two months ago!

So, I've learned my lesson, I don't really care for cheapies, except for the Sweetone D, guess my next whistle will be upper end.