The Problem with Selling Whistles

[PhilO]

How many of you have repeatedly gone through the following process, as I do about once a month:

You decide steadfastly that you will sell all the whistles that you really don't play.
You then take inventory and cancel out everything because the whistles fall into one of three categories:
1. You play it and remember how really great it is (or your playing has greatly improved) and won't part with it.
2. You look at it and realize that you really need to have one of these because you haven't seen many around and well just need to have one sample.
3. This whistle is such a piece of garbage I wouldn't sell it to anyone.

Now I have a pretty extensive collection, including about 60 middle and high enders and 35 or so cheapies; I'm just talking about the mid and high enders, because I'd never sell the cheapies because it's not worth it and because somehow they constitute a really special collection of mostly older whistles that I always want around the house somewhere.

Nuts, right?

Philo

[Wanderer]

How many of you have repeatedly gone through the following process, as I do about once a month:

You decide steadfastly that you will sell all the whistles that you really don't play.
You then take inventory and cancel out everything because the whistles fall into one of three categories:
1. You play it and remember how really great it is (or your playing has greatly improved) and won't part with it.
2. You look at it and realize that you really need to have one of these because you haven't seen many around and well just need to have one sample.
3. This whistle is such a piece of garbage I wouldn't sell it to anyone.

Now I have a pretty extensive collection, including about 60 middle and high enders and 35 or so cheapies; I'm just talking about the mid and high enders, because I'd never sell the cheapies because it's not worth it and because somehow they constitute a really special collection of mostly older whistles that I always want around the house somewhere.

Nuts, right?

Philo

Lol, I used to do the same thing...
Job loss, on the other hand, has a way of focusing priorities I sold a lot of whistles when I was out of work, and so now I'm less likely to hold on to a whistle that I don't play often.

(Unless, of course, the whistle is a cheap and crappy one--I certainly understand your issue #3)

Now, I'm in the re-acquisition cycle...buying whistles I thought I could live without, but have decided that I miss:

Copeland D--I've managed to get a really nice nickel one recently 3rd hand. It's the one Michael Eskin's sold in January, and I like it better than my old brass one, so I came out ahead on that one.

Burke Al-Pro--I picked up one secondhand at a good price, with the C-Natural thumbhole--which I've taped over. I've been toying with the idea of trading it to someone for one without the thumbhole...You know, if someone wanted to try the thumbhole out, but didn't have one in theirs. Otherwise, the whistle is nice, though, and I'm reluctant to swap, in the off chance that I get one that I don't like as much

Currently scouting out for a good price on a Copeland low D. In all fairness, both JimR and Dale warned me not to sell the Copeland Low..they said I'd regret it later, and I do. But at the time, diapers and groceries were a higher priority, and it really was too much whistle for me. Now, I wager I could do a lot more with it.

There are lots of other whistles I've owned that I liked a lot (Busman and Herbison come to mind)..but I've really missed those three the most. And I only sold my Copeland high D recently!

[JessieK]

I go in cycles, too. Sometimes I sell a whole bunch, and then I can justify buying a few. I just got some AMAZING Copelands and I am very happy with them. Now I have phenomenal Copelands in F, G, A, Bb and C. I wonder if a wall around the window would make a phenomenal d.

I love wood, too, and there are at least two wooden whistles that will go with me to the grave.

I love Boehm flutes (call me crazy). I have four of them and I love them all. Three are silver and one is wood. I have a bunch of Irish flutes, but I think my default embouchure is moving away from them. We'll see.

I am getting into recorders (call me crazy again), but only the high ones (soprano and sopranino).

I love my autoharp.

But many of the rest are fun to move around, selling, buying, sitting on, selling, buying...

[The Weekenders]

Well, here is a relevant question. I am thinking about selling all of my Gens and Feadogs and Susatos. It is not worth it too do them one at a time. Would any of you be interested, in principle, of acquiring about a dozen tweakable cheapies, plus Susatos for a single price? I have about six Feadogs, mostly Ds but with a C, and chrome Gens in all the keys they make. I also have a Susato C, and two Susato Es and a Shaw E. I have slowly gotten Burkes in all the keys and just don't need em and need some space-clearing Zen fulfillment action in my cluttered life. I also have a Sweet Maple and a non-tuneable Chieftain A. What about a Weekender grab-bag? What, besides a reasonable price, kind of info would you need to be interested?

