Opinions on these whistles?

[fiddlinviolinin]

Clarke

Shaw

Feadog

Oak

Walton's

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Tweaked or non, I don't care! I just need something so I don't have to go off and buy million doooollllaaaaar whsitles...whsitles.whistles.

Cheers,
Armand

[Wanderer]

Clarke and Shaw are similar.
Both consist of a conical metal tube wrapped around a wooden fipple block. They have a similar sound, but whereas I'd describe the clarke as "airy" or "windy", the Shaws I've tried are more "hissy". Normally I don't like that, but I've come to really like the Jerry Freeman tweaked Shaw I have.

Both whistles in their untweaked state take a fair amount of breath, the Shaw taking much more than the Clarke. The tweaked Shaw is much better, though I haven't tried a tweaked Clarke.

The Clarke Sweetone is a different animal entirely. Same conical body, plastic mouthpiece designed by the Copeland Woodwind folks. Consistent in tone, easy to hit both octaves. It's a pretty good beginner's instrument, though some people don't care for the tone. I played one of these for years before spending money on a more expensive instrument.

The Clarke Meg that I have is identical to a Sweetone in all but name (they're the same design made with cheaper materials and labor offshore). Some people have reported quality control issues. Others haven't. I think that at $3.00 from www.thewhistleshop.com it's hard to go wrong with one of these.

Both Megs and Sweetones can be considered somewhat pure-sounding instruments.

Feadog: Has a traditional complex tone favored among old-school players. Good Generation brand instruments are favored for the same kind of quality. I almost want to call this tone "scratchy", but that doens't really capture it. Favored by Sinead O'Connor's whistler, and by the music officer of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. It's harder to control, but when mastered, gives a very satisfying sound.

Oak: I don't have one of these, though Mack Hoover Whitecap on an Oak body sounds pretty good

The only Walton's I have is a Guinness whistle. It's a bit thin in tone to me, and I would likely choose the Feadog over it every time.

[markbell]

I won't rehash Wanderer's excellent synopsis.

I like traditional Clarkes quite a bit - my favorite soprano D is a black Clarke traditional that I have worn all the gold paint away. However, some of them tend to be breathy and a bit unfocused. The last one I bought was much nicer after mashing the top of the windway down a bit with my thumb.

I can compare a Walton's C and Clarke traditional C, as I have both. After a round of the above-mentioned thumb-mash tweaking on the Clarke, I much prefer it to the Walton's C. To me, the Clarke sound is richer and more interesting. Only drawback to the Clarke trad is that the seam on the bottom of the whistle grabs a beard hair from time to time, but that's a personal problem...

I like to use Megs when teaching groups of kids, and they are dependable whistles. I keep one in my car for stoplights, but I don't like their sound as well as traditional Clarkes.

[KDMARTINKY]

I will attempt to go through each of the whistles with my opinion and give each a ranking 1-5 (1 being poor & 5 being outstanding). He we go:

Clarke: The Clarke classic was my first whistle and served its purpose of getting familar with whistling. I still have it and pick it up from time to time. Non-tunable and wooden block.It produces a airy sound which I do like a lot. (3)

Shaw: Dave Shaw makes a very fine airy whistle. I have had the pleasure of owning two of these (Low C and Low D). Its a great instrument, but takes a lot of breathe to carry through. It is very well constructed. Non-tunable and wooden block. (4)

Feadog: I am less familar with this brand although I have had a feadog in the key of D. Without being "Tweaked" I coundn't get a smooth transition between octaves. It is well constructed and it is tunable via the mouth piece, but just slightly. (2-3 untweaked) (4 tweaked)

Oak: This whistle in my opinion is very similar to the Feadog & Walton. Chromed body and a plastic tunable mouth piece. Once again without being Tweaked its very diffucult (unless your lucky) to obtain smootyh transition between octaves. (2-3 untweaked) (4-5 Tweaked)

Walton: I own a Walton's Little Black Whistle and take it everywhere. I think I paid $3 for it couple of years back. I have sit on it and have been able to repair it. Its tube is made of very light tin and it is tunable. When tweaked this whistle is a solid (5), untweaked its a (4). This is a whistle like the Clarke that I won't ever give up.

Keep in mind also that the Shaw to me is above the rest of the list and that the Feadog, Oak, Walton and Clarke are very inexpensive and a joy to play.

Hope this helps....remember its just an opinion.

[Darwin]

I'll just add that both the Feadog and the Oak that I had were very poor, with some uncontrollably squawky notes and an overall rough sound. Both tubes now sound very nice with Whitecap heads.

[Brian Lee]

I've owned each of these whistles, and would actually say my experience has been the Oak far outshines them all - consistently. Needed very little if any tweaking, and the tone was the most consistant and truly 'whistle like' in nature. Just another 2c.

