Best "Complete" Set of Whistles?

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Mon May 17, 2004 8:06 am

If you wanted to put together a set of whistles in the most used keys from any makers, what would you include (from among those you've played)? My set:

Eflat - Copeland
D - Burke black tip
C - Burke black tip
Bflat - Abell
A - Copeland
G - Copeland
F - O'Briain
D - Copeland

PhilO

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon May 17, 2004 8:55 am

I can't separate some in certain classes, but here's my list, as of today.

F Abell
Eb Overton
D Sindt, Busman
C Burke Al Pro
Bb Abell, Sindt
A Abell
G Overton
F Grinter
Eb Overton
D Copeland

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:10 am

From high to low:

E Water Weasel
Eb, D O'Riordan Traveller
C Thin Weasel
B Susato
Bb, A Water Weasel
G Thin Weasel
F Grinter
Eb, D O'Riordan Traveller

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:20 am

Good subject, Phil!

E -- Thin Weasel
D -- Geez, that's tough -- probably Wilson Woods
C -- Thin Weasel
B -- Burke composite
Bflat -- Thin Weasel
A -- Water Weasel
G -- Burke black tip
low-F -- Grinter
low-E -- Burke composite
low-D -- Copeland

(I've never played an Eflat that I liked.)

waitingame · Post by **waitingame** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:45 am

D Thin Weasel
C Burke black tip Brass Pro
Bb Burke any
A Chieftain NR
F Overton anodised
Eb Chieftain NR
D Overton

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:22 am

Interesting consensus on the F Grinter--you may count me as nominating it as well...

Whistle of the year?

Well, now I started, I may tell my faves' list.
D - Silvertone, will have to get an Eb tube for it
C - Silberton (same with 8 holes and a bigger bore

) Will need a Db/C# tube, too...
Bb - wish I had a Le Coant, blackwood. Can't have them all: the bakelite Burke will do.
F (and G, and A, and B...) Strathmann's "Stratoflute", my "multi-alto". I know it's no fair as a "whistle".
low Eb - Chieftain (new series)
low D? If I have to choose but one, then it's Le Coant.
low C - Alba

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Mon May 17, 2004 10:28 am

Oooh! This is fun.

High to low:

f - Abell
e - Burke composite
eb - Burke composite
d - Abell
c# - I have only a Sindt
c - Copeland
b - Water Weasel
Bb - Copeland
A - Copeland
G - Copeland
F# - O'Briain
E - O'Riordan
Eb - Olwell bamboo flute is all I have
D - Reyburn Standard bore

Actually, for Low D, I prefer flutes. This was fun.

Charlie, I wish I had YOUR Wilson Woods whistle...I mean I wish they had been able to reproduce it.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:21 am

eb - tweaked Generation
d - Sindog, tweaked Generation, Overton (depending on circs)
C - Overton, Reyburn C (depending on circs)
Bb - Generation
A - Overton
G - Overton (don't own one, though)
F - Alba Q1 (Want an Overton; and someone send me a Grinter F to try, please?)
D - Overton

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:23 am

What a list. I can't afford them all.
Any recommendations on a good E and B?
I have Eb and Bb but not E and B.

"Oh but for an E and B I pray"
"That I may play all of our hymns today".

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:27 am

geek4music wrote:What a list. I can't afford them all.
Any recommendations on a good E and B?
I have Eb and Bb but not E and B.

"Oh but for an E and B I pray"
"That I may play all of our hymns today".

I didn't list my E because it's not the perfect whistle. But if you want a very decent, good sounding E, buy a Susato VSB E and replace the blade with a straight blade (such as a guitar pic). All it takes is an exacto knife, a bit of blu-tac and superglue, and some courage. Very satisfying and eliminates the "Susato sound" and shrillness. You can do this with a Susato Bnat, too.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Mon May 17, 2004 11:59 am

My Burke Brass Session Pro E is very sweet.It was already produced as a "black tip" before he changed the Ds. The Alpro E version is kinda dicey in the upper register.

I own two Susato Es that I got as a result of a cancelled back-order. Not brave enough to mess with 'em like Bloom. Hmm...mebbe they are both FS!!

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Mon May 17, 2004 12:30 pm

Interesting that the low D position is dominated by Copeland and Overton with the Copeland ahead by a decent margin. I'm wondering if this is based largely on what people own versus what's perceived as most desirable. I presume, having never heard one live, that the Copeland has the flutier sound. So, is the Overton cosmic drainpipe sound a sort of esoteric cult preference?

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon May 17, 2004 12:59 pm

emmline wrote:Interesting that the low D position is dominated by Copeland and Overton with the Copeland ahead by a decent margin. I'm wondering if this is based largely on what people own versus what's perceived as most desirable. I presume, having never heard one live, that the Copeland has the flutier sound. So, is the Overton cosmic drainpipe sound a sort of esoteric cult preference?

I took it for granted that you had to be familiar with a whistle to vote for it—own it or play it regularly. Also, I was voting for particular whistles I own. I couldn't guarantee that your Copeland or Overton would sound or play just like mine, let alone that you'd like what I like.

I have several low Ds but the Copeland and Overton are both great whistles in my view. I voted for the Copeland because it has a slight edge; I only declared draws where I wasn't prepared to flip a coin. If I'd got into the depending-on-the-mood game I would have listed nine different Overtons but that wouldn't be in the spirit of the game as I understood it. So I think both Copeland and Overton low Ds are very mainstream preferences and my low Eb choice was an Overton. More esoteric would be Reyburn. I like them but not as much. Burke composites have a strong following too and I think there'd be a few votes for O'Riordans.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:30 pm

Wombat wrote:I took it for granted that you had to be familiar with a whistle to vote for it—own it or play it regularly.

I didn't -- I voted for three whistles I've only played once (the three wooden whistles on my list). If I eliminate those, I'd vote for O'Riordan Traveller for C whistle, and Water Weasels for low G and F. (Though I'm hoping at least the low F Weasel will get replaced by an O'Riordan F someday...)

...I think there'd be a few votes for O'Riordans.

I already voted for it!

Though I like the low Eb body better -- it's just enough shorter to be much more comfortable to play, and it sounds awesome.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon May 17, 2004 1:33 pm

Wombat wrote:I took it for granted that you had to be familiar with a whistle to vote for it—own it or play it regularly. ...

so did I.