[Bloomfield]

Well, here is a relevant question. I am thinking about selling all of my Gens and Feadogs and Susatos. It is not worth it too do them one at a time. Would any of you be interested, in principle, of acquiring about a dozen tweakable cheapies, plus Susatos for a single price? I have about six Feadogs, mostly Ds but with a C, and chrome Gens in all the keys they make. I also have a Susato C, and two Susato Es and a Shaw E. I have slowly gotten Burkes in all the keys and just don't need em and need some space-clearing Zen fulfillment action in my cluttered life. I also have a Sweet Maple and a non-tuneable Chieftain A. What about a Weekender grab-bag? What, besides a reasonable price, kind of info would you need to be interested?

I'd be interested in a grab bag consisting of the Feadogs, the Generations (don't need F or G, but would take the lot), Susato C. Two Susato Es is a bit much (and I have one already...), and the Shaw could be sold separately, I think (plus, I don't like Shaws).

If you're interested, let's haggle.

[chas]

My only problem with selling whistles is that nobody has seemed interested in buying them lately. All of my whistles are collecting dust, and I have a very good idea which ones I want to keep.

[Unseen122]

My only problem with selling whistles is that nobody has seemed interested in buying them lately. All of my whistles are collecting dust, and I have a very good idea which ones I want to keep.

I know what you mean. I have started tweaking the cheaper ones that I thought I was going to sell. I stoped tweaking after destroying a whistle but when I revived it I realized how good I actually was at tweaking whistles. Then I had an idea (see the last thread I started).

[Jack]

I gave away or sold them all.

Well, almost.

I have a Jerry Freeman Shaw C that I was given and love. I suspect I'll never part with it.

I also have my see-through whistle still.

And a couple flutes.

[DCrom]

I have - somehow - been able to resist buying so many whistles that none of them get played. Not to say that some don't get played more than others (About the only whistles I have that consistently get a lot of play time are my Serpent Sunsinger A and a much-loved brass Gen D - both live in my briefcase), but in the course of a couple of weeks most of them get at least a little play time.

Play time is what's still holding me back from buying a decent flute (I currently muddle around with a Dixon Duo) - unless I will be spending time with it every day, I can't justify buying one. And until I make the decision, I'm holding back on buying more whistles. (Except cheapies - I should probably buy a box to hand out to interested kids.)

[PhilO]

To be more specific, today's cunundrum involved Silkstone PVCs and Albas. I pulled out a matched set of purlescent British racing green Bflat and C Silkstones - they're gorgeous and they sounded terrific. Can't sell them - a matched set no less!

Next I pulled out an Alba aluminum A/G set with a marbled albanite plug - gorgeous. At first, didn't like the sound - too airy; played around a bit, and lo and behold, unique lovely tone, can't sell that!

I'm hopeless.

If only I were a simple man like Bloomfield - to be able to walk into a pub and pronounce unabashedly to the world "I'm an Overton man, dag nab it!"
Philo

[Jack]

I'm hopeless.

There, there.

[Bloomfield]

If only I were a simple man like Bloomfield - to be able to walk into a pub and pronounce unabashedly to the world "I'm an Overton man, dag nab it!"
Philo

I am not just an Overton man. I have a sensitive, vulnerable side, too.

[Tommy]

I have had some of my whistles for a few years. I never thought about selling them. I must be more of a newibe than I thought. I buy and play some so am I a whistler evan if i do not sell them? OK now i am confusing myself.

[brewerpaul]

This is one bonus of being a whistlemaker, especially of wooden ones. I have a steady stream of nice instruments that I get to enjoy for a while and then send on their way. Sometimes, that's difficult though... :roll:

[Jennie]

So far the only whistles I've sold have been cheapies for my summer camp kids. I'm still in acquisition mode, which is difficult because there are whistles that sound great when I read about them, but I can't tell how they would feel; I'm trying to be cautious and not buy them all.

I can't imagine having fifty or sixty whistles. I think I have about fifteen...

Every time I pick one up that I'm considering selling, and play it again, I remember what I like about it and how it's just a little different from all my others.

At least they don't take up much space.
Jennie