[vomitbunny]

Buy a tweaked feadog or gen, and a mellowdog, which is a mellow d body with a c feadog head, tweaked. Then you'll have two excellent whistles, and narrow and a wide bore, and only spend about 70 bucks for the both of them.
Or buy some untweaked feadogs and gens, and try your hand at tweaking. You may take to it easily and some some cash, or just trash some whistles.

[Jayhawk]

I'm with Brian on this one - the best of the bunch listed is an Oak (although I've not personally owned a Sweetone/Meg - I've played one of each, though).

The Oak requires good breath control, but once you adjust I think it's like a great Generation (but the Oak is more commonly good compared to many generations).

Eric

[RonKiley]

I have all but the Shaw. Of this group I prefer the Feadog followed by the Waltons followed by Generation. I do not like conical whistles. I did not like my Oak the way it came so I had a Hoover whitecap installed. This greatly improved it but of course is more expensive than the others. Once again this is my opinion others will have different opinions which are just as valid.

Ron

[jen f]

Of the ones you mentioned, I have an Oak and a Feadog. I love the Oak, don't care much for the Feadog--but there are plenty of people who would be the other way around. It's a matter of personal preference.

I think the Feadog has a "rough" sound and is loud and shrieky in the upper octave. I like the pure sound of the Oak. It does take a little more breath control than some other cheap whistles, but once you get used to it, it's a beautiful-sounding whistle. It's also the most in-tune cheap whistle I've found. I suspect the reason is this: other whistles require you to blow the note into tune sometimes, but on the Oak, you either have the right breath pressure or you don't. If you don't, it will squeak, but if you do, it will be in tune.

[Bretton]

The Walton's Mello-D is a nice whistle...takes a bit more air than other cheap whistles but is more mellow.

I really like Oaks but they can be a little finicky...take less are than other cheap whistles, but a good one has a nice ringing tone, especially on the high notes.

-Brett

[Entropy]

I guess it really depends on what you are looking to get out of the whistle. Of the ones you mentioned, I've had varying levels of experience with Clarke, Feadog, and Walton's.

The Clarke Sweetone is easiest to play IMO.
The Clarke original is my favorite sounding cheapie.
The Feadog I just bought this past weekend, so I haven't played it much. However, my initial impression is that it's pretty temperamental about breath control. I can see why so many people like the sound of these, and given enough time and effort, it could really be made to sing. Right now, it's a little too much whistle for me to play adequately.
The Waltons (Mellow D) was my first whistle and it's virtually unplayable in the second octave. This could be my fault, maybe a dedicated and experienced player could make it sing, but I've heard others complain about the playability of their Mellow D's. In all fairness, I have heard some good things about the Little Black D, but I have no personal experience with it.

I hope this was helpful.

[stratochicnic]

I guess it really depends on what you are looking to get out of the whistle. Of the ones you mentioned, I've had varying levels of experience with Clarke, Feadog, and Walton's.

The Clarke Sweetone is easiest to play IMO.
The Clarke original is my favorite sounding cheapie.
The Feadog I just bought this past weekend, so I haven't played it much. However, my initial impression is that it's pretty temperamental about breath control. I can see why so many people like the sound of these, and given enough time and effort, it could really be made to sing. Right now, it's a little too much whistle for me to play adequately.
The Waltons (Mellow D) was my first whistle and it's virtually unplayable in the second octave. This could be my fault, maybe a dedicated and experienced player could make it sing, but I've heard others complain about the playability of their Mellow D's. In all fairness, I have heard some good things about the Little Black D, but I have no personal experience with it.

I hope this was helpful.

Walton's Mellow D was my first one and I was unlucky to get a defective one. The low D just squawked and overall I found it did require a lot more air to get it sound clearly. I bought an Acorn instead and it's very easy to play and switch between octaves.

In the future, I'd like to get my hands on a Clarke Sweetone and a Walton's LBD

[carolyn]

Clarke, don't go there

Shaw had one for years, kids used it as a drum stick when they were little, full of dents now and oxidized but still plays ok, but they are a bit breathy and mouthpiece not that comfy

Feadog, I personally don't like them, think they are harsh

Have not come across the others, have a Generation, also had for years sweetest whistle ever, fipple now very much on the way out and whistle has lost volume but very good for learning tunes in company without being noticed and very good for playing gently in the background, as yet have not come across another decent Generation

Am now owner of Abell which is nice in company but I find it a bit loud on my own

Also have a Harper which I quite like but takes a while to warm up, but has good volume when it does, is this a help?

[PhilO]

Clarke - I still love my originals, the first whistles I owned. I don't like the Sweetones.

Shaw - take too much air and tweaking seems to remove some of the lovely tonal aspects.

Faedog - I have one that's terrific and one that's terrible; figure it out.

Oak - Just think there are many better.

Walton - The Mellow D is very nice and the Golden Tone C is one of the best cheapies ever made, and consistently too.

And a word about Gens - the Bflats are generally really good.

Philo