What is your Favorite "High-End" Whistle?

Eric N · Post by **Eric N** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:25 pm

Just curious what everybody's favorite "high-end" whistle is. Unfortunately, the poll would only allow 10 options. Feel free to leave a post stating which is your favorite whistle is. Not owning a "high-end" whistle myself (hopefully soon) I would love to see what all you people think.

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:31 pm

I've entered Water Weasel as my favorite on your list, but for me, the correct answer is O'Riordan Traveller.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:49 pm

Torn between Hoover (whitecap) and Silkstone on your list but chose Hoover. Personally, I will never be without my Laughing whistle(s). But they're not great for sessions if you want to be heard.

Great for sessions if you *don't* want to be heard, though!

Eric N · Post by **Eric N** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 9:53 pm

avanutria wrote:Personally, I will never be without my Laughing whistle(s). But they're not great for sessions if you want to be heard.

Great for sessions if you *don't* want to be heard, though!

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 10:41 pm

I voted Overton for overall consistency across the keys and still would have if you'd had a more comprehensive listing.

But I honestly don't think this poll will yield very interesting results since you've included some rather marginal makes and excluded certain whistles that regularly feature amongst experienced players' favourites. Abell, O'Riordan, Sindt, Rose and Grinter would all get many more votes than several items on the list I suspect.

Another danger is that you've listed only a couple of expensive whistles and quite a few that are at the bottom end of the high-end category. A strong vote for a cheaper whistle might not reflect anything about peoples considered preferences but rather a preponderance of voters who don't have much money. Separate polls in the $80-150 range and in the $150+ range might tell us more since people would at least be comparing whistles with others they can afford.

Sorry to be picky but it was only a matter of time before someone pointed these problems out.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:11 pm

My favorite loud whistle is my Bleazey.High D

My favorite metal whistle is my O'Riordan D/C Traveler set.

My favorite wooden whistle is my Lancewood Syn.

My favorite sweet sounding whistle is my Weston Sapele.

My favorite low whistle is my Bleazey Low D.

My favorite wife is Renee.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:25 pm

I really really like Elfsong for the sheer beauty.

Hoover for the sound, and how nice the maker is.

Water weasel is good in D, but I don't like the Eb or C.

Does Hohner count as expensive? I liked mine just for the novelty, but I let somebody borrow it and haven't seen it in ages.

I haven't tried many of the überexpensive ones, like Abell or Copeland though.

jonharl · Post by **jonharl** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:42 pm

My favorite is a Sindt.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:01 am

Following NorCal's lead:

My favorite wooden whistle is the Busman bloodwood. The Bleazey and the Sweetheart (if that's what it is) are both pretty close, though. The Busman is just a little easier to play--especially in the upper half of the second octave.

My favorite metal whistle is the Burke D aluminum narrow-bore. The Burke C brass wide-bore is mighty close, though.

I don't have a high-end plastic whistle yet, but the Busman Delrin will be here eventually.

(Edited to add:) I forgot to mention that my favorite metal-plastic combo is my Hoover Whitecap aluminum low A.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:03 am

Wombat wrote:Separate polls in the $80-150 range and in the $150+ range might tell us more since people would at least be comparing whistles with others they can afford.

But I have only one whistle over $150, so I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:49 am

Darwin wrote:
Wombat wrote:Separate polls in the $80-150 range and in the $150+ range might tell us more since people would at least be comparing whistles with others they can afford.
But I have only one whistle over $150, so I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

You could always abstain Mike.

I don't see that you would need to though. Only a handful have tried all the top makes and even fewer have tried several of each—not enough to give us a meaningful poll although their opinion is always interesting. When you bought, you would have made your choice on the basis of what you had heard about it or how it sounded when you played a friends number. If you kept it then that means it satisfied you; anybody can sell a good whistle here for close to what they paid and try another if they are disappointed. I do own quite a few expensive whistles but most are pretty much what I was expecting. What you wouldn't get, well not to the same degree, is degree of affluence influencing choice of favourite.

If it had been a High Ds only poll, I'd have added Busmans to my list of 'conspicuous by their absence' makes. Mine is my favourite high D against very stiff competition. But, as yet, Paul isn't making whistles in other keys.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 2:06 am

I like the Cooperman. Doesn't really make a sound, but makes a great beater for the tabor.

SirNick · Post by **SirNick** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 7:20 am

Don't forget Abell and Greenwood!

anticDevices · Post by **anticDevices** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:32 am

Fred Rose made my fav. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 3:31 pm

My favorite two whistles are my Humphrey PVC wide-bore and Humphrey Brass wide-bore. Abells and Copelands are both wonderful and beautiful works of art in their own ways, but not balanced enough across the octaves for me.

-Brett

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