What was your first whistle?

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:41 am

My first was an old Fedog (IIRC) brass with a green fipple. I ruined it tuning it so I could play with a GHB.

My next was a James Galway whistle, aluminum with a black fipple, which I thought was the sweetest playing cheap whistle I had ever played at the time. (hah!).

Then the Generations and Clarkes started on my way with the WhOA disorder, along with the Burkes, but my current and long time fave is the Clarke Original in D, and for other keys, tossup between Clarke Original/Generation in C, Burkes in low A, G and D.

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:25 am

My mother used to have a pen pal who played the whistle (not ITM BTW). When he died my mother received a number of his personal effects which he had arranged to be sent to her. Among them was an old Generation D marked "for the lad". I've been trying to remember how old I was without much success but it must be somewhere between 14 and 16.

moxy · Post by **moxy** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:47 am

amar wrote:first whistle, genD

Ditto.

My second was an O'Briain modified Feadog, which I play quite regularly (the Generation has not seen the light of day since a month after I started playing).

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 4:50 am

Walton brass D now residing in the children-can-play-these pottery jug in the kitchen. I hate mouthpieces with chew marks..grrrr.

Trisha

Skyclad01 · Post by **Skyclad01** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:29 am

My first one was a brass Acorn D, then i bought a nickel Generation D, and tomorrow i will be putting in a order for a black Meg C, and a silver Meg D.

Actually i just decided at the last minute to order Sweetone's C and D (natural) instead of the Meg. I havent read too many good things about the Meg other than its price, so i figured the Sweetone would be a much better choice. Though i may get a Meg one day eventually just to have variaty

colomon · Post by **colomon** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 5:33 am

jsluder wrote:My first whistle was a rolled-tin, cylindrical whistle with a wooden fipple plug, made in a craft shop in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.

Me too, though I was about twelve at the time, and mine was playable, though hardly a decent whistle. (And I'm not sure they're actually made at the craft shop -- didn't Dale track down the guy who made them for the craft shop?)

My first real whistle (fully playable and therefore played a lot) was a Water Weasel D. Alas, I accidentally broke it years ago.

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:28 am

I got a Generation brass D whistle and a Clarke original in C at the same time when I first started out. The brass Generation is still one of my first choices when I pick up a whistle. It's got a little tweaking and good tone. I don't like the Clarke originals as much any more. Don't know why, they just don't fit me very well. But I still keep the original C. It's got a black body with the gold diamonds rubbed off, no tweaking.

SirNick · Post by **SirNick** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:46 am

Acorn...another Acorn....Clarke...What the h*@%!!!! Burke ALPro D.. ahhhh...that's better!

tomcat · Post by **tomcat** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:01 am

feadog - it was the cheapest instrument i could find in the music store.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:23 am

My first is no longer made. It was a Feadan made in County Clare. I was about 42 or 43 at the time. I still have it and it plays beautifully. I didn't really start playing until about a year and a half ago. I soon added all of the usual whistles. You know I just might buy some more.

Ron

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:51 am

I bought a Generation Eflat in 1970 or 71, still have it and play it every now and again. Don't think any whistle I played after is better. If it hadn't been for the key of it, I probably wouldn't have needed another since.

starman · Post by **starman** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:59 am

Well, my first whistle is one my son bought a few years ago - a Soodlum's mello-D. He soon tired of it and a couple of years ago I found it and started noodling around on it. I then picked up a Gen-D in the local music store which I liked but couldn't see it was any better. Then I found a package deal on a Clarke original D with the Bill Ochs tutorial book and CD for $25 so I bought it mostly for the tutorial and because I thought I should have a Clarke (I do not like it). Well from there I thought I needed a Susato D and a somewhat quieter Dixon tuneable D. I no longer feel the need to buy any more (well I plan to get only one more-a Freeman tweaked nickel Gen-D one of these days). Of this lot, I actually think the old Soodlum's mello-D sounds best.

Cheers,

Mike

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:44 am

It was a SweeTone D (the Celtic model, painted green with a trinity knot
stamped on it) which was the only tinwhistle I could find in Raleigh at the time.
I was terrible at playing in the high octave, and gave up for a few years.
Then I spent a year in Maryland and found cheap group lessons there.
Now I have several cheapo whistles, but I mostly still play Sweetones.
Although, I'm starting to get dissatisfied with their sound, may have to start
spending real money (as opposed to fake money like that new $20 bill).

AngeloMeola · Post by **AngeloMeola** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:49 am

My first whistle was an Oak that I got when I was about 30. I played it for 15 years before buying another whistle. Once you master the breath control, an Oak is a great whistle. I still have it and play it occasionally.

Now, I mostly play a Hoover whitecap. I have 3 of them. One is on a clare 2-piece that I keep in the car. I also have a D and an A that are all Hoover's, both fipple and barrel. I just got a Jubilee practice low D. So far, I am using it as an aerobic exercise because it needs so much air. When I switch back to the Hoover, I can play some entire tunes without taking a breath.

I'm still waiting for the Sindt I have on order. I don't know how I avoided Whoa all those years. Playing one whistle for a long time really helps you to get the sound you want. I think it is the only way to reach the limit of what the whistle can do.

Angelo

SirNick · Post by **SirNick** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:09 am

AngeloMeola wrote: (Whitecap) One is on a clare 2-piece that I keep in the car.
Angelo

How does the Whitecap sound on a Clare two-piece?

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What was your first whistle?

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